History of New Rockford: March 11, 2024

On October 5, 1906, F.A. Rising, vice president of the First National Bank, was in town on banking business. A telegram that day informed J.B. Somers of the death by drowning of one of his sons at Tagus, N.D. That evening, a son was born to Mr. and Mrs. John Anderson. That evening, a dance was held; Messrs. Theo Quam, Nels Mattson, Edward A. Faust and John Hultberg and Misses Jet Richter and McFarland, all of Sheyenne attended, as did Dr. Charles McNamara and Frank Fahrer, both of Barlow.

On October 6, Mr. and Mrs. Philip Ackerman came in to shop. Miss Julia Shirley left to make her home in Minot. Dr. Charles MacLachlan went to Oberon on a medical case. That evening, “A Husband on Salary,” a three-act comedy, was scheduled to be presented at the Opera House; however, the performance was cancelled as the company had “struck the rocks.” That night, Andrew L. Jermo died in his New Rockford home after suffering from tuberculosis for a year and a half. He left a wife, two small children, an elderly father, four brothers and two sisters. On October 9, the funeral took place under the auspices of the Modern Woodmen Lodge, with interment in the Nordmore Cemetery, Rev. E.T. Quam. Mr. Jermo’s niece Mrs. H.N. Opdahl of Leeds and her husband attended, as did Mr. and Mrs. Peter Crane.

On the morning of October 8, the north side of R.M. Kennedy’s elevator let loose and about 2500 bushels of flax spilled onto the ground; about 1900 bushels were recovered, but over 600 bushels were blown away by the strong wind. That loss to Kennedy and the labor to repair the building would be around $700. Erick Lindstrom returned from his homestead near Denhoff. O.B. Stedman came down from Sheyenne. Mrs. R.P. Allison went to Jamestown to visit her son E.G. Allison and family. Laura Reams and Percy Ritter were married in the bride’s home at Aurora, Wash. [The bride had been the central operator for the telephone company in New Rockford in 1903 and 1904.]

On October 9, a son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Halver P. Halverson of the Sheyenne Valley. F.S. Dunham made a business trip to Sheyenne. That afternoon, saw “a nice flurry of snow.” That evening, J.T. “Pomp” Shauers was in from eastern Eddy County; he was described as “an old Indian fighter” and supposedly had been a member of Major Marcus Reno’s detail at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. At 8 p.m., the Methodist Epworth League sponsored a social in which young ladies, dressed as ghosts, brought supper for two; young men “bought” the “ghosts” and the meal. There was also a short program. On that night 45 years before, New Rockford resident Sgt. T.P Morris came under fire for the first time at Ft. Pickens, Fla., during the Civil War.

On October 10, Mr. and Mrs. Norman Treffry and family were in shopping. After finishing their threshing, John and David Geiger went to Crary on business and to do some hunting. J.M. Mulvey, J.E. Bennett, and J.C. Smith went goose hunting near Minnewaukan; the weather did not cooperate, but Mulvey returned on October 17 with two fine “honkers.” Helen Mae Faxon and Daniel M. MacDavid were married at Oberon.

On 9 a.m. October 11, Solemn High Mass was celebrated and Confirmation services were held at St. John’s Catholic Church, with the Right Rev. Bishop John Shanley, Father L.G. VandenBergh of New Rockford, Father McDonald of Carrington and Father Behrns of Wimbledon. Fifty-six children were confirmed. Nels Faar from northeast of New Rockford and C.C. Lyford were in on business. Joseph Dutee came in from eastern Eddy County on business and to see his friends. Attorney R.P. Allison returned from Jamestown. At noon, a daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. W.C. Dresser. That evening, the two-month-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Turner died; the funeral was the next afternoon, with interment in the cemetery north of town. [His small, flat, gray gravestone in Prairie Home Cemetery reads “John A. Turner Aug. 9, 1906 Oct. 11, 1906.]

The October 12, 1906, “Transcript” quoted an article from the “Valley City Times-Record” which said the Great Northern Railway had unofficially announced the Ayr-Minot Cutoff would be built. The line would begin at Ayr, go westerly through the Willow Lake country and across the Sheyenne River, then cross over the Cooperstown branch of the Northern Pacific between Rogers and Cooperstown, possibly at Hannaford, Wallum, or Dazey, then parallel the Soo Line all the way to Minot. The railroad proposed to run the line eight miles north of Fessenden, six miles north of Harvey, and nine miles north of Anamoose. The supposed basis for the new line was rivalry with the Soo Line.

An ad stated that within a few days L. Fine & Co. would open a new clothing store, The New York Clothing Store, a.k.a. New York Salvage Co., in the Kinnaird Building two doors north of the Farmers and Merchants Bank. Views of New Rockford were available on postal cards at Belgum’s Photographic Studio.

The “School Notes” were edited by Hazel Healey: Leo Leonard was absent during the week; Ester (Esther?) Johnson of Sheyenne, Elwin Beardsley and George Hawthorne joined the high school on Oct. 8; Hazel Clouser started in the eighth grade; while Olive Thomas, Katie Wenz and Verne Lindsey entered the fifth grade; Bessie and Eddie Butler visited the sixth grade on the afternoon of Oct. 9; on Oct. 10 students began working with the drawing material which had finally arrived; Miss Jennie Hersey taught grades 2 and 3 on Oct. 11 because Miss Lilyan Faust was ill; that morning, Harry West entered the high school; the “Minneapolis Junior Journal” mentioned Blythe Newville; September attendance in the sixth grade was 97.25 percent.

Mrs. Maggie Jermo and relatives had a Card of Thanks for the aid and comfort given them by friends and neighbors during the illness and death of “our loved one.” They especially thanked the members of the Woodmen Camp.

The New Rockford Camp 2214 of the Modern Woodmen of America passed a Resolution of Sympathy for the family and relatives of Andrew Jermo. The “Transcript” printed the Resolution signed by W.E. Radke, Peter Prader and George M. Pike.

W.M. Chamberlain had Shropshire, Cotswold and Rambouillet sheep for sale: breeding ewes, $4.50; ewe lambs, $3.50; bucks, $15. Mrs. R.M. Kennedy had a Radiant Home coal heater for sale at $15. J. Harvey Johnson wanted to rent a piano.

L.J. Codon of L. Fine & Co. of Minneapolis had been making arrangements during the week to open a clothing store in the J.L. Kinnaird building on Chicago Street North.