History of New Rockford: April 20, 2020

On March 6, 1903, Gottfried Ponto of Sheyenne died in his home by the Sheyenne River at the age of 79 with his funeral (Rev. E.T. Quam) on March 8 and interment in the Sheyenne cemetery; [his grave is in the Riverside Cemetery]. He had lived in the county for about 20 years. William Erdelbrock, K.K. Moe and Peter Crane were in on business. Martin Anderson was in from Plainview as was Clayton Hall from the Sheyenne Valley. Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Skidmore of Tiffany and Mr. and Mrs. John Neutzel came in to shop. That evening the Christian Endeavor sponsored a “Character Social” in which members would represent historical figures at the Congregational Church; refreshments were served. Admission was 15 cents. It was described as “a huge success— both socially and financially.”

Late that afternoon Harold Wren, the eight-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. John Wren, was kicked on the right side of his head by a horse and died five hours later of a brain concussion. His funeral was at the Wren home on Sunday, March 8, Rev. J.R. Beebe, with burial in the cemetery north of town. [His grave is in Prairie Home Cemetery with a white gravestone that has some lichen on it and the words “HAROLD S. WREN Born Mar. 1, 1895 Died March 6, 1903”; it rests on a white base with the word “WREN.”]

On March 7, Carrington attorney T.F. McCue was upon legal business. That evening Isham Burnett was run over near Tiffany by a team hitched to a cutter; he suffered several broken ribs and some minor injuries; he was able to sit up by March 20. Harriet Turner returned from McHenry.

On Sunday, March 8, MWA (Woodmen) Lodge District director Alf. H. Ellsworth visited his parents Col. and Mrs. D.F. Ellsworth.

On March 9, Mr. and Mrs. C.C. Hanson and Elias Anderson, Sr., left for their new home in Le Grand, Ore., where they joined Mr. and Mrs. Elias Anderson, Jr., and several other former Plainview people. Ludwig Hanson and Martin Anderson “accompanied the Oregon bound people down as far as Jamestown”; they returned the next day. A.C. Buck returned from his southern trip. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Turner were in for a couple days from their Lake Washington home. Mrs. Martin Walsh and Mrs. Francis Pottner returned from visiting their old home, Lindsey, Ontario. Mr. and Mrs. J.L. Prader, Jr., returned from a three-month trip to the Pacific Coast and southern California via Wisconsin. Miss Martha Braman returned home to Corry, Penn., after visiting her brother P.J. Braman and family.

On the morning of March 10, Alice La Pierre (Mrs. Arthur) Clute died of blood poisoning after childbirth . Her funeral Mass was held on March 11, Father Gallahue, with interment in the Catholic cemetery north of town. Her baby survived until the morning of March 12. [The two share a tall, gray gravestone in St. John’s Catholic Cemetery which reads “IN MEMORY OF ALIC E. LAPIERRE Wife of ARTHUR CLUTE Died Mar. 10, 1903 Aged 17 Yrs. 6 Mnths. 9 Days.” It is on a base with the word “CLUTE.” Her baby was Merton Arthur Clute, who died on March 12, 1903, at the age of 13 days.]

At 10 a.m. that day, George Crossen and Mae Renfrew were married at the home of her brother John Renfrew two miles north of Harvey; she was the sister of James Renfrew of New Rockford. A wedding dinner followed. That evening the couple arrived in New Rockford and went out to his house north of town.

That day Peter Ewalds [Ewals] had a cancerous tumor removed from his abdomen; Dr. Charles McNamara came up from Barlow to assist Drs. John Crawford of Esmond and Charles MacLachlan. William Cornish came in from Tiffany to visit and on business. State Senator J.D. Carroll and State Representative M. Mattson, Jr., were in from Bismarck. On that day William West sold his farm machinery, stock, and household goods at his farm southeast of town. J.W. Richter of Sheyenne, who had rented out his farm, held an auction at his place for twenty workhorses, about a hundred cattle and hogs, and his farm machinery. At 3:30 p.m. Bishop Cameron Mann of Fargo conducted Episcopal services in the Baptist Church. The oyster supper sponsored by the Tiffany Ladies Aid at the school was not very well attended, due mainly to bad roads.

That evening at the Opera House, the Musical Hoyles, five first-class musical artists, plus Miss Frances Putnam Pogle, a famous impersonator, appeared at the Opera House. Admission was 35 cents. It “…was one of the finest musical treats ever heard in this city.” A dance followed which A.E. Swanson, the cashier of the new Barlow bank, and O.B. Tauson, and O.A. Burger, both of Barlow, attended. It lasted until midnight “and was greatly enjoyed.”

On the morning of March 11, a daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. John Weipert. Peter Butler was in from his farm west of town and Peter Michel was in from his farm southwest of town, both on business. Pat O’Connor from west of town and Charles Chamberlain were in town. O.E. Nash was down from the Sheyenne Valley on business. S.P. Pisel from “over the creek” was in New Rockford.

On the afternoon of March 11, Frank Sorenson and Freda Zimmerman, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Zimmerman, Sr., who lived southwest of New Rockford, were married by Rev. J.B. Beebe in the Congregational parsonage. Afterward, the couple drove to Mr. and Mrs. Barney Engberg’s near the Eddy-Foster line for a wedding supper. Mrs. Engberg was the bride’s sister. Frank Sorenson was the manager of the H. Peoples’ machinery and collection departments.

On March 12, John Dutee, Sr., came in from eastern Eddy County. John Bailey came in from the Gudgell Ranch. James Renfrew and Barlow druggist O.A. Burger were in town. Barney Engberg was up from his farm near Barlow. J.R. Engberg of Barlow and Clara J. Streed of Burlington, Iowa, were married by Rev. J.R. Beebe in New Rockford; afterward, they took the train to Barlow, where they would live.

On the morning of March 12, a letter from P.M. Mattson dated March 11 was received and directed to A.C. Olsen, editor, and C.J. Maddux, publisher, of the “Transcript.” In the letter, Mattson demanded the newspaper print a “full and fair retraction” of three articles that had appeared in the Feb. 27 and March 6 editions which Mattson considered to be libelous.