History of New Rockford: Jan. 20, 2020

The Dec. 19, 1902, “New Rockford Transcript” carried an ad: Grand Christmas Opening, City Meat Market, D. Niven, evening of Dec. 23 till 10:30 p.m. beef, pork, lamb, mutton, veal, hams, bacon, lard, turkeys, geese, chickens, ducks, game, etc.

Early in the week barber Lou Smith received his chairs and other equipment and began setting up in his new location, the basement of the J.M. Patch Block.

Peter Mattson was a new clerk at Rodenberg & Schwoebel.

A note said Leroy L. Boord, a former resident of New Rockford and Jamestown, had recently graduated from the Pierce School, a business college in Philadelphia.

The Epworth League met every Sunday from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Methodist Church.

On Dec. 20, Standard Oil man Peter Johnson came up from Carrington with a load of gasoline to “alleviate the drought.” Jay Mulvey arrived from the Shattuck Academy for the holidays with his parents. Miss Blanche Brownell was up from Jamestown and Miss Cora Garvin was in from Valley City for the holidays. Miss Elsie Keime came up from Valley City for the holidays with her mother. Marsh Chamberlain returned from Chicago, where he had sold two carloads of fat cattle. Miss Harriet Davidson came in from Hamline University for the holidays. J.M. Patch left for his Indianapolis home. Liveryman J.W. Whetham left for a couple weeks at his old home in Ontario. Dr. and Mrs. Charles MacLachlan went to Toronto, Ontario, and other eastern cities for the holidays.

On Dec. 20 and 21, Miss Hilda Johnson was in from Tiffany.

On Sunday, Dec. 21, Granville Egbert was in town. At 6:30 p.m. Miss Hattie Turner led the discussion at the Epworth League meeting on “Christmas, Its Message and Motive.” D.Y. Stanton read a paper on the benefits and work of the League.

From Dec. 22 to 24, Mrs. A.A. Pettit was visiting in Barlow.

On Dec. 2,3 despite a “baby blizzard” John Seckinger came in from eastern Eddy County for Christmas supplies. Matt Wiltschko came up from his farm southwest of Barlow on business. Mr. and Mrs. Olof Lundquist went to Valley City for the holidays with her parents. Charles Lyman went to Duluth to be with his parents over the holidays. The fire hall bell arrived and would be put up as soon as possible.

The display of meats at the City Meat market on the evening of Dec. 23 and the next day was described in the “Transcript” as “…one of the finest ever seen in this section of the state.” Among the displays were a 23-month old Durham beef, 685 lbs. dressed; an 18-month old Durham heifer, 575 lbs. dressed; and an 8-month old Polled Angus, 480 lbs. dressed, all raised by Donald Niven. Mr. Fisher raised a four-month old Angus, 103 lbs. dressed; Mrs. J.R. Winslow raised a six-month old turkey, 32 lbs.; and Mr. Niven also had several Poland China hogs on display.

On Dec. 24 Mrs. William H. Wilton of Sibley Butte, N.D., arrived to spend the holidays with her daughter Mrs. O.E. Couch and her husband. Mrs. J.L. Kinnaird and children went to Sheyenne for Christmas with Mr. and Mrs. O.B. Stedman and family; J.L. Kinnaird joined them on Christmas Day. School principal Lydia Messerschmidt went to Fairmount, N.D., for the holidays with relatives. Dick Bohmbach left for Red Wing, Minn., for a winter visiting relatives and friends. That evening George D. Setz was in from eastern Eddy County Christmas shopping. Also that evening just before the Christmas exercises in the Congregational Church, Rev. J.R. Beebe married Jesse College and Tacie Miller, both of Barlow; the couple would live on the College farm. There were large crowds at both the Congregational and Methodist Christmas tree entertainments; Santa Claus appeared at both events.

On Christmas morning the temperature was minus 37. Frank Parker received a telegram that John Griffith, who had been sent to Phoenix, Arizona Territory, for treatment of his consumption [TB], had passed away there that morning. A son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Lee Violette. At noon Robert L. Allison, son of Mr. and Mrs. R.P. Allison, and May Scott were married at the home of the bride’s parents Mr. and Mrs. O.H. West near Bowbells; they would live in Esmond, where he was a barber and the business manager of the “Esmond Bee.” All three hotels – the Brown, the Davies, and the Mattson – served Christmas dinners. J.W. Wiltsie came up from Barlow for Christmas dinner with his family. Mr. and Mrs. Pat Byron were up from Barlow Christmas shopping. Bank cashier W.H. Neimeyer of McHenry came in on the train for Christmas dinner with friends. Walter and John Schmid came up from Carrington for Christmas dinner with their family. Hardware merchant H. Arveskaug went to Leeds for New Year’s and a couple days’ visit with relatives and friends.

The Dec. 26, 1902, “New Rockford Transcript” mentioned a New Year’s Grand Masquerade Ball at the Opera House; suits could be ordered from James Walsh and masks from H.G. Hudson.

The following New Rockford merchants would be closing at 6 p.m. from Jan. 1 to March 15, 1903: Geo. F. Fahrer meat market, J.M. Mulvey hardware, D. Niven meat market, Thos. Ose hardware, H. Peoples and Co., Prader & Goss general store, J.M. Rager harness shop, Rodenberg & Schwoebel general store, R.R. Woodward general store, Smith and Stanton’s Barber Shop, basement of the J.M. Patch block.

“Girl wanted for general housework. Good wages paid. Inquire of Mrs. H.F. Rodenberg.”

Strayed from the Frank Goodrich farm around Nov. 21: one sorrel mare, five years old, 950 lbs., white stripe in face, halter and rope, branded “JR” on left shoulder; one bay mare, six years old, 1000 lbs., branded “O” on back part of left ham, halter on.

On Dec. 26, Miss Helen Oliver and Miss Harriet Waters went to McHenry to visit friends. Miss Carolyn Trainor and Miss Cora Davidson went to Ward County to “hold down” their claims. At 4 p.m. George Dodds and Ida Roaldson were married at the home of the bride’s parents (Mr. and Mrs. Sivert Roaldson) eight miles east of Barlow by Rev. E.T. Quam of Sheyenne. After “a sumptuous wedding supper” the couple drove to the groom’s farm.