For the Grand-Children of Smith Lowry Crowl and Lucy Rasar Crowl
Smith Lowry Crowl was born March 1, 1869 in his Grand-parents home in Gerardstown, West Virginia. He was the first child and his Mother went home for the birth. You should have a picture of the house as Mama had copies made for your parents. It was still there and members of the family were living in it a few years ago. His Mother's name was Hannah Ellen and his Father's name was Joseph Benjamen. They were all Scotch-Irish Presbyterian but I don't know when they came to this country. Smith was the first child, then came Katherine (Kate), Wilbur Steward, Charles Lewis, John, Bessie Belle, Virginia (Vergie). They were all born in West Virginia except Vergie who was born after a move to Kansas. Several families moved together and bought farms. I only remember Uncle Jimmy Lowry and Cousin Lizzie (Elizabeth) Delong. Lizzie's daughter Connie, married Emmitt Blood. In the course of time orchards were started on Lizzie's farm land which was near Wichita. The Blood Orchards are now big business. Some of Connie’s children now operate the Orchards and Connie still lives there. Her Husband died some time ago.
Uncle Jimmy Lowry was small, had red hair, was full of fun and had "sugar" diabetes as they called it then. There was no cure, or help for it then and everyone was considerate, loving and concerned. Funny what children remember - I was quite young.
We went to Mulvane, Kansas twice a year to visit, summer and Christmas, until Mama's third child was born. It was a long trip. We went on the Rock Island Railroad to Oklahoma City. There we changed trains but I don't remember to what line. Mama said they must now come to see us, and they all did, year after year. Grandma Crowl, Papa's Mother, had a heart attack and died here.
Mama was born in Maryville, Tenn. July 12, 1879. All of the children in that family were born there except Isa who was born in Spanish Fort Texas. Lazarus (called Larry), Willy, John, Thomas Montgomery (called Tom), Lozanna (called Lanna), Lucy, Isa were the children of that family. They moved to Chattanooga, Tenn. from Maryville. Mama remembered the street and number where they lived in Chattanooga. Isa, Cile and I took her back there once but it was way down town now. She didn't recognize a thing except the cemetery where they played on Sunday afternoon. It was a beautiful park with enormous old trees. We went to Lookout Mountain and that was all she remembered. Her Mother’s name was Nancy Lucinda Smith and her Father's name was Stephen Montgomery Rasar.
Papa came to Oklahoma in 1889. After a short stop in Purcell he came to South McAlester, Indian Territory, to manage Rockwell Lumber Co. Aunt Bess came to be his bookkeeper when she finished High School. I don't know how far Papa ever got in formal school. He was a great reader and was a well-educated knowledgeable person. He had a fine use of words.
Aunt Bess lived with Mama and Papa. Uncle Wilbur came to manage T. H. Rogers Lumber yard -newly established. He lived with Mama and Papa until he married and moved out. Then Uncle Charlie came to work for Papa until he went to Eufaula to manage a Rogers Lumber Co. He married and moved out. Both of these Uncles stayed with that company and were moved to larger operations as time went on. Aunt Bess stayed a long time - until she and Uncle Tom, Mama's brother were married.
Much later Grandma, Mama's Mother, lived with them and much, much later lsa came to live with them following the death of her first husband and until she re-married. My husband, child and I lived here for six months while our home was being built in 1924 and again, years later, for another six months while preparing a second house to live in. Always a crowd and always fun.
Mama and Papa were married March 31, 1897. The story was she came to town with her Father to buy lumber and it was love at first sight as far as Papa was concerned. Mama's parents had moved to a farm south of town. She must have been pretty. The pictures of her are. I don't know how long the courtship lasted but they were married and lived happily ever. Well there were trials and troubles but I look back on childhood as a simple, pleasant, busy time. Mama and Papa "boarded" for tine months while their home was being built. In those days there were large houses with sleeping rooms up-stairs and a large dining room down stairs where three meals a day were served "family" style. Large tables where many could sit, food put on the table in big bowls and platters and passed around. Many single men were coming into the Territory and families had trouble finding houses.
