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INTERVIEW OF CARL ROSE, SR.
By David Rose
Taped March 6, 1984
Name: Carl Rose, Sr.
Date: March 5, 1984
Birth date and place: September 18, 1812, Ft. Smith, Arkansas
Parents: Sam and Jane Rose
Grandparents: Solomon Rose
DAVID ROSE: Sir, could you give me your name please?
CARL ROSE, SR: Carl Rose.
DAVID ROSE: When did you move to Stigler?
CARL ROSE, SR: My parents were living here when I was born, which was 1911.
DAVID ROSE: Where did you start school?
CARL ROSE, SR: I went to Boone School here in Stigler for one year; and then my parents moved to New York and I finished
my education in the east.
DAVID ROSE: What was the school called at that time?
CARL ROSE, SR: It was called Boone School. I went to a boarding school in Harrison, New York, for a year, and then I
went to a private school in New York City after that.
DAVID ROSE: Where was it located, the Boone School?
CARL ROSE, SR: In Stigler.
DAVID ROSE: What do you remember as a little boy about Stigler?
CARL ROSE, SR: Well, I guess one thing that stands out in my memory was Claunt's Variety Store where we would go and
get a whole bag of candy for a penny. That was a big deal back then.
DAVID ROSE: I understand your father started the first bank in Stigler, could you tell me what year that was?
CARL ROSE, SR: In 1904, he started it in a tent while they were building the bank building, and back in those days a
person would borrow money from a bank on his reputation rather than having to put up collateral, and mortgages, and that sort
of thing.
DAVID ROSE: Your mother-in-law was also from Stigler wasn't she?
CARL ROSE, SR: That's correct. Her maiden name was Young, Madelon Young. She married Bruns Lawrason and they lived
here in Stigler before moving to Muskogee.
DAVID ROSE: What stories do you remember her telling?
CARL ROSE, SR: She was quite a character and she had a great many stories to tell about the local people and incidents
that happened here in Stigler and surrounding country. Back then they used to enjoy horse back riding and everyone kept their
own horses. They had a livery stable, where today we only think of garages. A man by the name of Muncy ran the livery stable
for a good many years, Levi Muncy.
DAVID ROSE: You have lived in Stigler, Muskogee, and New York, which place did you like the best and why?
CARL ROSE, SR: Well, I consider Stigler as my home and have always enjoyed living here. New York is a great place, but
as far as living conditions are concerned it's not my cup of tea. I prefer the easy going life here in Stigler. New York
is a great place to visit or spend a few days at a time.
DAVID ROSE: What were the conditions when you moved back to Stigler?
CARL ROSE, SR: It was right in the part of the Depression in 1934, and farm products and livestock prices were horribly
depressed. Most farmers were quitting or going on W.P.A. to try to make a living, and just living from hand to mouth, more
or less. People couldn't pay their taxes and many lost their properties, farms and homes for lack of tax payments. The conditions
were such that it's hard to describe, except the people kept trying and seemed to be happy. Finally the country was out of
the depression, but it took years. It was possibly 1940 before things began to improve at all. We had very few tractors,
most of the farmers were using teams to cultivate and work their fields. It wasn't until the early 40s that tractors became
fairly prominent here in Oklahoma and now you seldom see a team of mules. Back in those days one of the big sales was over
at Ft. Smith at horse and mule barns. Cattle have improved in quality and the breeds have been improved so greatly that you
wouldn't recognize the livestock that they had back in the 30s.
DAVID ROSE: Thank you for this interview, Mr. Rose.
(This concludes the interview of Carl Rose, Sr., by David Rose.)
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