History of New Rockford: August 17, 2020

The June 12, 1903, “Transcript” said that Mrs. B.M. Rantz was recovering from her appendectomy and could sit up. Blacksmith John Olson’s little daughter was slowly recovering from her illness [“stomach trouble”].

Taken up on June 7 by H.G. Lathrop at his farm: one black broncho, 750 lbs., with “ST” on its left shoulder.

For Alliance Hail Association insurance, see H.M. Clark, agent.

Mulvey & Babcock had formed a company to put up the Superior and Eastern telephone line to connect 28 farmers to the New Rockford “Central.”

Contractor Charles Culp was building a 24x60 machinery depot with 12-foot posts at Lamborn & St. Paul for G.W. Brownell, machinery man. The Gull River Lumber Company, B.C. Larkin, mgr., was putting up a 20x56 structure facing on Villard Avenue as a front for the lumber sheds, an office, and a lime house. R.M. Kennedy was fixing up and enlarging his new wood yard office at Lamborn & St. Paul. Contractor H.J. Lorig was fixing up the old East Side Meat market for B.M. Leonard’s new billiard hall and bakery which would be located on lots just to the south of the old location and facing St. Paul Street. The billiard hall would occupy the front part of the building and the bakery would be in the rear portion. George O’Connor had obtained the contract for digging ditches for the piping of the new acetylene light plant and had a large crew at work. The First National Bank had a new sign with gilt letters. F. Howard’s jewelry shop was in the Maddux Block.

A.M. Greely had opened a new street a block north of Gregory Avenue; it ran east of the railroad tracks past the new flour mill. It would be called Mill Avenue.

B.G. Arbogast’s 600 acres of macaroni wheat was 18 inches high.

Denhoff machinery man Erick Lindstrom was visiting in New Rockford.

On the morning of June 12, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Haas of Courtenay and Andrew Hass were in to visit Mr. and Mrs. Anton Haas and family in the Superior district for several days. Mrs. Joseph Maxwell entertained the West Side Kindergarten Whist Club. Veterinary surgeon J.C. Whiteman started on a three-to-four-day professional trip to eastern Eddy County. Steve Patterson left for West Concord, Minnesota, after receiving a telegram saying his brother was not expected to live; he returned on July 7.

On June 13, David Twist came in from his farm northwest of town to see a doctor about blood poisoning in his hand caused by a sliver. Will Steinweg returned from Denhoff and on June 15 left to visit his old home near Casselton.

On June 13 and 14, Mrs. P.J. Hester and son Joe were up from Carrington.

On Sunday, June 14, Mr. and Mrs. R.M. Kennedy and Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Carr drove to Sheyenne to visit; on the way home Mr. Carr lost a bill book containing a large amount of money. Misses Nell, Kathryn, and Margaret Sheehy; Nell Hester; Ida Olson; and Messrs. Pearl Chaffee and Will Bennett came up from Carrington. In baseball, it was Plainview, 11; New Rockford, 1.

That evening the Children’s Day Exercises in the Baptist Church were “a great success” with people being turned away when standing room was filled. The program was a recitation by Nellie Studebaker “The Final Children’s Day”; Address, Charles Hersey; Mrs. H.G. Hudson’s class singing “We Bring Our Gifts to Jesus”; a song by the [Sunday?] school; Mildred Keime reciting “Consider the Lillies”; Opal Studebaker recited “How to Win Success”; Mrs. Harriet Brown’s class did “The Boy of Today”; Louise Dunham recited “How to Spend a Penny.”

“A Swarm of Bees” was performed by Helen Kepner, Catherine Maddux, Katie Wenz, Lila Stanton, Veronica Weimals, and Hortense Kepner; Olie Speck did “Grandpa and the Children’s Day,” and Master Lester Hudson, “A Sermon”; Walter Priest’s class presented “The Children’s Offering.”

Helen Anderson recited “At the Top”; Grace Studebaker did “To Bed with a Kiss”; the Primary class sang “You in the Corner”; Mabel Kennedy recited “Lift Up Your Eyes”; Nellie Weeks did “The Wine Cup.”

An Emblematic Piece “The Crown Beyond the Cross” was presented by Miss Orpha Kesling, Mrs. Guss Gullicks, Nellie Weeks, Jennie Hersey, Irene Brownell, Bessie Weeks, Pearl Goss, and Mildred Keime. All the [Sunday?] school children sang “Children’s Praise.”

On June 15, Miss Elsie Keime opened a term of school in the Guler district. Ole Golson, Ben Nelson, and A.A. Morse came in from eastern Eddy County, as did Ed Roach from western Eddy County. Farmer John Snook and Samuel Somerville came over from the McHenry country. C.A. Hunt arrived from Fargo to take the second chair in Lou Smith’s barbershop. Resident Ray Hester arrived in Carrington after a year at college in Portland, Ore.; he was the son of former New Rockford residents Mr. and Mrs. P.J. Hester. John Anderson took his crew to Barlow to do some painting. Walter Schmid left to join his father and two sisters in Oregon for the summer; he had a position there, playing in a band. Hans Jensen went to Iowa to visit; he returned June 27. Mr. and Mrs. George Pincott of Tiffany left for St. Paul, where she was to have an operation for a persistent illness. Miss Caroline Trainor left for a short stay on her Balfour homestead. Mrs. G.W. Brownell attended the commencement exercises of the St. Joseph’s Academy in Jamestown; she returned on June 17 with her daughter Blanche, who had attended school there the past term.

On June 15 to 16, George Lovell was in from eastern Eddy County.

On June 16, Aslak Aslakson and Sigrid Odegaard, both of Sheyenne, were married by Rev. E.T. Quam at the home of Svening Aslakson; they would live on the groom’s farm southeast of Sheyenne. George Woodward was down from Devils Lake for a few days. William Hartl from near Twist P.O. in eastern Wells County, J.D. Carroll from Lake Washington, and M. Mattson, Jr., were in on business. Ed Wright, Mrs. Frederick Skidmore, and Mrs. B.W. Hersey were in from Tiffany. J.H. Hohl came in from the West Coast to look after his business interests. Mrs. L.J. Bleecker [Bleeker?] of Hankinson arrived to visit her sister Mrs. Charles MacLachlan; she stayed until June 29. Mrs. E.R. Davidson’s mother came up from Carrington to visit. Rev. J.R. Beebe went to Fargo for a Congregational Church meeting after which he went to Aberdeen, S.D., to visit; he returned on June 27. Miss Gertrude McGeoch went to Oberon to visit. That afternoon the Methodist Ladies’ Aid sponsored a lawn social and Apron Sale at the home of Mrs. A.A. Petit; refreshments were served and there was a short program. Admission was 15 cents. The event was well-attended and the church received “a tidy sum.” In the school election, there were 49 votes; W.E. Biggs was re-elected as a director. That evening the WCTU met at Mrs. Viola Woodward’s.