History of New Rockford: Oct. 7, 2024

On April 15, 1907, Miss Hazel Kennedy came up from Jamestown to visit. George W. Johnston boarded the southbound train, telling friends he was going to Anoka, Minn. (He wasn’t).

On April 16, Verne L. Norton began work at Rodenberg & Schwoebel. Ed McLean was down from Sheyenne on business and visiting. Butcher H.H. Miller took a carload of hogs to the South St. Paul market.

On April 17, Mrs. E.R. Davidson went to Jamestown to visit her mother. H.G. Hudson went to Courtenay on business. F.S. Dunham returned from taking a load of cattle and hogs to the South St. Paul market. At 4 p.m., George Wayne Johnston and Lenora Julia Marriage were married at the home of Mr. and Mrs. C.A. Barnes, Minneapolis. The groom was the son of Mr. and Mrs. G.W. Johnston and one of the owners of the Independent Dray Line; the bride was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Sylvanus Marriage, who lived southeast of town.

On April 18, Joseph Christ returned from Monango, N.D., where he had purchased a thoroughbred Red Polled bull, which he had shipped to New Rockford by express. Mrs. James MacLachlan arrived from Ontario; her husband arrived on May 2 and they resumed living in New Rockford. [In October 1906, the couple had left New Rockford to live in Edmonton, Alberta, so they must have moved from there to Ontario.] Andrew Johnson went to Courtenay, where he provided music for a dance that evening.

The April 19, 1907, “Transcript” stated that “this is the latest opening of spring in many years.” The editor also commented that it was “a mighty healthy family” that had been spared any cases of either mumps or measles.

Jacob Allmaras was advertising that his imported Percheron stallion “Hino” would stand at Rood’s livery barn every Saturday for service during the 1907 season.

Former New Rockford student Celestia Kellington was the correspondent for some activities at the Valley City State Normal School.

Fred Dutee was moving from the Morris area to New Rockford for the summer. H.J. Christianson farmed east of Barlow. R.H. Sugden, employed by the Gribbin-Alair Grain Co., had moved to New Rockford from Bowdon when the company’s headquarters were transferred with offices over the Farmers and Merchants Bank.

Mrs. D. Labhardt was the local agent for the Jubilee Gasoline Iron. She had an ad claiming the following ladies used that iron: Mesdames F.E. Reed, R.F. Rinker, A.C. Olsen, P.M. Mattson, A.G. Gardner, O.E. Couch, F.D. Norton, E.S. Severtson and Misses Lillian Lund and Ellen Mattson. O.R. Pomranke had good farm horses for sale. The Arcade Restaurant was advertising 21 meals for $4.

Excavation had commenced on Lamborn Avenue West for the new residence of Mr. and Mrs. E.R. Davidson.

Mrs. John Carroll had been very ill with the grip (flu) near Morris. Druggist Orley Couch had recovered from the mumps and his wife was getting around after a bout of influenza.

On the morning of April 19, a group met in the offices of Streeter & Cooling to make arrangements for a “Gopher Day” on June 4. In addition to prizes for the gopher tails, there would be sports and band music. Committees chosen were Sports – J.P. Von Almen, William Bucklin, C.J. Stickney, A.J. Clure, O.G. Cooling; Prizes – Donald Niven, Frank Hays, H.J. Mitchell; Advertising – William Bucklin, A.J. Clure, O.G. Cooling; Privileges – A.C. Olsen, R.M. Kennedy, G.W. Streeter; all officers were re-elected: J.M. Mulvey, president; D.F. Ellsworth, secretary; W.C. Dresser, treasurer. Dr. John G. Johns arrived to begin a medical practice; he was the brother of A.R. Johns, vice president of the Farmers & Merchants Bank, and had practiced in Bowdon before spending the winter on the Pacific Coast. If things worked out, he wanted to start a hospital. Dr. W.M. Bartley was down from Sheyenne on business. Bert Newport came in for spring supplies. Maud Linderman visited Phillips Academy. George W. Streeter received a new 20 hp Ford runabout. Cyrus Schwenk left Phillips Academy in order to help his father with spring farm work. Miss Hazel Healey went to Rolla, where she began teaching a summer term of school on April 22.

On April 20, C.C. Campbell sold his interest in the Dowkes & Campbell meat market to his partner James Dowkes and retired from the business. The baby son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Lies died. William Dugan was up from near Barlow on a business and social visit. That evening, a large crowd enjoyed a dance at the Mr. and Mrs. Fritz Allmaras farm southwest of town.

On April 20 and 21, Mrs. James B. Dafoe and daughters Miss Addie and Miss Bernice of Sheyenne visited in New Rockford. Mrs. M.A. Liles of Minnewaukan visited her mother Mrs. Anna Whiteman.

On April 22, Mrs. J.G. Stevens arrived from Esmond to visit Mrs. H. Tyler and her husband. W.O. Baird returned from a visit to his old home, Bloomington, Ind. William Wilson came down from Sheyenne to socialize and do some business. Miss Pearl Beer went to York to teach a summer term of school. That evening, James Jensen caught the evening train to begin his trip to his farm home southwest of Sherwood, N.D.; he had been a member of the Boarding Club since entering Phillips Academy on January 11. Also that evening, the New Rockford Band gave an open air concert.

From April 22 to 26, Ellen Mattson attended a meeting of County Superintendents of School in Bismarck.

On April 23 Henry B. Johnson came in from Plainview to visit and take care of some business. James Hackney returned from a visit with his father at Valley City. Albert Fairbanks arrived to help H.W. Wilson in the telephone company. Charles Hartson came in from Towner, where his family had recently moved, and visited friends and looked after business matters.

On April 24, Mrs. Henry Miller was in visiting. B.T. Fay arrived from his old home in Iowa, where he had spent the winter. Mrs. John Neutzel returned from a visit with relatives in Chicago and Wisconsin. Mrs. Roland Omhardt’s brother arrived to visit. Ed Starks went to Towner to visit the family of Charles Hartson. Winnifred Canning and Robert DeLanea [sp.?] were married in Seattle; the bride, originally from Valley City, was the sister of Mrs. Peter J. Butler of New Rockford [but in Sept. she was referred to as Miss Winnifred Canning].