Papa bought a block of ground in the new town. It was from 6th to 7th between Wyandotte and Delaware. They built a very nice frame house painted white with much "gingerbread" trim. There was a front hall and opening off it was a front parlor with a nice three section stained glass window above three windows on the north. There was a back parlor and a bed room all on the east. The hall led to the dining room. A large bed room which opened from the hall was in the front of the dining room. There was a kitchen pantry and large screened back porch. On the porch was a well and pump. That was the best cold water. There were twelve foot ceilings and ornate cone moldings. The dining room was large, as were all the rooms, and had a plate rail eight feet from the floor. Later a bath room was squeezed in from part of the porch and bed room and a large bed room added on the west. Both parlors became bed rooms.
Papa sold two lots toward Sixth street on the Wyandotte side, then built a house to the east of his own. This one he sold to Auntie and Uncle Shuff - Shufflebarger was his name and Auntie was Lana. He continued to build houses and as soon as one was rented would mortgage it to build the next one. After that block was built up he crossed Sixth Street and built four more. They were nice six room modern - by then - houses that attracted good neighbors. When Paul and Joe were married he gave of them one of them.
Mama’s Mother and Father had moved to town and bought across the corner from us on Wyandotte and Seventh. We’re all one big happy family. Auntie, next door, had no children so we’re part hers too. Soon Uncle Willie's wife died so Auntie took Mage - my age - and Grandma took in Uncle Willie and his other three children, Gertrude, Llella, and Paul. Paul died. Grandpa Rasar died of a heart attack as, in the course of time did his four sons.
Now, there were four children in Mama and Papa's family. Eleanor was born in 1898, Paul born in 1901, Bess Lucile in 1905 and Joseph Benjamen (Joe) in 1909. All of us were in and out of each other's houses all the time. Aunt Bess was a perfect baby sitter as she lived with Mama and Papa so long and loved us like her own.
Across the alley Papa built a barn to house, the live stock. We had a cow, horse, and chickens. He also had a big garden. To care for all this - he never did any of it - he built a two room house on the alley. One side was for coal and wood stored in the summer to use in the winter. The other side was for a black man named Ben Webster who took care of everything. I don't remember a thing about his room except a little flat top stove called a monkey stove where he could make coffee and heat things. He ate in our kitchen, what we did, and we were all fond of him. He would hitch up the horse to the buggy and take Mama and sometimes us where we needed to go.
Mama always had household help. It was told by Mama that after the third day Papa installed a cook. He always wanted her to have help. Young white girls, at that time, wanted such jobs until they got married. They lived in as a rule but if not, were there before breakfast and until after supper. There was always plenty of milk, butter, eggs and vegetables. Papa would have pigs "put up" -which meant a farmer would put them in a pen and feed them corn until cold weather came and they could be butchered. Sausage, ham, loin made wonderful eating with hot biscuits and gravy.
A piano was one of the first purchases. Aunt Bess played and we all sang. "Red Wing" was a favorite and the popular ballads of the day and hymns were all enjoyed. We had friends and neighbors who would gather to dance the "Virginia Reel" because we had the biggest room. One of the men, Mr. Harry Kyle played the violin and his wife and Aunt Bess the piano.
Papa opened his own store April, 2 1902. It was a Hardware and Implement Store. The new town was growing at a fast clip, farmers had found the area, coal mining had started the town and miners needed supplies. The store was on Choctaw between Main and First street, on the north side, middle of the block. Aunt Bess was bookkeeper, Uncle Larry and Uncle Tom worked there. It was a two story building and the Opera House was up-stairs. Papa managed it until the elegant Busby Theatre was built.
Papa ran for City Council and, although a republican, was elected. But one term was enough. I imagine he wanted to do things his way and didn't have a Chance with all the Democrats. People came from the north to settle but more came from Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia and such.
