History of New Rockford: Sept. 7, 2020

On June 30, 1903, Mrs. A.W. Cady, who had been in New Rockford for two years, sold her millinery business to Mrs. G.K. Gullicks, who would move the stock to her residence south of the H. Peoples & Company store on South Chicago St. Mrs. Burton Hulbert was in shopping. Frank and David Bailey of the Gudgell Ranch and Mr. and Mrs. H.G. Lathrop were in shopping and visiting. Sheyenne merchant L.G. Lundin was in New Rockford. Morris postmaster D.D. Dailey and W.G. Carter and Freeman Shoemaker of Tiffany were in on business. Mr. and Mrs. A.L. Prader and family arrived from Spokane, Washington, for a few weeks’ visit. Harry Walden arrived from western Canada for the summer; his parents were living 19 miles east of Vancouver, British Columbia. James T. (“J.T.”) Wiltsie returned from San Diego, but his family remained there. He had been laid up with rheumatism for a couple weeks. F.D. Norton returned from Minnewaukan, where he had done some dental work. That afternoon cashier A.E. Swanson and druggist O.A. Burger drove up from Barlow to visit. Mark Hulbert left on a trip to Washington State and Yellowstone Park. John Cusack went to Fargo. Mrs. H.J. Mitchell and son Harlan went to the Chautauqua; they returned on July 7. That evening the “Kid” baseball team defeated a pick-up team of former New Rockford players 19-7.

On that day, a large group of “festively arrayed men and women” attended a picnic in the Mr. and Mrs. M. Mattson, Sr., grove 6 miles west of Sheyenne, sponsored by the Greenfield Swedish Lutheran Church society to celebrate Mid-Summer Day. A platform and seats were provided in the grove. At 4 p.m. the following program took place: call to order, E. Seastrand; organ solo, Miss Florence McFarland; prayer, the pastor, Rev. Neander; vocal solo, a Scottish ballad and an encore, Miss Floy Richter; solo, Rev. Neander; vocal duet and encore, Miss Jet Richter/Miss Alma Seby; short address, “Purity, the Mother of Beauty,” Rev. E.T. Quam; duet. Messrs. Roland and Johnson, accompanied by the Greenfield Masters of the Guitar; dialogue by the Misses Neander; vocal solo, Miss Anna Anderson of Jamestown. A supper followed and on a cool, starry evening ice cream was served under lights from Japanese lanterns. That evening Sgt. T.P. Morris lectured on “Army Life” in the Tiffany School; the 25 cent admission fee would go to the WCTU home in Fargo (it amounted to $12). Ice cream and cake were served. Annie Johnson and Beulah Burnett drove out from New Rockford to listen to the Sergeant. Also that evening there was a large dance at Mr. and Mrs. A.J. Richter’s farm southeast of town.

At 10 a.m. July 1, the old and new officers and the Executive Committee of the Early Settlers’ met in the courthouse. Mrs. Viola Woodward, Miss Jennie Van Horn, Miss Nell Davidson, Mr. and Mrs. R.R. Woodward, and J.H. Hohl left for the Chautauqua. Joseph Christ and family and Andrew Juen of Wimbledon arrived to visit Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Christ in the Superior district. David Twist came over from his farm in eastern Wells County on business. That evening there was a dance at the Richter home; Granville Egbert and George Ellis were among those who attended. There was also an open-air band concert in town.

On July 2, Sheyenne, New Rockford, and much of Eddy County saw a much-needed rain. The high winds pushed a freight car onto the main track, but the passenger train “eased into it” and pushed it back onto the sidetrack. Elmer King arrived in New Rockford from St. Paul; he hadn’t been in town for two years. Sarah West went to Cooperstown to visit her sister. George Norton went to the Chautauqua. Mr. and Mrs. J.E. Cady went to Fessenden, where they would live. That evening there was an orchestra dance in Brown’s Opera House. It was well attended; one of the attendees was Dr. C.J. McNamara of Barlow. Also that evening a hail storm hit eastern Eddy County; D.D. Dailey and several other farmers lost half of their crops.

The July 3, 1903, “Transcript” mentioned the “Cooperstown Courier” and the “Valley City Alliance.”

For sale—two oak bedroom sets, one quarter-sawed oak sideboard, and one oak bookcase. Inquire of A.A. Pettit at the old Hanson property. F.W. Ewald [Ewals] had taken up at his farm 4 miles southwest of New Rockford a three-year-old black steer and a one-year-old black heifer. C.M. Dutcher, painter and paperhanger, lived at the east end of Lamborn Avenue.

The Andrews & Gage Elevator, Oscar Bauer, manager, was being renovated with an 8-horse gasoline elevator and other improvements. The three-story roller mill being erected by Kellington & McDonell was almost done. The 85-horse power boiler, the 75-horse power compound Atlas engine, and some other machinery had yet to be installed. The H.G. Miller residence in Sheyenne was nearing completion. Mr. and Mrs. B.W. Hersey’s new farm home near Tiffany was completed. Lumber and stone were being hauled for a Catholic Church to be built on land donated by Stephen Walsh in the southeast quarter of section 12 near Tiffany. The foundation for the Barlow Congregational Church was ready and H.W. Clark and crew would start construction the next week. Mr. and Mrs. B.W. Rantz had rented their house to Mr. and Mrs. A.C. or A.R. Johns and family and had moved into the Hotel Mattson for the summer. The Superior & Eastern Extension telephone line had been completed; phones had been ordered.

Druggist C.H. Babcock had been ill during the week. Mrs. B.W. Rantz was able to be out after her severe illness. Mrs. Westerland of Sheyenne was improving in health; Mr. Olson of Sheyenne was very ill. The previous week Mr. and Mrs. Anton Haas went to St. Paul, where she had an operation for cancer; he returned on June 30 and stated his wife was “…now getting along as well as could be expected” at St. Luke’s Hospital under the care of Dr. Denys.

For a few days that week, J.W. Lahart was in town on elevator business.

During the week P.H. West moved the 6-ton boiler for the new roller mill from the depot to the mill site, using two wagons and two heavy dray teams.

A note said that Frank Sorenson, who had worked in the H. Peoples’ machinery department the previous summer, was employed by the Waterloo Manufacturing Company of Winnipeg as a traveling agent. Another note said that Mr. and Mrs. Frank Woodward and family would live in the Fred Johnson house in Maddock.

On July 3, William Farley, Mrs. Frances Wilson, Mrs. James Hyde and Miss Eddys Cole went to the Chautauqua. G.W. McDonell went to Valley City to spend the Fourth with his family. Olof Lundquist also journeyed to Valley City to join his wife for the Fourth; they returned to New Rockford on July 6. R.M. Kennedy went to Fargo to bring his small son Harold home; they returned on July 6 with Harold “much improved” in health. Ole Dahler, Lou Smith, and George Fahrer went to Harvey as the New Rockford Orchestra to play for a Fourth of July dance the next evening.

On the afternoon of July 4, Andrew Johnson, Ira Shroyer, and George Tyner went to Sykeston to provide music for the dance there that evening; Melverton Trainor accompanied them.