History of New Rockford: July 22, 2024

The Feb. 1, 1907, “Transcript” stated that recently in the Morris area, John Seckinger had driven his team and wagon to a haystack to get some hay for his animals and got stuck; James Casey helped extricate the horses and wagon. Also in the Morris area, George Pincott was entertaining his neighbors in the evenings by playing his graphophone [an improved early phonograph]. Mr. and Mrs. F.W. House and family were waiting for the tracks to be cleared so they could leave for their new home, Mountain Home, Idaho.

On the morning of Feb. 1, 1907, Sophia (Mrs. William) Dugan died at her home west of Barlow after a week’s bout with what the paper called purpura haemorriga [purpura hemorrhagica is a disease of horses; purpura affects humans, but is not fatal, so there is a discrepancy in the report]; her son Joseph Dugan came into town to make arrangements for the funeral. The Dugans had moved to the Barlow area in the 1880s. She left a husband and two children. Her funeral Mass with Father McDonald of Carrington was held on Sunday morning, February 3, in St. John’s Catholic Church in New Rockford with burial in the Catholic cemetery north of town. [Her tall, light gray, pointed tombstone in St. John’s Catholic Cemetery reads “SOPHIA DUGAN Born Nov. 20, 1859 Died Feb. 1, 1907." It stands atop a light gray base with the word “DUGAN” carved on it. There are no other Dugan graves in the cemetery.] Herman Peterson from near Barlow, Joseph Christ and Peter Hanson came in on business. John Kennedy was in town. That afternoon, Lawrence Prader and Frank Hudson visited Phillips Academy. That evening, the Commercial Club met and voted to send a telegram to NP President Elliott about the “dire necessity” for the railroad to get food and fuel to the New Rockford area. Elliott replied the next morning, saying the railroad was doing all it could to clear lines, but the traveling conditions “were fierce” from Ashland, Wisc., all the way to Puget Sound. That evening, Miss Jeanie Hendry entertained a number of her lady friends at the home of Mr. and Mrs. H.G. Hudson.

On the morning of February 2, 27 teams and wagons under the director of J.E. Bennett went to Carrington to get loads of coal; the residents of New Rockford were “utterly without fuel.” Despite the cold, they returned with around 35 tons. A 10-lb. daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Herman Hallquist. Albert Burke returned from Minneapolis, where he had gone for an appendectomy; he was pretty weak. That evening, the Hon. G.A. Gearhart, lecturer, appeared before a large audience at the Opera House, sponsored by the public school; he spoke on “The Coming Man.”

On the morning of Sunday, Feb. 3, a small fire developed in the chimney of the Glenn Smith house; the NRFD had it out quickly. In order to conserve coal, Congregational services were held at Phillips Academy that morning and Union services were held there that evening. At 7:30 p.m., Prof. L.J. Aldrich preached in the Baptist Church. That evening, Ella Connolly returned to Phillips Academy from her Barlow home, and Verne “Poke” Norton took the train to Jamestown, where he would remain a few days. Rev. J.C. Burkholder left for Minneapolis; he returned on February 20. Mrs. W.E. Biggs took the train to begin a trip to her old Indiana or Illinois [sources differ] home and the Golden Wedding Anniversary of her parents, which took place on February 8. She then went to Missouri to visit with Mr. and Mrs. R.R. Woodward and family. She returned home on March 25. Miss Jeanie Hendry took the train to Carrington, where she would work in the telephone office.

On February 4, Charles Carlson began work in the Commercial Department of Phillips Academy. That evening, a train got through with 95 tons of coal which was quickly dispersed in a few hours in 205 lots. That evening, the Commercial Club sent another telegram to NP President Elliott, who replied that the railroad would not relax in its efforts to get coal to New Rockford.

The Eddy County Commissioners (Gunvaldson, Dailey, Dafoe) met on February 4 and 5. On February 4, they accepted the resignation of Rev. J.E. Beebe as a justice of the peace and appointed R.M. Kennedy to replace him. They approved the payment of the following: $45, Mrs. A.G. Gardner, register of deeds’ clerk for Jan.; $40, Mrs. W.C. Schwoebel, auditor’s clerk, Jan.; $5, Ruth Gronvold, treasurer’s clerk, Jan.; $15, New Rockford Light and Water Improvement Co., lights for Jan.; $4.50, E.S. Buck, barbering prisoners; $20, J.L. Kinnaird, funeral supplies for the William Anderson child; $5, Charles Weibly, digging a grave for the Anderson child; $9, J.R. Winslow, milk for Mrs. William Cahill.

On February 5, they appointed C.C. Manning and J.L. Kinnaird as justices of the peace in place of O.O. Wolden and J.A. McCrum, who were elected, but failed to qualify. They approved payment of the following: $75, E.M. Stitzel contract for the Tiffany grade.

On February 5, a telegram informed Mrs. F.D. Norton of the death of her sister Betty Mattson near Crosby, N.D. During the storm the latter part of the previous week, the deceased, a sister, and a brother were caught and did not find shelter for a considerable time; Miss Mattson succumbed to exposure, but her siblings survived. However, later in the month in Minot, the sister had her right thumb and little finger and her left thumb amputated. On February 18, her brother John Mattson accompanied the body to Sheyenne. From there it was taken to the farm of another brother, Ole Mattson, northeast of New Rockford. On the afternoon of February 21, the funeral took place in the Greenfield Church, Rev. Carl Andeer, with interment in the Greenfield Cemetery. The grave of Betty Mattson, Jan. 8, 1883-Feb. 1, 1907, age 24, is located in the Augustana Lutheran Church Cemetery, rural Sheyenne. Ed Roach came into town for fuel. Bert Newport returned from Devils Lake, where he had made final proof on a claim. A.F. Nibbe was in town. H.B. Row came in for supplies. F.P. Roush was in from southeast of town on business. S.W. Lyman drove over from near McHenry. The first express train since January 19 arrived in New Rockford. Miss Alta Harrison left Phillips Academy for her Esmond home. That evening, Mr. and Mrs. H.J. Mitchell hosted a party in honor of Miss Mabel Sheehy at their home on Chicago Street North; Miss Sheehy left for a visit to Minneapolis and to her old home in Iowa on February 7; she returned on the evening of March 15.

On February 6, conductor Humes, in charge of the rotary plow, got through to Esmond from Carrington and on February 7 the rotary passed through New Rockford to open the line from Carrington to Jamestown, which had been blocked since January 29. On February 6, R.H. Carroll and veterinarian F.R. Patterson came over from McHenry. Patterson said that McHenry had not had a train or any mail since January 15.