History of New Rockford: Nov. 11, 2019

On Oct. 21, 1902, Mrs. James Belch of Oberon visited Mrs. F.G. Haver. Chris Fahrner was in on business.

From Oct. 21 to 22, Katie (Mrs. Thomas) Turner and children of Barlow visited in New Rockford. From Oct. 21 to 24, Henry Davis was down from Rugby to close out his business interests before moving to Rugby permanently; he sold his property north of the James River to drayman E.H. Martin.

On Oct. 22, P.C. Peterson came up from Barlow. Peter Michel drove in from the Guler district. William Milne, Jr., was down from the Sheyenne Valley on business. Dick Bohmbach came in from his farm north of town and said goodbye to his brother John Bohmbach, who had been visiting him, as he returned to Red Wing, Minn. Jacob Chamberlain left for San Diego. Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Ohrner and family left for South Dakota, where he would consult with doctors about the tumor under his right ear. Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Flater and son Harry left for the Pacific Coast for the winter and perhaps permanently.

On the morning of Oct. 23, a lightning storm with heavy rain passed through the area. A bolt of lightning struck the west end of the Pottner Bros. granary southwest of New Rockford, splintering the wood into kindling and rattling the windows and glassware in the house, but there was no fire. The rain halted flax threshing again.

On Oct. 23, the NP claim agent was in town addressing the claim of P.H. West for the loss of his dray team on Oct. 8. Barlow landlord Frank Gregory was in town, walking with a limp because an old war wound was acting up in his knee. Dr. Charles MacLachlan went to Fessenden on professional business; that night he drove home in the mud. That evening an Epworth League [an organization for young adults, 18 to 35; it was the predecessor of the Methodist Youth Fellowship–MYF] was organized in the Methodist Church. [It must have been a reorganization because there had been such a League in 1899]. Officers elected were Miss Eleanor VanDuzer, President; Miss Cora B. Davis, First Vice President; Charles F. Culp, Second Vice President; Nathan Flater, Third Vice President; Charles E. Phillips, Secretary; R.F. Rinker, Treasurer; Miss Nora Kennedy, Organist. Regular devotional meetings would be from 6:30 to 7:30 every Sunday evening. The first topic would be “The Good Samaritan.” Also that evening there was an impromptu dance party at Brown’s Opera House. About 45 young people danced until 1 a.m. Music was provided by Ira Shroyer and Andrew Johnson, violins, and George Tyner, piano.

The Oct. 24, 1902, the “Transcript” noted that Carrington was planning to put in electric lights. That edition commented that Will Steinweg had done a great job dressing up a display in the south window of Rodenberg & Schwoebel.

Mr. and Mrs. Francis Pottner had a Card of Thanks “expressing our heartfelt gratitude for the valuable assistance” rendered and the sympathy given by their friends and neighbors during the illness and death of “their little one.”

A new sidewalk had been put in along Villard Avenue [Central Avenue today] between Rodenberg & Schwoebel’s and the NP depot. The addition to the Catholic Church was being pushed to beat the cold weather.

Captain P.H. West had moved into the residence vacated by Mr. and Mrs. P.J. Hester and family.

During the week, Alden & Kackley demonstrated the Cahoon Anti-Smoke Stove, a new type of lignite burning stove, in the old tailor shop [Chris Zoller’s] on North Chicago Street. The stove would be on display until Oct. 27.

Sometime during the week, $10,000 in U.S. currency arrived at the First National Bank, causing cashier James E. Hyde to have to sign his signature on it 800 times; three plain-clothes men watched over him.

During the week, S.J. Doyle, the Carrington farm machinery man, was in New Rockford. Mrs. John Schaffer of New York City was visiting her brother H.G. Gage and family. Miss Nellie Oliver visited in McHenry. Also during the week, the Royal Neighbors Lodge presented Mrs. Nathan Flater with a solid gold ring with a crest featuring the Royal Neighbors emblem.

The previous week, Miss Mabel Goodrich arrived from Michigan to visit her cousin Miss Addie Haugh.

An unnamed area farmer with a new barn had been approached by an agent for a lightning rod company and convinced the farmer he needed five of them. They were installed and he signed a receipt, but was told he didn’t have to pay for them until they were tested in a storm. However, the next time he came to town, he was told he had a note [at a bank?] and it had to be paid. He paid it, went home, and checked the rods; they proved worthless.

On Oct. 24, Alfred E. Dickey and W.D.B.D. Nomott of the Wells & Dickey Land Company of Jamestown were in New Rockford looking after business interests, then they went to eastern Eddy County and to McHenry. W.C. Schwoebel, Fred Zimmerman, Jr., and James Hobbs were in New Rockford. Joseph Dutee was in from eastern Eddy County. Hans Anderson was in from southwest of town on business. J.D. Carroll came in from Washington Lake. H.H. Palmer of the “Carrington Independent” was in town. Harvey barber Lou Smith was in town. Miss Lucie Nelson returned to Carrington after a visit with Mrs. E.S. Severtson. County Superintendent Grace B. Putnam and Miss Frances Thomson went to Carrington for the Tri-County Teachers’ Association meeting. Miss Blanche Brownell left for Jamestown to attend the Academy there. That afternoon Mrs. H.G. Hudson hosted the West Side Kindergarten Whist Club. That evening Iver Vick was down from Sheyenne.

By that night, the telephone company had 29 New Rockford businesses connected and had the rest within a few days; there were 52 subscribers, with more to come.

On Oct. 24 and 25, the Tri-County Teachers’ Association met in Carrington.

On Sunday, Oct. 26, Dennis O’Connor came over from Denhoff. Mr. and Mrs. J.T. Wiltsie were in Fargo. That day the 10-month old son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Pake died of inflammation of the bowels. His funeral was on Oct. 28, with burial in the cemetery north of town. His gravestone in Prairie Home Cemetery reads David C. Pake Dec. 23, 1901 – Oct. 26, 1902.

On Oct. 27, U.S. Senator H.C. [Henry Clay] Hansbrough (Rep.—ND, 1891-1909) of Devils Lake stopped in New Rockford on his way to Fessenden. Thomas Solverson was down from Maddock. Grain buyer Johnson and druggist Walker came down from Sheyenne. William Thorn came in on business.

From Oct. 27 to 30, R.R. Woodward was in McIntosh County, looking at some land he was interested in.