History of New Rockford: Feb. 17, 2020

 The Jan. 9, 1903, “Transcript” contained an announcement from Mrs. C.A. Lathrop, secretary, that the West Side Kindergarten Whist Club would begin meeting every Friday afternoon, instead of every other Friday.

 John Welsh had a number of high-bred brood sows for sale.

 North Dakota State Representative P.M. Mattson and his family were living at 702 Fourth Street, Bismarck. Grain buyer James T. Wiltsie was up from Barlow.

 An item said that furrier C.W. Jarvis, who repaired coats, robes, and other furs at the E.R. Davidson home, had cut down an old buffalo coat and made “a swell overcoat” for Harry Campbell’s young son.

 Pearl Henry had taught school at Balfour; the previous week she had taken the train from that town to her home in Sheyenne.

 On Jan. 9, Walter Schmid came up from Carrington to play the “fiddle” at the firemen’s dance the next evening. Judson Gilbreath of Cathay was in New Rockford between trains. John VonAlmen, clerk at the Ose Hardware, left for a month’s visit to his old home, Elizabeth, Minn.; he returned on Feb. 9. That evening Charles Baird entertained a number of his young friends at the Baird home on Stimson Avenue West with music, games, and refreshments at midnight.

 On Jan. 10, Dr. C.J. McNamara left for a short visit to his former home in Ontario and some other eastern points. State Representative M. Mattson, Jr., came up from Bismarck to spend the week’s recess at his farm in the Sheyenne Valley. J.W. Whetham returned from a visit to his old home near Toronto, Ontario, and some other Canadian cities. That evening there was a large crowd at the annual firemen’s ball.

 On Jan. 10, State Senator J.D. Carroll came in from Bismarck; on Jan. 12 he went out to his Lake Washington home; and on Jan. 15 he returned to Bismarck.

 On Jan. 12, H.J. Mitchell returned from a trip “down the line.” Will Young came in from Tiffany to visit and get a shave and a haircut. Otto Forey returned from the Twin Cities. Gilbert Bymoen was in on business. B.G. Arbogast went to Fargo on elevator business. Mrs. Lila J. Brown left to visit Grand Rapids, Mich.

 From Jan. 12 to 13, Mrs. F.G. Haver was in Oberon visiting her parents. From Jan. 12 to 14, Miss Harriet Turner was in Barlow visiting relatives and friends.

 On Jan. 13, about 28 members of the Ladies’ Aid Society surprised “Grandma” M.H. Dodge with a party on her 77th birthday at the Congregational parsonage. There were light refreshments, and Mrs. Dodge received a leather-covered rocking chair. Miss Dora Yegen returned from Fargo. Barlow farmers Frank Greitl and Carl Blomquist were in town. Isaac Bennett came in from his Tiffany farm on business, as did Martin Anderson of Plainview. James Renfrew was in from his farm northwest of town on business. George Treffry was in on business. A.C. “Bert” Jones returned from Denby, N.D., where he had been a track-side grain buyer. Charles Phillips, assistant cashier at the Bank of New Rockford the previous three months, left for his former home in Minneapolis.

 That evening the Columbia Literary and Debating Society met in the Columbia School. There was a short program and a debate on “Resolved, that winter is more conducive to sociability than summer,” which was won by the Negative. A necktie social followed with ties selling for between $1 and $1.50, then there was a supper. The receipts of $30 went toward an organ for the Columbia School. The total amount raised so far was $40, and the organ would soon be ordered.

 On Jan. 14, postmaster M.F. Kepner received a new Cary Safe for “the valuable papers which are necessary in an office of this size.” Mr. and Mrs. Sylvanus Marriage were in shopping. Frank Graham came in from Tiffany on business. Mr. and Mrs. W.G. Carter and daughter returned from Grand Forks, with Mrs. Carter feeling much better. Ed Nystrom was in town. Jacob Adam and John W. Allred went to Devils Lake to visit their children who were attending St. Gall’s College. Mrs. E.S. Severtson visited in Sheyenne between trains. That day Francis Munroe Skidmore, infant son of Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Skidmore was buried in the New Rockford Cemetery. [To my knowledge, there are no “Skidmore” graves in Eddy County today.] That evening Miss Laura Hughes, the “Hello” girl of the telephone exchange, was “induced” to drive to her family home southeast of town, where a large group of friends sprang a surprise party on her, with music, dancing, and games.

 On the evening of Jan. 14, the Epworth League hosted a literary program in the Methodist Church, with songs, papers, and a debate on “Resolved, that Wealth is an Impediment to Success.” R.F. Rinker and C.H. Babcock took the Affirmative, while S.N. Putnam and W.C. Dresser had the Negative. The judges were James E. Hyde, George Norton, and Dr. G.D. Murphy; they awarded the victory to the Negative. The building was “filled to the limit.” The program opened with an organ solo by Mrs. H.G. Hudson, followed by a bass solo “The Pardon Came Too Late” by Clarence Kennedy; a duet by Misses Helen and Belle Oliver; soprano and alto solos by Miss Harriet Turner and Miss Lulu Arnold; special numbers by the church choir and the Epworth League choir; a paper on the life and works of Thomas B. Reed, read by New Rockford school principal Lydia Messerschmidt [Reed, a Republican from Maine, served in the U.S. House from 1877 to 1899 and was Speaker in 1889-1891 and 1895-1899; he died in 1902]; a lecture by Mrs. George Pike on “The Twentieth Century Woman”; and a speech by D.Y. Stanton on “Is Success a Failure?”

 On Jan. 15, Mrs. M.F. Kepner received her first shipment of candy and was stocking her post office confectionary shop the next day. Mr. and Mrs. Olof Lundquist returned from Valley City, where they had spent the holidays. Frank Dunham and Francis Pottner were in on business. Jack Haley, Burrill A. Daniels, B.W. Hersey, and Martin Walsh came in from their Tiffany farms. H.M. Clark returned from a business trip to Jamestown. Arthur Warren was in from Larrabee. Barlow hotel landlord Ed College was up on business. R.P. Allison came home from his trip to Esmond. President Fox of the Northwestern Telephone Company was in New Rockford, looking after the telephone business; the company was going to extend the line to Sheyenne that summer. Mr. and Mrs. Ben Fay went out to their homestead near Lake Washington to live; Mr. Fay took his pack of hounds. Attorney R.F. Rinker went to Sheyenne on legal business. Mrs. Charles Lyman went to Carrington to visit friends and relatives for a few days. First National Bank cashier James E. Hyde was in Fargo on business; he returned on Jan. 19. Erick Lindstrom went to his homestead near Bowdon; he returned on Jan. 22. That afternoon the new fire bell was hung. That night State Representative J.D. Carroll stopped in New Rockford on his way to his Lake Washington home.

 On Jan. 15 and 16, Joseph Dutee was in from eastern Eddy County.