History of New Rockford: April 12, 2021

The Jan. 1, 1904, “Transcript” [Vol. XXII, No. 18] mentioned the “Mouse River [Westhope] Standard,” the “Cooperstown Courier,” and the “Binford Times.”

Major New Rockford businesses included “The New Rockford Transcript,” Olsen & Maddux (C.J. Maddux, publisher; A.C. Olsen, editor and manager) [since 1883]; Thos. Ose Hardware; J.M. Mulvey Hardware; H. Peoples & Co.; Rodenberg & Schwoebel; Prader & Goss; Swanson Bros.; The New Provision Store, James Hamilton; New Rockford Meat Market, D. Niven, prop.; George Fahrer meat market; Babcock & Bucklin’s Drug Store; Central Drug Store, A.C. Buck & Orley R. Couch; The New Restaurant and Lunch Room, Logan & Farley; Leonard’s Restaurant, H.C. Tarbell, mgr.; Hotel Brown, George A. Brown, prop.; Hotel Davies, Davies & Buesing, props.; Hotel Mattson, Christine Mattson, prop.; Bank of New Rockford, Hugh Peoples, president and Ernest S. Severtson, cashier; First National Bank, T.L. Beiseker, president and James E. Hyde, cashier; Streeter & Cockerill, money to loan; G.W. Brownell, lumber; Gull River Lumber Co., B.C. Larkin, mgr.; H.W. Clark, contractor and builder; Charles F. Culp, contractor and builder, shop on Lamborn Ave.; Gustave Lauch, brick work and plastering; John Anderson, painting, paperhanging, decorating; City Dray and Express Line, P.H. West, prop.; Independent Dray Line, O.W. Bauer & A.J. Larkin; East Side Livery Barn, H.C. Tarbell, owner; H.L. Rood, livery, feed, and sales stables, “The Big Barn” on Chicago Street South; J.W. Rager, harness shop; Andrews & Gage Elevator, O.W. Bauer, mgr.; Powers Elevator Co., A.H. Wilson, agent; New Rockford Roller Mills, Kellington & McDonell; City Coal and Wood Yard, R.M Kennedy, prop.; McDowell’s Coal and Wood Yard, Samuel McDowell; Starks’s Wood Yard, E. Starks, prop.; F. Howard, Jewelry, Maddux Block; F.W. House, watch repairing and jewelry; D. Labhardt, shoemaking and repairing; John Wenz, shoe and boot shop; New Rockford Machine Shop, Olof Lundquist, prop.; Devils Lake Branch of the Northern Pacific Railway, W.E. Biggs, station agent.

Professional ads—Robert P. Allison, Attorney, office opposite Maddux Block; C.J. Maddux, Attorney; G.D. Murphy, M.D., ph. 26a; physician & surgeon, office and residence over the Babcock & Bucklin drug store; Chas. MacLachlan, M.D., ph. 43b, Stimson Ave. West and office over Central Drug Store, ph. 43a; F.D. Norton, dentist; office over Rodenberg & Schwoebel; J.C. Whiteman, Veterinarian; J.L. Kinnaird, Undertaker and Funeral Director.

In the “Secret Society Directory” the following were posted: Commercial Association, W.C. Dresser, president; John F. Goss, secretary; meetings on the first Tuesday of every month. Modern Woodmen of America Lodge (MWA), New Rockford Camp 2214, first and third Thursdays in the Masonic Hall; W.E. Radtke, Venerable Consul; O.E. Couch, Clerk. Royal Neighbors of America, Riverside Camp 821, meetings every second and fourth Thursdays in the Masonic Hall; Jennie Doyle, Oracle; Mrs. Viola Woodward, Recorder. Century Lodge, A.F. and A.M., meetings on the first and third Mondays; W.E. Biggs, Worthy Master; W.C. Hayes, Secretary. Eastern Star, Minnie Bennett, Worthy Matron; Maggie Morris, Secretary; meetings on the second and fourth Thursdays in the Masonic Hall. Ancient Order of United Workmen (AOUW), Rockford Lodge 46, second and fourth Wednesdays; A.G. Gardner, Master Workman; P.J. Braman, Recorder. Zoller-Wood Homestead #318, Brotherhood of American Yeomen Lodge, second and fourth Fridays in the Masonic Hall; B.C. Larkin, Foreman; H.M. Clark, Corresponding Secretary; Degree of Honor, Crocus Lodge #27, meetings first and third Wednesdays in the Masonic Hall; Anna M. Greely, Chief of Honor; Edna Flater, Recorder.