He was interested in starting a County Fair and having horse racing. The Fair Grounds were where the schools and Army reserve are now on South Ave. There were building put up and it became quite popular. Mama belonged to the "Merry Wives" Club, a social group and they always had a booth at the fair. They did "fancy work" at meeting - crochet, embroidery and tatting and knitting and all. They took it and also breads, pies, cakes, jellies, and pickles. Always there was a merry-go-round and one year Paul and I spent the whole week on it since Papa had passes. But Papa found out that betting was going on at the race track so that ended his connection with the Fair. He didn't believe in gambling.
Mama also belonged to a Study Club called the “Delphia Society" and had started China painting when young. She took it to the Fair but most of it she gave away to friends. I have a sugar bowl and cream pitcher she made for a wedding present for Josie Weaver Miller. Her daughter, Betty Miller Hackett, gave it back to me some time ago and I treasure it. I gave a plate to each of the grand-daughters when Mama died. I wish we had more of it but she enjoyed giving it to friends.
Before Papa married he had joined a few others to start a Sunday School. They were allowed to use the Rock Island Freight depot for Meetings. When a Missionary came they had church. Baptist, Methodist. Presbyterian all had Mission work to the Indians. They decided they wanted to have a Communion Service the next time a Preacher came. The Baptists pulled out and started their own group, The Rock Island Office in St. Louis found out about the use of their building and put a stop to that -so others' started churches. There not being enough Northern Presbyterians to form a Congregation Papa joined up with Northern Methodists to form a First Methodist Church. The Civil War had been over such a short time - twenty-five or so years - and was still vivid in people’s minds. All the Churches had split at the time of the war. Mama’s people were all of the north too. Papa's father was a proud member of the G.A.R. - Grand Army of the Republic. We saw him in 4th of July parades dressed in his uniform.
After they were married Papa and Mama were hard workers in the Church. He was Sunday School Superintendent for twenty three, I think, years. Mama got us all ready for Sunday School and Church and taught a class. She was active in the "Ladies Aid". It was the women's work and they had dinners and other money making affairs for Missionary Work. A Church building was built on Second street between Washington and Adams where the Medical Arts Building is now. It faced on Second street and was a pretty white Church with a steeple on top. We had to ride to get there and had a horse named Nellie and a surrey with fringe on top in those early days. The street was full of huge rocks.
The South Methodists had started a Church by now with a building on West Grand, now Carl Albert, called Philips Memorial but no one seems to know who the Phillips were. I think it was 1923 when the conferences of the two Methodist Churches, North and South, decided to merge the two local Churches. Papa was a leading light in the planning but very unhappy when it turned out not at all as planned. All the property and all control was given to the South Church so he decided not to go along. After some time they decided to return to the Church of his fathers. The Presbyterians had united three congregations and were now of the Northern branch called the United Presbyterian U.S.A. Papa had been baptized and raised in the Faith so it was all to the good. Mama's people were Christian or Disciples but she had gone with him from the beginning. They were soon active members again. The children were grown and all went together.
Now, I must go back. The Diamond Hardware had prospered and in 1912 he decided to build a building for it. He bought land two blocks south of the Rock Island tracks on Second Street. There was little building in that area and he was greatly criticized for crossing the tracks. But he was a man who didn't listen too much to complaining bankers and others. When he felt he was right. He went out of town to borrow the money this time. He built a fine five story red brick building. It was the tallest in town. It had an electric freight elevator which was wonderful and all five floors were filled with merchandise -Wagons, Buggies, plows, and all farm implements as well as articles for the home. Lovely china sets, both French Haviland and English, came in barrels and much gift ware, guns of all kinds. One floor had a big table for cutting glass. It was in big sheets and it was cut into window glass and picture frames and I don’t know what all. Saddles and harness, paint – it was a wonderful place.
