History of New Rockford: Nov. 27, 2023

On June 23, 1906, a report showed the Early Settlers’ Association had $320.85 in its treasury. Miss Margaret Ford returned from the Valley City State Normal School, which she had been attending. Miss Eva Hawthorn returned from eastern Wells County, having completed her term as a teacher. Mrs. Frances Wilson of Sheyenne visited friends between trains. Erick Lindstrom went to Denhoff to make improvements on his homestead. Cement sidewalk contractor F.C. Davies went to Carrington on business. Miss Ethel Bauer returned to her home near Bowdon after visiting friends.

On June 23 and 24, L.C. Oefstedahl visited friends in Jamestown.

On Sunday, June 24, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Slusher of Carrington visited Mr. and Mrs. Sylas Hylton and family.

It began to rain the night of Sunday, June 24, continued all day Monday, and kept on until Tuesday morning.

On June 25, John T. Carroll and Selma Anderson were married at St. John’s Catholic Church, by Father Vandenberg. A.J. Richter was in from his farm southeast of town. Miss Emma Anderson and Mr. and Mrs. Christ Fahrner were in shopping. Mr. and Mrs. George M. Pike went to Fargo to attend the Grand Lodge meetings of the Masons and the Eastern Star. Mrs. A.H. Crawford left for a visit to her old home, Elizabeth, Minn. Real estate agent G.W. Streeter went to Jamestown for the horse races; he returned on June 28. Olof Lundquist went to the Mechanics’ Mutual and Beneficial Association Convention in Grand Forks. Rev. C.H. Phillips returned to Jamestown after a visit with Rev. and Mrs. J.R. Beebe and family.

On June 25 and 26, Dr. J.A. Carter attended a medical meeting in Jamestown. From June 25 to 28, William Woods was on a business trip to Esmond. From June 25 to 29, Earl Starks and Teddy Syftestad were in Fargo visiting.

On June 26, Security Bank of Barlow cashier A.E. Swanson came up to visit. Mrs. W.E. Radtke and Mrs. W.C. Schwoebel left for the Grand Lodge of the Eastern Star in Fargo. Mrs. Orley E. Couch and Miss Florence left for a month’s visit at their old home, McKenzie, N.D.; they returned on July 21. Donald Niven left for a long vacation at his former home, Owen Sound, Ontario; he returned on July 23. Dr. and Mrs. Charles MacLachlan went to Jamestown for the horse races.

On June 26 and 27, Frank McAuley was in Jamestown visiting his brother, who was on his way back to Wisconsin after a visit to the “west.”

On the morning of June 27, a group of businessmen and farmers met and formed an organization to promote the extermination of gophers. Officers were J.M. Mulvey, president; D.F. Ellsworth, secretary; and W.C. Dresser, treasurer. The association would offer prizes for the most gophers killed in Eddy County and the eastern tier of Wells County townships. Gopher tails were to be brought to D.F. Ellsworth before July 14. At 2 p.m. that day, the number of tails recorded for each individual or club (up to five members) would be counted and prizes awarded by the Awards Committee: James E. Hyde, E.S. Severtson, and E.R. Davidson. After the awards, there would be games and contests organized by a committee made up of Rev. J.R. Beebe, H.H. Miller, and John VonAlmen.

That day, the election canvassing board met in the court house and recanvassed the county results. The only change made was in the race for State’s Attorney with R.F. Rinker’s 3-vote majority becoming a 4-vote majority for R.P. Allison. R.U. Austin, John Olson and Nathan Stanton returned from the Mechanics’ Mutual and Beneficial Association Convention in Grand Forks. On that day, Ethel Bauer, who lived near Bowdon, and DeWitt C. Alexander, both well-known in Eddy County, were married in Carrington, after which they boarded a Soo Line train for a wedding trip in eastern North Dakota. They would live in Chaseley, where the groom was a grain buyer. [The bride had taught the Second Primary in the New Rockford School from April-June 13, 1902]. Frank Volbrecht was in from the Tiffany area on business and to visit. Miss Mae Fritz arrived from Sibley, Iowa, to visit her brother M.F. Fritz and his wife; she left on Aug. 13, but the newspaper said it was to Ashton, Iowa. Mrs. S.N. Putnam and her mother arrived from UND, where Mrs. Putnam had attended classes.

The Central Racing Circuit horse races with 40 horses were held in Jamestown on June 27 to 29. Eye specialist F.W. Soule was at the Barlow drug store on June 28, at Babcock & Bucklin’s Drug Store in New Rockford on June 29 and 30, and Sheyenne on July 2.

At 8 p.m. June 28, there was a baking contest at the court house sponsored by the New Rockford Mill and all baking had to be done using Kell-Mac Flour. The Mill had provided a ten-pound bag of Kell-Mac whole wheat flour to each contestant. Prizes were Best Loaf (white), $7, (tie) Miss Jennie Treffry and Christine Mattson; Second-best Loaf (White), $3, Mrs. Amy Labhardt; Best Whole-Wheat loaf, $5 (tie) Mrs. James Carroll and Mrs. Eugene Corey; Second-best Whole Wheat Loaf, $3, Mrs. L.J. Aldrich; Best Rolls, $3, Mrs. W.C. Beardsley. There were seven judges: J.W. Rager, C.H. Babcock, L.C. Oefstedahl, H.G. Hudson, Leonard Whittemore, G.W. Streeter and Orley E. Couch. Entertainment and refreshments were provided. Admission was 25 cents; children under 15, fifteen cents.

That day, Mrs. Marcus Medved and her children returned from a visit to their former home in Minnesota. Louise Lake came back from her visit with friends at Bowdon. Mr. and Mrs. W.C. Dresser and family left for the N.D. Chautauqua two days before it opened. Miss Rachel Olson left to work in a large department store in Devils Lake. In baseball it was Phillips Academy, 11; NRFD, 7 at the west end ballpark.

The June 29, 1906, “Transcript” said the New Rockford Band would play at the Fourth of July celebration in Minnewaukan, and the New Rockford baseball team would play Brinsmade for a $100 purse.

Just about every evening several fast horses, some from outside Eddy County, were being worked out on the Fair Association’s racetrack. Also there were baseball games every day or two and some basketball also.

The Northwest Lumber Company was putting in a cement sidewalk along their Lamborn Avenue East property. A.D. Tomlinson was having a 56x100 barn with 20-foot posts and 43 feet high at the center erected on his farm north of the river.