History of New Rockford: June 7, 2021

On Feb. 23, 1904, J.R. Engberg was up from Barlow on business. Frank Bailey came down from the H. Peoples farm on the Sheyenne River. Mr. and Mrs. P.B. Anderson and family left Sheyenne, where he had operated a lumberyard, to go to Minot to live. That afternoon, Mrs. W.O. Baird had the high score at “Ladies’ Day” at the bowling alley. That evening, a large crowd enjoyed a basket social and a dance at Mr. and Mrs. M. Reames’s farm south of New Rockford.

On the morning of Feb. 24, a son was born to Sheriff and Mrs. J.E. Bennett. Revs. Sewrey, Allen, and Green visited the school; Rev. T.H. Green gave a short talk on the “conventional man” and the “original man.”

On Feb. 25, Hugh Davidson was in town. Alonzo Neutzel was in from his Lake Coe farm on business, as was Pat O’Connor from western Eddy County. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Turnbull were in from the Kiner neighborhood to shop. That afternoon, John Kennedy visited the high school.

The Feb. 26, 1904, “Transcript” mentioned the “Michigan City (N.D.) Independent.”

Ten acres of good, tillable land for sale; see Charles Onstott at the Hotel Brown. Tailor Arne Pederson had just received a full line of spring and summer “suitings” at his shop in the old court house on Chicago Street.

A letter from Mrs. J.M. Mulvey said that her health had improved after she had gone to Missouri to consult a specialist, but that her uncle’s house where she had been staying in St. Louis had burned to the ground.

Recently a daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. John B. Arbogast; he was the editor of the “McHenry Free Press.”

The Noraker baby of Sheyenne was very ill and not expected to live. “Transcript” owner C.J. Maddux had been ill a couple days with quinsy. Mrs. G.D. Murphy, who had been ill for some time, was recovering.

In School Notes, the fifth graders were ready to begin decimal fractions. There was “another very pretty picture” on the walls of the Intermediate room. Edna Stanton was back in the fifth grade after a week’s absence. Seventh graders, Fena Carlson, Dinnel Petit, and Catherine Robinson, earned 100% on their George Washington compositions. On Feb. 25, the physiology class dissected a calf’s heart. The botany class had used the microscope all week.

The previous week, B. Garnaas of Sheyenne had gone to Leeds to visit Rev. Brunsvold. New Rockford cigar maker, H.J. Radtke, received his stock of fine tobaccos and was “busier than a coon at a possum feast,” preparing to do business. Walter Treffry returned from a winter in Iowa.

On Feb. 26, Jacob Roffler came in on business and to visit. Robert Henry was down from Sheyenne. Dr. J.W. Sifton was up from Jamestown on professional business. Former resident Dr. John Crawford [by 1897 to at least Oct. 1901] came down from Esmond on medical business. That afternoon, the West Side Kindergarten Whist Club met at the home of Mrs. C.H. Babcock on Villard Avenue West. Also that afternoon, Mrs. Hugh Carr, Miss Grierson, and Rev. T.H. Green visited the high school. At 8:30 p.m., the Ladies’ Social Union of the Congregational Church held a Talent Social at the church, which was well attended. Admission was ten cents. Refreshments were served.

Feb. 27 was “a very spring-like day.” David Twist of Wells County, G. Guessbacher from Tiffany, A.J. Richter from southeast of town, Peter P. Hallquist, John Dodds, and William Steinbach were all in on business. Tiffany storeowner and postmaster, A.L. Jermo, was in doing business. Lambert VanLith came in from the Guler district, as did Martin Anderson from Plainview. George W. Johnston, Jacob Adam, Fred F. Allmaras, S. Pisel, and Fred Laasch were in town. Former resident George Norman came up from Fargo, where he was a purchasing agent for the Fargo flour mill, to visit and do some business. Louis Mortinson [Lewis Mortensen?] was up from his big farm near Barlow. Rev. C.F. Sewrey left on the train for Carrington, preached there on Sunday, Feb. 27, and returned home the next day. Mrs. W.C. Beardsley and Mrs. W.E. Radtke received news that their mother was not expected to live. They took the train to Fountain City, Wisc., and a few hours after they arrived on Feb. 28, their mother passed away. Mrs. Beardsley returned on March 18.

On Sunday, Feb. 28, Rev. T.H. Green of Valley City preached in the Methodist Church. Barlow bank cashier A.E. Swanson, and Barlow doctor C.J. McNamara, were visiting in New Rockford. W.C. Schwoebel received the news of the death of his mother that day and left for his old home in Fountain City, Wisc.; he returned on March 8.

On Feb. 29, Fred Topp was over from the McHenry area on business, as was Frank Greitl of Barlow. “Star” editor C.C. Manning came down from Sheyenne on business and to visit. Frank Graham came in from Tiffany. W.J. Carroll came up from Barlow. Fred Brueske was up from Wimbledon to visit his brother William Brueske. Marsh Chamberlain returned from a business trip to Illinois. George Lovell came in from Morris on business and stayed for the Masonic meeting the next evening. Mrs. O.E. Couch returned from a lengthy visit with her parents and other relatives at Sibley Butte, Bismarck, and other points in western North Dakota.

On Feb. 29 and March 1, Esmond butcher Charles Reutenik was visiting his father Rev. Reutenik of the German Reformed Church. C.J. Maddux was in Jamestown on legal business, as was James A. Manly.

On March 1, Ed Hogue came in on business. Mrs. M. Reames returned from Barlow, where she had nursed her son Dodson for several days; he was very ill with mumps. Mrs. Maurice Oliver returned from a visit to Carrington. New York Life Insurance agent and former resident, Otho Lathrop, came up from Fargo. Dr. W.M. Bartley was on the northbound train as he returned to Sheyenne from Minneapolis. Mrs. Charles MacLachlan’s sister Mrs. L.J. Bleecker and her son Clement, came in from Hankinson for a few weeks’ visit; they left on March 28. That afternoon, Mrs. E.M. Stitzel had the high score at “Ladies’ Day” at the bowling alley. Walter Immel went to Fessenden and spent several days on business. Charles Lyman, who had run a cigar manufactory in New Rockford [Dec. 1902-Jan. 1904] and who had been the watch repairman in Kunkel’s Jewelry, left for his home near Omaha, Nebraska; he planned to enter a business school. That afternoon, John McIver and Lulu Buttery were married by Judge W.C. Beardsley in his chambers; the next morning they left to take up housekeeping in the Freeborn area.