History of New Rockford: September 11, 2023

On March 30 and until noon on March 31, 1906, Fargo optician C.J. Sullivan was at Kunkel’s Jewelry Store.

On March 31 Phillip Ackerman was in from west of town doing business and greeting friends. Miss Bertha Hopper arrived to be a trimmer at Inez Gullicks’ millinery shop. J.T. Gudgell, owner of the Gudgell Ranch southeast of New Rockford, was in for spring supplies. Joseph Dutee came in from eastern Eddy County. Andrew Johnson, Jr., returned from Minneapolis, where he had been studying music, and resumed his former position as the clerk at the Hotel Mattson. Dr. E.L. Goss came up from Carrington to check on his very ill nephew Loyle Goss. Loyle’s father John F. Goss cut his visit to Iowa short and arrived in New Rockford to be with his son. W.M. Chamberlain left on a trip to Illinois. Miss Lillie Ohrner went to Bordulac to accept a position in the dry goods department of a store there. Frank Fahrer left for Lancaster, Ohio, called there by the death of his father; he returned on April 16. Dr. and Mrs. G.D. Murphy went to Minneapolis, where they would remain for some time before moving on to the Pacific Coast to live [they didn’t]. John Welsh, a farmer northeast of town, began seeding his wheat. At 2 p.m. R. Learn sold at public auction at his barn in east New Rockford some handmade harness and a number of fine horses.

On April 2 Peter and Andrew Dodds and John Dutee were in for spring supplies. Barlow farmer William Dugan and Hans Anderson came in on business. Mr. and Mrs. Barney Engberg were in town. Barlow farmer Theodore Doyen was in town. James Graham came in from eastern Eddy County and D.D. Dailey was in from Morris to visit and to do some business. Dr. Charles McNamara came up from Barlow to visit. Barlow businessman O.B. Tausen was up on business. J.C. Smith was working on the big 8-horse gasoline engine in an elevator [Andrews & Gage?] when he caught his hand in the fly wheel, which was running at full speed; he was flipped into the air, but escaped with just a very tender hand and arm. That afternoon a number of local Masons accompanied J.H. Rodenberg, J.G. Dailey, and J.N. Kunkel to Carrington, where the three men were initiated into the Masonic Lodge that evening.

On April 2 and 3, the Eddy County Commission (Dailey and Dafoe; Gunvaldson absent) met. On April 2 they accepted a petition asking for the organizing of congressional township 148, range 6, as a civil township with the name “Rosefield” and set the date of March 14 for an election of officers at the school in section 10. They authorized the following bills to be paid: $40.82, Zenith Coal Co., 35 1/2 tons of lignite, minus freight; $2.25, Mrs. McFadden, meals for Mrs. Anderson and boy; $135, Mrs. A.G. Gardner, register of deeds’ clerk for Jan. through March. On April 3 they accepted the resignation of H.J. Sylling as 3rd district assessor and appointed Clyde Hall; authorized payment of $45, John Collins, court house janitor for March; $44, Gust Lauch, labor and materials for new jail; $12, J.E. Bennett, coal to court house.

On April 3 cashier A.E. Swanson was up from Barlow on business and to visit. At 8 p.m. Cameron Mann, the Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church of North Dakota, preached in the Methodist Church. That evening Mr. and Mrs. L.A. Whiteman were down from Sheyenne to visit. Also that evening about thirty of his friends “dropped in” on County Judge C.W. Hall on the occasion of his 42nd birthday. He was presented with a fine leather upholstered chair. The evening was passed with card games and light refreshments. Alice (Mrs. J.W.) Rager hosted a “candy pull” at her home for the ladies whose husbands were off “surprising” County Judge Hall; when the men returned to their homes, they found them quiet and dark, so they formed a group and searched until they found the candy pull and joined their wives for what-was-left of an evening of fun.

On April 4, B.T. Fay returned from a winter at his former home, Iowa. Mrs. John O’Connell and daughter Miss Cecilia arrived for a visit. Mrs. Lina Goodale came up from Minneapolis to visit her friend Mrs. Alfred Dinnetz and her family. Conrad Taverna arrived back home after two months in a St. Paul hospital; his health was much better. Miss Evelyn Wardrope of Churchs Ferry came in to visit Miss Weiss and Miss Lund, teachers at the New Rockford Schools. That evening the Skovgaard Concert Company appeared in the Opera House. Axel Skovgaard was described as a violin virtuoso; he was assisted by Miss Eleanora Olson and Miss Christine Nilsson. They played to a small, but enthusiastic, audience. John Algeo and Miss Alma Schmitt of Barlow attended.

April 5 started with a small snow flurry. J.W. Young was in from the Tiffany area. Frank Hudson and Howard Huff left for Mandan with an eye to opening a confectionary in that community. That evening Fred Von Almen, Henry Von Almen, E.H. Martin, and George Johnson were initiated into the Woodmen Lodge. Also the Phillips Academy basketball team hosted a social at the Academy to raise money for team supplies; it was “most successful.”

The April 6, 1906, “Transcript” had a news item about four members of the Mr. and Mrs. Henry Wagner family twelve miles southwest of Fessenden who died of scarlet fever: their daughter, a bride of two months; a 17-year old daughter; a nine-year old son; and a 12-year old daughter; three children were left, two at home.

That issue commended the residents for doing such a good job cleaning up the litter and refuse exposed after the snow had melted.

F.L. Mortinson, A.L. Mortinson L. Mortinson, and Mrs. Hendrickson had a Card of Thanks for the aid and sympathy extended by their neighbors and friends “during the illness and death of our loved one.” [Mortensen?]

Donald Niven had home-grown Dakota Sunshine Dent Seed Corn for sale.

Mrs. J.T. Wiltsie had for sale or rent her lots and eleven-room house on the corner of Stimson Ave. and New Haven St. The residence had hot water heat and a good cistern; also there was a good barn.

Frank McAuley was setting up Racine buggies and wagons in back of J.W. Rager’s harness shop.

Everett Buck was sick with tonsillitis. Perry Stanton had been very ill with pneumonia, but was improving.

The following New Rockford merchants agreed to close their business places at 7:30 p.m., April 1 to August 1, Saturday evening excepted: Rodenberg & Schwoebel; H. Peoples & Co.; Prader & Baeder; Elias Saad; J. Wenz, shoe store; J.W. Rager, harness shop; D.H. Fowler, City Meat Market; N.A. Johnson, meat market; J.N. Kunkel jewelry; F.W. House, jewelry; Frank Hays, New Rockford Hardware Co.; J.M. Mulvey hardware.