Caroline "Carrie" Isabella Rehrer Rohr Bigelow

Carrie grew up in Pine Grove, Pa. Being the oldest child, she was expected to help raise her brother, when her mother, Alice Lucy became ill with cancer. (Recently, it was discovered that the cause of death was Pyelonephritis, contributing factor was Pulmonary Tuberculosis. She also helped out at Barr's house. She and her family, attended St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Pine Grove. Pastor Ernest A. Weber was the pastor of the church, at that time. One of their last residences, was probably the house to the left of church, facing town. We were always led to believe that the road that follows, from the cemetery, past the house, was where her brother Paul Arthur Daniels, was killed. Jim sent me the newspaper item, and it was in Wadesville. That makes sense, as after Mom went to Lankenau to study and work, Paul went to live with Aunt Sula Lewis in Wadesville, Pa. He was killed in a sledding accident, the day before, he was to be ordained, as a Lutheran pastor. German was the language that was spoken, along with some Pa.- Dutch. Church Sevices, etc. were all in German, also. It wasn't until Mother entered the Lankenau Motherhouse in Philadelphia, Pa., that she had to learn to speak in English.

My brother Walter, recalls that she even counted and helped him with his math in German, then English. Carrie was a wonderful cook and baker! Her cinnamon buns, were all the marvel. Townspeople were always anxious to buy, if Carrie was selling. I have included that recipe with others in this report. At church suppers, she would make 60 perfect cherry pies. She spent hours supervising or cooking everything herself for these affairs. AND, could she ever sniff out those box mixes, that would be presented to bake sales. Only the "from scratch" bakers would be asked for donations, if Carrie wasn't doing the cooking. Carrie was also the cook in Lankenau Hospital, while there as a deaconess or sister.

It was while, she was cooking at Tabor Home for Children, in Doylestown, Pa. that she met our father, Walter Moyer Rohr. A Lutheran sister could not marry in those days, and remain a sister, so she left the diaconate. He was a farmer, and would deliver milk to the home.

Carrie was a devout, religious woman. She experienced many hardships,in her lifetime. But she was a survivor. When Dad died and left her with two, soon to be three children, she did her best to survive. One thing that occurred, as a result, of this misfortune, was that she was forced to give up her two girls for awhile. I went to live with friends of my Dad, the Ziegler family, that he had met at Tabor Home. Barb went to Aunt Alverda's, and Walter stayed with Mom. She took in boarders, washing and ironing, and tried to survive the cards that were dealt her.

She met J. Bert Bigelow and married him approximately in 1945 or 1946. As a result of this, she was able to reunite her children and become a family, once again.