Later, I don’t remember just when, he decided to build a cotton gin. Lots of cotton was being grown in the area. There was a gin in the third ward, one in North Town and one in Canadian. There also was a large Cotton Compress on the Rock Island tracks in third ward. I’ve often wondered how he knew how to do that for he had never lived in Cotton country. The gin was between 6th and 7th streets just south of the Rock Island tracks. He bought cotton from the farmers if they wanted to sell it and most of them did. Then he sold it to cotton companies. He got Western Union reports of stock prices at noon every day and I would stop on my way home to lunch and get them. I was in High School then. I've heard him say that his biggest business mistake was "getting too big for his britches" and going into the Cotton Market buying on "Margin". The market went down, he lost heavily and it soured him on the Stock Market. Sometimes they worked until midnight at the gin - using two crews. Wagons would be lined up for blocks waiting their turn. Again, I don't remember when it was all over and farmers turned to cattle raising and town jobs. But it was when synthetic yarns were developed and cotton could not be competitive. No cotton has been raised in the area for a long time.
In 1923 Mama and Papa built another home. It was on the south side of South Avenue just west of 6th street. They thought they were moving to the country. Papa was on the Council when the City was laid out and the boundaries were North, East, South and West streets. Highland Park Addition was platted south of South street and there was one house built in it. The house was patterned after his Grand-parents home but much larger and with all modern ideas including much closet space. He had the cash in the bank for this one - there could be no mortgage on it. It was red brick trimmed in white Carthage Stone and white wood. It was Colonial in style with a central hall and stairs going up from it at the back. A front vestibule had coat closets on each side, one for men and one for women. French doors separated it from the rest of the hall. The dining room, breakfast room, maid's room, and kitchen with large back enclosed porch were on the west side of the hall and the living room 15'x30' and sun room 12'x30' were on the east. Large French doors were used to separate all the rooms. A "powder room" was under the stairs. Upstairs were four bed rooms, a sewing room and a large bath room. After Papa's death in 1946 their bed room was turned into a sitting room and the sewing room into a bed room All the rooms were large but with only nine foot ceilings and no fancy carved moldings. Mama was in charge of the building. She worked with an architect but told him what she wanted. The two things he over-ruled her on she never did like. Her artistic ability shows in the house. All the proportions are lovely. The wood work is all quarter-sawed oak hand picked by Papa. He was a student and lover of wood. Hardware is all solid brass, he loved it too. Light fixtures are lovely and right. There is a large basement with hot and cold water, gas stove, large table, laundry tubs, coal furnace. There were chutes from the bath room and breakfast room for laundry to go to the basement. They brought "Old Dan” with them to the new house. He was the horse used for delivery from the store before trucks were invented. He had been retired for some time. I could write a book on how smart he was.
They bought a “Velie" automobile while in Kansas City in 1912 at a Hardware Dealer's Convention. A man had to drive them home and teach Papa how to drive it. It had to be cranked by hand to start it and he immediately broke his wrist. Mama learned to drive a little but never enough to feel safe. Papa would leave the store to drive her and her friends where they needed to go. And that never was to the grocery store as all groceries were delivered to the house.
Paul had a car now so a two car garage was built to the West and South of the house. It was considered dangerous to have the garage too close to the house.
I have told of later events of Mama's and Papa's lives in their individual stories. Papa's building days were over with the completion of the house and yard. They loved both. The yard was a delight with trellis and gate in the back and trellis with wisteria trailing over it on the driveway at the small steps up into the yard. A fish pond with fountain was in the lower west side and steps led to that garden from the driveway. A rock wall enclosed both sides and back of the large lot.
The house was placed on the lot because of the location of a native oak tree. It has always interested me that this is as nature made it in the beginning and all they did was put their mark of beauty on it.
The two sons now were in charge of the store and Papa could stay home. He began having his first sickness and didn't like it.
I thought stories of their individual lives would be more interesting than trying to put it all in one. They were individuals but complimented each other and admirers of each other. You have some of them in you. Have fun identifying.