History of New Rockford- June 3, 2019

On June 11, 1902, veterinarian J.C. Whiteman received an automobile and had given just about everyone in town a ride over the next two days. [This is the first mention in the“Transcript” of car-ownership by a New Rockford resident; the appearance of“Horseless Carriages” in a July 15, 1898, circus parade was the first recorded instance of automobiles on the streets of New Rockford.]

On June 12, Peter Michel was in town on business. Mr. and Mrs. Gabriel Prichard [Pritchard?] arrived from Oil City, Pa., to visit their daughter Mrs. James Thomas and her husband, who lived west of town. John Voigt came in from his farm. B.M. Leonard went to Carrington to solicit orders for the Family Photo Company of Chicago for which he was an agent. Granville Egbert went to Carrington to play centerfield for their baseball team.

The June 13, 1902, “New Rockford Transcript” said the “Bowdon Guardian” had a new editor. Other newspapers mentioned were the “Esmond Bee,” “Litchville Bulletin,” and “Tower City Topics.”

A note said that the Early Settlers’ Association flag had been borrowed for the McKinley Memorial Day in 1901 and was missing.

For sale— by E.B. Thomson, one full-blood Hereford bull, two years old.

I.F. Studebaker had returned from his trip and was buying North Dakota land as a “good investment.”

The creamery machinery was almost ready to be installed; the first batch of butter was due on June 16. J.M. Patch was getting plans and specifications for his new building, which would have a steam heat plant and would connect it with Rodenberg & Schwoebel on the corner and the Bank of New Rockford on the north.

School board clerk P.J. Braman had “26 baskets full” of applications for the New Rockford school principal position.

Mr. and Mrs. Christian Hanson were at Harvey, looking after the interests of their son-in-law Mr. Clark while Clark and his wife were in Oregon.

L.S. Ford had planted five acres of potatoes.

Recently J.W. Rager had been offered $10,000 cash for his farm northeast of town, but he refused. J.M. Shannon had sold his eastern Eddy County cattle ranch to an Iowa party for $24,000, including all buildings and a hundred cattle.

Recent Land Office decisions included the following:

Martin Evju vs. Walter Anderson over land in eastern Eddy County; the land office decided in favor of Anderson. C.A. Lowden of McHenry represented Evju and R.P. Allison of New Rockford appeared for Anderson.

Abel Ness vs. Catherine Collins over a homestead entry; the land commission in Washington, D.C., reversed a decision by the Fargo land office in favor of Abel Ness and found for Catherine Collins; P.M. Mattson of New Rockford for Ness; R.P. Allison for Collins.

On June 13, Klem Moe was in on business. Dr. Charles MacLachlan’s 1,300 lb. registered trotting stallion “High Noon” arrived from Chatham, Ontario, Canada. John Arbogast returned from Arizona Territory, where he had gone for his health, which had improved. David Bailey returned from St. Luke’s Hospital in St. Paul, where he had gone sometime before for an operation which proved successful. Robert Walden came in from his farm. George Ellis went to Ft. Dodge, Iowa, as a witness in federal court. That day [one source indicates it may have been June 12] Miss Floy Richter of Sheyenne was one of 20 graduates at Jamestown High School; her father J.W. Richter attended the commencement, then he and his daughters Miss Floy and Miss Jet, who also attended JHS, took the train to Sheyenne. May M. Keime also was at the ceremonies, and she returned to New Rockford with her daughter Miss Elsie.

On that day Miss Hattie Turner, sister of Thomas Turner, returned from Pennsylvania, where she had been for several months; she had missed taking Train #7 on the NP out of St. Paul, so she had to take Train #3. She was lucky because Train #7 was involved in a wreck.

The New Rockford Schools closed on June 13; it rained. Despite the inclement weather, the high school assembly hall was filled for the Eighth Grade Graduation Exercises. Prof. L.M. Tucker presided. Certificates were awarded to Pearl Anderson, Emelia Carlson, Grace Foster, Beatrice Henry, Hilda Johnson, Lenora Marriage, Minnie O’Neill, Agnes Shanahan, and Sara West. William Henry and Nellie Walden were absent. Attorney R.P. Allison delivered an address, and Grace B. Putnam spoke briefly and awarded the certificates. The exercises were interspersed with music. Afterwards Principal Prof. W.A. Tucker and teacher Prof. L.M. Tucker left for their Minnesota home.

On June 14, George Ackerman, A.C. Jones, D.Y. Stanton, and Perry Stanton went to the York vs. Carrington baseball game. Christ Farhner, Mr. and Mrs. William Steinbach, and Peter Dodds were in town. Ed Seastrand was down from the Sheyenne Valley. Went Mcgee came in from his Tiffany farm. G.B. Hall from the former Chute farm was in on business. Lou Smith arrived from Lancaster, Ohio, to take charge of the New Rockford Band. At 2 p.m., the Republican County Central Committee met in the courthouse and called for a convention to select eleven delegates to the Republican State Convention on July 12; precinct caucuses were to be held on July 1. E.B. Thomson was in attendance.

That day Samuel McDowell sold his farm six miles southeast of New Rockford to Irwin Forbes of Newton, Iowa, at $20 an acre for land and $6 an acre for growing crops, over a thousand acres (1,440 acres, 1,330 under plow, for $28,800; crops were sold to the same party for $8,000). Mr. McDowell then bought a building location in New Rockford.

McDowell had come to Eddy County in 1887 with $3,000in cash. In addition to the land, he sold 23 heavy farm horses, plus some cattle and farm machinery. He had to sell due to “failing health.”

On Sunday, June 15, Homer Allison visited in Fessenden.

On the morning of June 16, the creamery started doing business. E.R. Davidson brought some big cans of cream to the creamery. Mr. O’Donnell was the buttermaker. John Dutee Sr., was in town. Martin Walsh was in on business. Will Young was in from his Tiffany farm. Jacob Chamberlain arrived from California to look after his farm. That evening cashier W.L. Bennett and Miss Nell Sheehy drove up from Carrington to visit friends; Miss Sheehy remained to visit Miss Blanche Hester; she returned to Carrington on June 23.