Listed in the church directory: Methodist services every Sunday at 11 a.m. and 8 p.m.; Sunday School at noon; Epworth League, 6:45 p.m.; Prayer Meeting, 7:30 p.m. Thursdays; Rev. C.F. Sewrey. Congregational services every Sunday at 11 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Sabbath School noon on Sundays; Christian Endeavor at 6:30 p.m. Sundays; prayer meeting at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays; Rev. J.R. Beebe. Catholic Mass at 11 a.m. every second Sunday; Father McDonald.

That issue said it was great sleighing weather. 

During the week William Chatham had been visiting his cousin Alice Rager, and her husband J.W.

Mrs. John Monahan had been very ill with pleura-pneumonia since Dec. 27; because of her frail health there were “grave doubts as to her recovery.” Mrs. Maurice Oliver, who had been very ill with pneumonia southeast of town, was better. Everett, the 14-year old son of Mr. and Mrs. W.T. Buck, had what the doctors believed was typhoid fever.

On Jan. 1, attorney C.J. Maddux informed Mrs. Sarah Bacon that her application for a pension had been granted at twelve dollars per month with $325 backpay. G.A. Erickson and George Fahrer went to Minnewaukan to provide music for a dance that evening. That evening, the Sanford Dodge Co. presented “The Taming of the Shrew” at the Opera House.

On Jan. 2, Miss Eddys Cole and George D. Tyner were married at the residence of the bride’s sister, Mrs. W.H. Coleman in Minneapolis. The bride was the bookkeeper in the C.J. Maddux law office; the groom was a New Rockford contractor and builder. Newlyweds Mr. and Mrs. A.C. Webber returned from Wadena, Minnesota, where they had spent their honeymoon, and took up residence in their rural New Rockford home. That evening, Mrs. Guss Gullicks and Miss Elizabeth Trainor joined the Royal Neighbors.

At noon on Sunday, Jan. 3, Mrs. John Monahan, 55, died at their residence two miles south of New Rockford from pleura-pneumonia. She was born in Galdenaugh, Ireland, on Sept. 25, 1849. She was married early in life. She and her family emigrated to the United States and settled in Eddy County in 1883. She left five daughters and one son. The funeral Mass took place on Jan. 5, with Father McDonald and Father Gallahue officiating the service, with interment in the Catholic Cemetery. [Her tall, grey tombstone in St. John’s Catholic Cemetery is surmounted by a cross. The inscription reads, “CATHERINE WIFE OF JOHN MONAHAN BORN SEPT. 25, 1849 DIED JAN. 3, 1904.” Beneath those words are the following: “O, ’twill be sweet to meet on that blest shore. All sorrow passed, All pains forever o’er.” Her tombstone rests on a base carved with “MONAHAN.” There are four unmarked graves in the same lot for John Monahan, Eddie Monahan, Elizabeth Monahan, and Rose M. Monahan.]

On that day, A.R. Cotter received word of his wife’s death in Michigan, where she had been visiting, and he left New Rockford shortly after; returning on Feb. 9.

The following New Rockford businesses would close at 6 p.m. from Jan. 4 to March 15: Rodenberg & Schwoebel, H. Peoples & Co., Prader & Goss, Swanson Bros., D. Niven meat market, George Fahrer meat market, James Hamilton (meat department only), John M. Mulvey hardware, Thos. Ose hardware, and J.W. Rager, harness shop.