History of New Rockford: Nov. 23, 2020

A letter from former resident C.E. Clure in the Aug. 28, 1903, “Transcript,” said he and his family had moved to Palouse, Wash., where he would run an implement business.

Fourteen-year old Ernest Kennedy, son of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Kennedy, was very ill with typhoid fever. Mrs. J.R. Beebe had been ill with catarrhal fever, but was better. While working on a building, Ben Larkin was struck near his left eye by a piece of wood; there was no serious damage.

Rains during the week had set harvest back at least a week.

Recently Charles Beale, a cousin of Mrs. Ed Starks, drowned near Westfield, Wisc.; he had spent a summer in New Rockford seven years prior. Also recently Mrs. Edward P. Hall of Albert Lea, Minnesota, had died as the result of a hemorrhage while visiting in Austin, Minn.; she was an Eddy County pioneer.

During the week Mr. and Mrs. Ben Fay had spent several days in town. Mr. and Mrs. Erwin Forbes and family enjoyed a visit from their oldest son, a cashier at a bank in their former hometown in Iowa. Contractor Henry Larson was laying a 12-foot [?] sidewalk in front of D. Niven’s building and the Maddux Block [today, the Latte Lobby and the empty lot where the old First State Bank used to stand].

On Aug. 28, Herb Treffry left for Minneapolis, where he would work as a locomotive fireman on the Milwaukee Road. That afternoon the Kindergarten Whist Club met at Alice (Mrs. J.W.) Rager’s.

On Aug. 29, Mrs. A.C. Buck took charge of the Barlow Drug Store in the absence of her husband and druggist Otto Burger, who went to the Minnesota State Fair. B.W. Hersey and Went Mcgee were in from Tiffany on business and to visit, as were J.W. Young and Louis Chaquette, who said it was very wet out his way. John Guler from southwest of town and Christ Fahrner were in for harvest supplies. Clayton Hall came in to get a threshing crew. Miss Carolyn Trainor returned from Valley City, where she had attended summer school; Miss Maude Huntington of Jamestown visited Miss Trainor between trains. Miss Beth Davidson arrived to see her parents after a visit to Missoula and other Montana cities; in a few days she would resume her studies at Hamline University. Mrs. Mark Hulbert and Mrs. Ed Roach were in shopping. Col. D.F. Ellsworth came back from Esmond, where he had assisted with the “Esmond Bee.” Mr. and Mrs. W.C. Dresser and Willie, Mrs. J.E. Hyde, Dr. and Mrs. Charles MacLachlan, and Mrs. G.D. Murphy left for the Minnesota State Fair. Mrs. H.J. Mitchell and Mrs. H.G. Hudson went to the Twin Cities and the State Fair for a week. That afternoon the Methodist Ladies’ Aid sold homemade bread, cakes, etc., in M.F. Kepner’s confectionary store. That evening her friends gave Mrs. W.O. Baird a surprise birthday party and presented her with “a fine ring.” Progressive Hearts were played.

That evening the stepson of Fred Kovar, who lived northwest of New Rockford, was driving a binder when something went wrong with the machine. The young man walked to the front of the binder; the horses became frightened and ran away. He grabbed an iron brace and was dragged for quite a distance before some neighbors topped the team. Dr. G.D. Murphy was helping to nurse him back from a broken right leg and severe internal injuries.

From Aug. 29 to Sept. 1, the Misses Dora and Lyle Yegen were in Jamestown. From Aug. 29 to Sept. 3, Frank Parker, a clerk at Prader & Goss, was in the Twin Cities.

On Sunday, Aug. 30, Episcopal minister Rev. E.W. Burleson of Jamestown held morning and evening services and Holy Communion in the Baptist Church. B.A. Pettigrew came up from Carrington to visit his brother Frank at the Hotel Davies. That evening Mrs. C.J. Maddux’s mother, Mrs. Hilty, died in Wabash, Ind.; Mr. and Mrs. Maddux left for the funeral the next day.

On Aug. 31, A.F. Hersey from the Tiffany area, Ole H. Olson from northwest of town, and Nils Gunvaldson were in on business. S.A. Olsness was down from the Sheyenne Valley. O.E. Nash was down from the Sheyenne area for harvest supplies. Miss Harriet A. Jefferson left for Hope, N.D., where she would teach in the city schools; Miss Jefferson had taught the Second Primary students in New Rockford, Sept. 15, 1902-May 29, 1903.

From Aug. 31 to Sept. 1, Frank Reed was in town. From Aug. 31 to Sept. 3, attorney R.P. Allison was in Esmond on legal business.

On Sept. 1, Esmond attorney Halver Halverson and James Renfrew were in New Rockford. In on business were Morris postmaster D.D. Dailey and Philip Ackerman from eastern Wells County. Frederick M. Fife of the Fife & Turner store in Barlow was in on business and to visit. C.H. Babcock left for the Minnesota State Fair. Mrs. Norman Treffry and children returned home to Marshalltown, Iowa, after an extended visit with Mr. and Mrs. George Treffry at their farm southeast of town. Contractor Henry Larson left for his home in Jamestown after completing the cement sidewalk “from the corner of this block” [the Maddux Block] to Babcock & Bucklin’s drug store [on lot 17, block 17, Villard Ave. located where the Salon building is presently on Central Ave.]. That afternoon the WCTU met at Mrs. C.F. Sewrey’s.

From Sept. 1 to Sept. 4, M.F. Kepner was at the Minnesota State Fair.

On Sept. 2 Dr. Charles F. Culver, well-known in Eddy County, and Grace Isabel Cameron were married in the home of the bride’s parents in St. Paul, Minnesota; the couple would live in Sioux Falls, S.D., where the groom had his medical practice.

Another wedding that day took place in St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Grand Forks when Fred I. Lyon of Bowbells, N.D., and Virginia Edith Anderson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W.A. Anderson of 175 Reeves Ave., were married by Rev. John P. Burleson. On Sept. 11, the couple went to Bowbells, where he was an attorney, and moved into their new house on the north side of town. [The “Transcript” said that Lyon had been the New Rockford school principal six years, but he held that position for two years—from Sept. 5, 1898, to June 8, 1900.]

That day Lawrence Prader started his large Avery threshing rig, getting ready for the harvest. Joseph Maxwell started his threshing rig in J.R. Winslow’s fields. The oats and barley had almost spoiled because of the rains of the previous week, but the wheat was good quality and looked as if it would run ten bushels to the acre. Fred Zimmerman, Sr., came in for harvest supplies. Mr. and Mrs. H.C. Tarbell were in shopping. Mrs. Peter Crane and daughter were in from Tiffany.