History of New Rockford: June 20, 2022

On the evening of Feb. 16, 1905, the New Rockford Orchestra furnished the music for “a large number of our young people” at a dance in the Hotel Davies.

The Feb. 17, 1905, “Transcript” had a note from the editor, A.C. Olsen, asking for the public’s indulgence because during the illness of his brother Len J. Olsen, the editor would have to do all the work in getting the paper published, including typesetting. L.J., who had been at the paper for three years, had been confined to his bed for two weeks with “multiple nuritis” (neuritis). [Neuritis is inflammation of one or more nerves.]

The Misses Chaffee and Hockstad of Carrington visited Mrs. J.W. Stoddard several days; they returned to their homes on Feb. 18. Mrs. Morton of Steele, N.D., was visiting Rebecca Lake.

On Feb. 17, Freeborn postmaster, D.D. Dailey, came in to visit. O.B. Tausen was up from Barlow on business and to visit. Miss Theresa Priewe and Miss Jessie Treffry went to Fessenden to visit some of Miss Priewe’s relatives; they returned on Feb. 20.

On Feb. 18, J.W. Perry of Esmond, A.O. Nelson from north of town, and William Dugan of Barlow came in on business and to greet their friends. H.P. Halverson came down from the Sheyenne Valley and B.W. Hersey came in from Tiffany. Ulrich Sprecher was in town. Fred Utz from southeast of town, Thomas Adam, Ed Roach, and Christ Berge were in on business. Donald Niven returned from his Canadian visit.

On Feb. 18 and 19, Miss Stacia Hennessy visited her parents in Carrington.

On Sunday, Feb. 19, veterinary surgeon F.R. Patterson returned from a professional visit to McHenry. Attorney R.P. Allison visited his son and family in Jamestown.

On Feb. 20, Mrs. E. Campbell, the mother of C.C. Campbell, returned to Jamestown after two weeks of caring for her daughter-in-law, who had been quite ill. That evening, F.L. Kermott and A.H. Johnson of Sheyenne attended the Masonic meeting in New Rockford, as did George A. Lovell of eastern Eddy County after he did some business.

From Feb. 20 to 22, George Joos of Jamestown visited with butcher D.H. Fowler.

On Feb. 21, Mr. and Mrs. Burton Hulbert returned from Sheyenne, where they had been visiting their daughter Mrs. Maurice Oliver, who was recovering from an illness. That evening, cashier, E.S. Severtson, attended the Dode Fisk concert in Carrington, as did Dr. C.J. McNamara of Barlow.

On the afternoon of Feb. 22, Mrs. John F. Goss gave a Washington Tea Party, which netted $15 to $20 for the Phillips Academy library. About 7 p.m. the NRFD responded to a fire at the Independent Cash Store; the blaze began in a box of ribbons and laces and the firemen soon had it under control.

On Feb. 23, Mr. and Mrs. Axtle Johnson were in shopping. Father W.A. Gallahue returned from Esmond. Mrs. Dick Bohmbach returned from her visit to her old home St. Joseph, Mo.

The Feb. 24, 1905, “Transcript” stated that the previous week Richard Zehrfeld went hunting and shot a silver fox, a rare animal for which he was paid $142 for the pelt; he also shot a regular fox for which he received $6.

The editor took to task some area farmers for selling their cream to a Fargo firm instead of patronizing the local creamery.

An ad: “W.M. Chamberlain General Auctioneer.” George Treffry had some Macaroni Seed Wheat for sale. James Davidson, who had a dairy farm northeast of town, had sold over the past month 440 lbs. of cream to the local creamery at 22 cents a pound for butter fat.

C.F. Culp had formed a partnership with Daniel Sifford of Lancaster, Ohio, to manufacture cement. [The partnership apparently did not work out.]

Miss Ewald [Ewals?] of Barlow was visiting Mrs. J.M. Mulvey. For a few days that week Miss Winifred Canning of Valley City visited her sister Mrs. Peter Butler. C.C. Campbell had butchered a 600 lb. hog. Ed Roach had found a pair of boys’ “trouserloons” and a box of shoe blacking on the road into town “the other day.” The owner could pick them up at the newspaper office and pay for the notice.

George Pincott was in Carrington the previous week on legal business.

On Feb. 24, Mr. and Mrs. W.G. Carter and daughter were in town. That afternoon, Pat Oliver came up from Carrington and “toured the town” with Will Steinweg. There was a dance at the Hotel Davies that evening. Will Steinweg of Carrington attended. There was also a dance at the farm home of Mr. and Mrs. Elmer King northeast of town.

On the afternoon of Feb. 25, F.C. Davies, E.S. Severtson, and Bert Grandy accompanied G.W. Streeter, H. Arveskaug, and George Fahrer to Fargo, where the latter three men were initiated into the Elks Lodge. That evening, the Ellegro [Allegro?] Musical Club, directed by Mrs. H.G. Hudson, put on a musical program at her home.

On Feb. 25 and 26, Alf Ellsworth came up from Jamestown to visit his parents Col. and Mrs. D.F. Ellsworth. Sheyenne primary grades school teacher, Miss Minnie Jensen, was in New Rockford to visit.

On Sunday, Feb. 26, Lloyd Whiteman came down from Sheyenne. James E. Hyde visited his wife at the sanitarium [hospital] in Fargo as she recovered from surgery. The Phillips Academy Nightingales sang at the afternoon church service in Barlow; they were also asked to sing several numbers after the conclusion of the service.

On Feb. 27, Ole Mattson came in on business. That evening, Mrs. E.S. Severtson and daughter visited in Carrington. Also that evening, a number of Phillips Academy students surprised Miss Minnie O’Neill at her home on Stimson Avenue with a party consisting of games and music.

On Feb. 28, Nels Mattson of Sheyenne and E.B. Thomson were in town. Herb Losee came in on business and to visit. A.R. Johns was on the streets of New Rockford for the first time in four months during which he had suffered the effects of appendicitis, an appendectomy [Nov. 1, 1904], and several other operations. Walter Immel, whose confectionary business in Fessenden had been burned out the night of Jan. 18, arrived to spend some time with his sister until he found a new line of business. James Davidson went to Jamestown on business. At 4:30 p.m., a baseball game was played between the Phillips Academy team and a “pick-up nine.” Around 200 spectators watched the pick-up team win 4-3. That evening, some young friends of Miss Cora Gronvold surprised her with a surprise party with games, music, and refreshments at her home on New Haven Street. Also that evening, Nathan Stanton, Mrs. O.T. Lathrop, and Mrs. D.W. Fowler were initiated into the Eastern Star Lodge.

On March 1, Herb Losee was in on business. John Shauers was in from eastern Eddy County. Mr. and Mrs. A.F. Prouty returned from a visit to their old home in Iowa. Six men from McHenry County were in New Rockford, looking over the court house; in the spring McHenry County was going to build a new one. H. Peoples went to the Twin Cities.