History of New Rockford: Nov. 15, 2021

From July 25 to July 28, 1904, E.S. Severtson was in the Twin Cities.

On July 26, Walter McDonell returned from Valley City. O.E. Nash was down from the Sheyenne Valley to visit and on business. Charles Hatch came in from his farm southeast of town for supplies. Father McDonell [sic, McDonald] was up from Carrington between trains, visiting his old parishioners. John McVey returned from his trip to the Canadian Northwest; during the trip, he visited former resident Nathan Flater, and family. Father W.A. Gallahue went to Esmond to celebrate Mass. W.S. Farquhar went to Maddock and J.D. Carroll went to the Twin Cities, both on business; Carroll also shipped two carloads of fat cattle to the South St. Paul market. A.C. Jones left on a business trip to Minot and northwestern N.D. John Schaefer left for St. Paul and treatment for his kidney problems at St. Luke’s Hospital; he returned improved in health on Aug. 24, but had to take it easy for the next year. He had been in St. Paul when the tornado struck on Aug. 20. That afternoon, the ladies of the Morris congregation hosted an ice cream social at the Mr. and Mrs. John Carroll Grove near Lake Washington. That evening, Frank R. Ponto was down from the Sheyenne Valley on business and to visit.

That afternoon, Sheriff J.E. Bennett received a telephone call from the Sheyenne Valley that Paul Ernst was at his home; Ernst had been judged insane two years prior, but had escaped from the State Asylum in Jamestown. Bennett and County Auditor W.C. Schwoebel drove out to the place and took Ernst with them on the afternoon train to Jamestown. They returned the next day.

On July 26 and 27, hardwareman H. Arveskaug was in Brinsmade. From July 26 to July 29, Mrs. George Clark and Miss Mary of Fargo visited Mr. and Mrs. R.P. Allison, then went to Jamestown to see Mrs. Clark’s daughter, Mrs. E.G. Allison.

On the morning of July 27, a son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Corey. Charles Culp and crew began work on Erwin Forbes’s new ten-room, two-story, 28x44 farm house, with a full basement southeast of town. A.W. Healey and family arrived from Churchs Ferry to live in New Rockford again. Mr. and Mrs. G.W. Johnston were in town. Walter Treffry, and his sister Jessie, returned from a visit near Sykeston, Iowa. John Dutee, Sr., came into town on business; he also brought in some potatoes which he sold at $1 per bushel. Mrs. A.N. Tomlinson went to Leeds to visit friends, while Grandma and Grandpa Tomlinson took care of little Alva. That evening, an ice cream social and a program were held at the Smith School in the Sheldon district; a number of New Rockford people attended.

On July 28, William Brueske came up from Valley City to “visit with the folks.” Dr. John Crawford was down from Esmond to visit. On their annual inspection tour, the N.D. Railroad Commissioners stopped in New Rockford and had dinner. That afternoon, A.R. Johns and J.H. Fitch caught a string of large pickerel. Thomas Turner came up from Barlow that evening. Attending the dance in the Opera House that evening from Barlow were Mr. and Mrs. A.C. Buck, Mrs. Florence Miller, Dr. C.J. McNamara, and A.E. Swanson; the New Rockford Orchestra played, with H.W. Hastings of Oberon sitting in. That evening, there was a light shower. Also that evening, a group of Masons—Messrs. Babcock, Barton of Fargo; Bennett, Brownell, Dresser, House, Hudson, Johnson of Sheyenne; Maddux, McAuley, Niven, Norton, Peoples, Pike, Reed, and Severtson went to a Masonic meeting in Carrington, where some of them received the Most Excellent and Royal Arch degrees; they returned the next morning.

The July 29, 1904, “Transcript” said E.B. Thomson had five good Hereford bulls for sale, one, two, and three years old.

A card of thanks from Anton Haas and family gave heartfelt thanks to the friends and neighbors who helped during the illness and death of their wife and mother. Another card of thanks from Mrs. Bengta Mattson and family expressed thanks to all who gave aid and sympathy at the death of their husband and father.

Contractor H.W. Clark had just about finished the first house in the new Academy Addition, one belonging to Alfred Dinnetz. Mr. and Mrs. Olof Lundquist’s house on Villard Avenue East was being painted. J.L. Kinnaird was fitting out his building on North Chicago Street with shelving and counters for J.H. Fitch’s new general store. R.U. Austin’s house on Villard Avenue West was being painted. Butcher D.H. Fowler of the City Meat Market installed a new 3 h.p. Fairbanks and Morse gasoline engine, and a new sausage grinder in the market.

Early in the week, Thomas and James Dodds visited their brothers, John and Peter. Thomas, a former resident, had a store in Foxholm, N.D.; James was the principal of the Swift Current, Assiniboia, Canada schools.

On July 29, W.C. Bowers from southeast of town, Hiram Carr of Tiffany, and Gilbert Bymoen came in on business. Mr. and Mrs. David Henry were in shopping. Queenie Stiles came in from Enderlin and went out to Mr. and Mrs. W.J. Morris’ farm southeast of town to visit.

Bids for three, 14x16 barns, with seven-foot posts and a shingle roof, one for each school in District 20, were due on July 30, F.H. Goodrich, clerk.

On July 30, John Topp of the McHenry area was in New Rockford on business, as were K.P. Skaalen and Hans Christopherson of Freeborn. W.O. Baird went to Steele to look after his business interests in Kidder County. Mr. and Mrs. Silas Hylton went to Carrington to visit some old Virginia friends; Mr. Hylton returned on Aug. 1, while Mrs. Hylton remained longer.

From July 30 to Aug. 1, J.E. Bennett was in Fargo on business. From July 30 to Aug. 4, B.G. Arbogast was in Valley City on business.

On the morning of Sunday, July 31, B.C. Larkin drove to Carrington and took the Soo Line to Preston, Minn., where his wife was very ill. Mrs. Peter Prader returned from her visit with her mother at Voltaire. Mary Lenseliner returned from a visit with her sister in Wells County and her mother at Voltaire.

On Aug. 1, William Hartl and his son came over from eastern Wells County and bought a complete Buffalo Pitts threshing outfit with a 25 h.p. engine and a 41 x 66 separator from H. Peoples. Edgar Rosenberger and his bride arrived from Edinburg, Va., to spend the summer with his brother Charles Rosenberger; Edgar had visited in New Rockford the previous year. Elizabeth Bray, a trained nurse and a member of the Red Cross, arrived from Newark, N.J., to live in Eddy County; she was the sister of Mrs. Frederick Skidmore of Tiffany. Mr. and Mrs. J.A. McAuley returned from a visit to Carrington. Mrs. W.C. Hayes returned from her visit to Iowa; Mr. Hayes and his daughter, Mrs. J.M. Shanahan, left for Excelsior Springs, Mo., for treatment of an illness which had plagued him for three years.