History of New Rockford: April 19, 2021

On Jan. 4, 1904, the New Rockford Schools reopened after the holidays. Lloyd Whiteman returned from Dickinson, where he had been two months visiting and helping in a drug store during the holidays. Alonzo Neutzel came in from Lake Coe on business and to visit. Horace Courtemanche was in town.

The Eddy County Commission met on Jan. 4 to 9. On Jan. 4, in line with a new state law, P.J. Braman was nominated and elected as the Commissioner from the second district. He was also elected chairman.

On Jan. 5, the Commissioners voted to pay the following bills: $16, “Sheyenne Star,” printing and advertising; $4.80, “Transcript,” printing; $5, Dorah Yegen [stenographer], State vs. A.F. and William Prouty; $4.45, Dorah Yegen, prohibition cases; $7.20, Dorah Yegen, State vs. D.Y. Keyton and prohibition cases; $45, Mrs. A.G. Gardner, clerk for Register or Deeds, December; $2, Noxon & Oglesby, telephone; $30, W.C. Hayes, janitor for December; $245.12, S. McDowell, coal for court house; $3.27, Geo. A. Brown, meals for jurors; $4.50, J.R. Winslow, milk for Mrs. William Cahill, county poor; $60, William Milne, care of Frank McCabe, county poor.

On Jan. 5, Ethel Bauer returned from a visit with Velva relatives. Mr. and Mrs. J.A. Wren were in shopping. Jesse College was up on business from his farm, east of Barlow. Jennie VanHorn and Nell Davidson went to the Twin Cities. Miss Davidson would visit her mother and sisters at Hamline for a month, while Miss VanHorn would remain a few days, and then go home to London, Ontario, Canada. Blanche and Irene Brownell returned to Jamestown to resume their studies after the holidays with their parents. Ed Myrha and Adolph Broten went to their home in Fargo, and from there would go on to Iowa. That afternoon, a meeting was held by the stockholders of the creamery, W.O. Baird, president; E.R. Davidson, secretary. That evening, Mr. and Mr. John A. Wren entertained a group of their friends at their farm home southeast of town with cards, music, dancing, and a midnight lunch.

On Jan. 6, J.D. Carroll was in town. Abbie McCormick and Margaret Withey arrived from Lakota to visit their aunt, Mrs. William Bucklin and family; they would “probably” stay all winter. That evening, there was a joint installation of officers for the Degree of Honor (Mrs. A.W. Greely, Past Chief of Honor; Nellie Buck, Chief of Honor; Alice M. Rager, Lady of Honor; Pearl Gardner, Usher; Coral B. Murphy, Financier; Lizzie Schwoebel, Recorder; Mary Baird, Receiver; A.M. Greely, Outside Watch; Louisa Campbell, Inside Watch), and the AOUW Lodge (R.M. Kennedy, Master Workman; W.C. Schwoebel, Foreman; E.H. Martin, Overseer; W.C. Beardsley, Recorder; C.H. Babcock, Receiver; P.J. Braman, Financier; J.W. Rager, Guide; A.W. Johnson, Inside Watch; James Hamilton, Outside Watch) in the Masonic Hall, followed by a supper, music, and dancing.

On Jan. 7, Mesdames Buck and Mitchell visited the first and second grade room. Druggist O.E. Couch returned from the holidays in Sentinel Butte, with his wife’s relatives, and from Bismarck; Mrs. Couch remained at Sentinel Butte for a while. “Sheyenne Star” editor C.C. Manning was down on business. P.C. Peterson was up from Barlow on business and to visit. Isaac Walden left for a couple months to see his brother Robert in the Canadian Northwest Territories and to visit Washington, Oregon, and perhaps California. That evening, there was a joint installation of officers for the Royal Neighbors (Lizzie M. Biggs, Oracle; Laura E. Pike, Vice Oracle; Maria Winslow, Chancellor; Viola Woodward, Recorder; Anna Prader, Receiver; Amanda Radtke, Marshal; Mary Baird, Inner Sentinel; Matheida McFadden, Outer Sentinel; Vida Goss, Manager, three years), and the Woodmen (MWA) Lodge (W.E. Radtke, Venerable Consul; Peter Prader, Worthy Advisor; George M. Pike, Banker; R.M. Kennedy, Clerk; Gustave Lauch, Escort; John Olson, Watchman; Marcus Medved, Sentry; Drs. Charles MacLachlan and G.D. Murphy, Camp Physicians) in the Masonic Hall, after which everyone enjoyed ice cream and cake from H.G. Hudson’s and then a dance.

The Jan. 8, 1904 “Transcript” said that the various local ice dealers were busy harvesting river ice for the coming summer months.

There was a card of thanks from John Monahan and family expressing their heartfelt and sincere thanks for all the kindness extended to them during the illness and death of their wife and mother.

Walking in New Rockford was hazardous since the warm weather had added an icy sheen to the streets and sidewalks.

Recently, the Commercial Association met in the law offices of C.J. Maddux and discussed having a farmers’ institute in the city sometime in early February. A committee was appointed to look into the possibility.

Mrs. John R. Mulvey was in St. Louis, Miss., for treatment by a specialist on her deafness. Lester Hudson was recovering from a bout with the croup.

The previous week, Charles Chamberlain had gone to Belvidere, Ill.

On Jan. 8, Mesdames Clark, Goss, Bucklin, Petit, Gregory, Miss Anderson, and Mr. Gronvold visited the high school. Mr. and Mrs. Martin Johnson were in shopping. Mrs. E.R. Davidson’s mother came up for a visit from Carrington. Christ Guler came in from southeast of town. George W. Johnston was in on business. That evening, the Workmen Lodge sponsored their annual ball, which attracted both older and younger dancers. That evening, Jack Haley was in from Tiffany; he went home the next day.

On Jan. 8 and 9, John Seckinger was in from eastern Eddy County on business and to visit.

On Jan. 9, the Eddy County Commission appointed the following as road supervisors: District #1, William Mattison; #2, G. Guessbacher; #3, M. O’Brian; #4, C.H. Ruland; #5, L.C. Hanson; #6, A.G. Matthews; #7, Peter Hanson; #8, John Dodds; #9, H.R. Davidson; #10, D.C. Werner; #11, O.H. Olson; #12, F.H. Goodrich; #13, F.S. Dunham; #14, B.F. Roush; #15, S.A. Olsness; #16, Frank Waldo; #17, J.P. Welsh; #18, William Skidmore; #19, James Graham; #20, Henry Fritz; #21, O.W. Bauer; #22, William Dugan; #23, J.A. Wren; #24, H.B. Johnson.

The Commissioners also voted to pay the following: $6.02, David Henry, road work; $22.20, New Rockford Light & Water Improvement Co., light for court house; $12.45, A.G. Gardner, postage; $0.75, D. Labhardt, repairing shoes for prisoner F. Adams; $81.65, H. Peoples & Co., gas fixtures for court house; $13, Buck & Couch drug store, medicine for Mrs. William Cahill and Mrs. Swantz, county poor.

On Jan. 9, John Noxon of Valley City came up to spend a few days looking over the local telephone system. George Pincott came down from the Sheyenne Valley on business. Carrington banker P.J. Hester was up on business between trains. Also in on business were George W. Justice of McHenry; J.T. West of eastern Eddy County; and Gus Larson of Twist. Mrs. Bennett returned to Jamestown after visiting her daughter, Mrs. E.R. Davidson and family. J. Arden Trembley and Emma Miller, both from the McHenry area, were married by Judge W.C. Beardsley in his judicial office.