History of New Rockford: August 1, 2022

On March 24, 1905, Mrs. A.A. Pettit left for her old home in Iowa where her sister was very ill. John Collins returned from a visit to his old home in New York State.

On March 25, George Pincott began selling a carload of heavy work horses. Hans Jensen returned from the Twin Cities. Perry Blomquist was up from his Barlow-area farm for spring supplies. Frank VanHeesch came in on business from the Guler district. E.R. Davidson returned to his duties in the State Auditor’s office in Bismarck after checking on his farm northeast of town. That evening, there was entertainment at the Columbia School.

From March 25 to 26, A.R. Johns and his son visited at Cathay. From March 25 to 27, George F. Fahrer was in Fargo, where he attended an Elks meeting. From March 25 to 28, Mrs. M.A. [her initials] Garry of Knox was down visiting. [Her husband Rev. A.J. Garry had served the New Rockford Methodist Church from circa Dec. 1892 to Nov. 1894.]

On Sunday, March 26, Walter Immel visited his sister, Mrs. H.G. Hudson and family. Granville Egbert and A.A. Pettit visited in Carrington.

On March 27, First Primary teacher Miss Edith M. Schmidt started a beginners’ class. John D. Setz was in from eastern Eddy County for spring supplies. Peter P. Hallquist, still weak from pneumonia, was in from northwest of town on business and to visit. C.W. Hall returned from the Twin Cities. George M. Pike returned from Winnipeg via Fargo, where he attended the Elks meeting. O.B. Tausen of Barlow was up on business. Fred Sewrey was over from Harvey to spend a week visiting friends. B.W. Hersey came in from Tiffany and then went with a group of Masons to Carrington to take the Chapter degrees. Rev. E.T. Quam passed through New Rockford on his way to his home in Sheyenne after visiting his congregations along the Bowdon branch line; on the train were Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Richter and family returning from their winter in California. H.B. Johnson attended a conference of Lutheran churches at Rugby. Mont Biggs returned to his Carrington home after a two weeks’ visit in New Rockford. John Layne went to Fargo to take the N.D. State Bar Association examination; in late April he received the news that he had passed. At 8 p.m., Rev. E.W. Burleson conducted Episcopal services at the Methodist Church.

A spring rain on the afternoon of March 27 changed into snow that evening and lasted into March 28.

On March 28, Sheyenne druggist F.L. Kermott was in New Rockford to visit and to do some business.

From March 28 to 30, H.G. Hudson was in Courtenay on business.

On March 29, William Dugan from near Barlow was up on business. Miss Emily Swanson of Fargo came in to visit her brothers. Mrs. John Connolly and her daughter were up from Barlow to visit. Miss Norah O’Connell of Minneapolis came up to visit friends and relatives.

On March 30, Miss Marguerite Casper went to Glenburn to visit her brother John, who owned a restaurant there. That afternoon, a baseball team was organized at Phillips Academy with S.W. Engberg as manager, Frank Treffry as captain, and Ralph Beebe as secretary-treasurer. That evening, Nellie Weeks and Louis H. Lake were married at the home of the bride’s mother by Rev. J.R. Beebe. The next day, the couple left for Fargo, where the groom was employed at the Parsons Self-Feeder Company.

The March 31, 1905, “Transcript” carried a notice that an 8-month-old roan heifer calf with a strap and swivel around her neck had strayed from the Frank VanHeesch farm 7½ miles southwest of New Rockford.

A dissolution of partnership notice dated January 5, 1905, between Sam A. Swanson and Martin Mostue was published; Swanson continued to run the business, the North Star Livery Barn.

Hugh Carr, who had been the manager of the local creamery for the past year, had rented the business from its board of directors.

J.W. Richter of Sheyenne had for sale a span of heavy work horses, a wagon and harness, one cheap work horse, six 3½-year-old colts, and a thousand bushels of Minnesota #163 wheat for seed.

An ad: O.A. Arveskaug, Painter and Decorator. “Work Guaranteed.” Another ad: Money to Loan on Real Estate. J.M. Patch.

A letter from former resident C.F. Clure stated that he had sold his farm implement business in Palouse, Wash., and was in a hardware and implement business in Pullman, Washington.

During the week, Frank Graham was in on business.

On March 31, Harry Row was in town. F.P. Roush was in on business. C.E. Hoffman was in from Tiffany for spring supplies. Mrs. John Swanson left New Rockford to open a millinery shop in Carrington. That evening, most of the members of the Royal Arch Masonic group in New Rockford were in Carrington for the initiation of G.J. Schwoebel, Dr. G.D. Murphy, and J.W. Rager. H.J. Mitchell, P.J. Braman, W.C. Schwoebel, B.W. Hersey, S.N. Putnam, and Rev. J.B. Beebe received the Royal Arch Degree. While the men were in Carrington, around 20 of their wives had an impromptu get-together at the home of Mrs. C.J. Maddux, complete with a masquerade with “all kinds of queer costumes.” The Methodist Ladies’ Aid sponsored a supper in the former Independent Cash Store building; it “was a great success,” clearing $45.50.

On March 31 and April 1, Mrs. Parker of the Parker Hotel at Leeds visited at the home of dentist and Mrs. F.D. Norton. Phillips Academy student Harry Burt visited his parents in Fessenden from March 31-April 2.

On April 1, William Colville, the new manager of the Culver farm north of Tiffany, was in town on business. Charles Turner was in from Lake Washington for spring supplies. Mrs. A.J. Clure and children returned from a winter in Long Beach, Calif. J.D. Carroll went to Fargo on business. Miss Nellie Walden came in from her home at North Vancouver, B.C.; she would teach at the Tiffany School for the summer term. Inspector of Weights and Measures D.B. Wellman went to Fargo on business associated with his new office. John McVey took a carload of hogs to the South St. Paul market; he returned on April 4. John Monahan, accompanied by Ernest Ohrner, took two carloads of fat cattle to the South St. Paul market; they also returned on April 4. Fergus Walsh, 6-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Martin Walsh, died, the result of a fall suffered the previous autumn. The funeral was in the Catholic Church, with Father McDonald of Carrington, on April 3, with interment in the Catholic Cemetery north of town. [His grave stone in St. John’s Catholic Cemetery lists the dates of March 27, 1899-April 1, 1905. The graves of his mother, father, and brother are near his.]