A fifth generation Cherokee whose ancestors came here on the Trail of Tears.
Biography
Curtis Rohr’s life and family history belong to the town of Verdigris as much as they belong to the man. Rohr is a fifth generation Cherokee, whose ancestors came here on the Trail of Tears. Great-great grandfathers, John T. Foster and John Quincy Chambers, served in the early Cherokee government.
Rohr was born in Verdigris Oct. 15, 1935. He still owns the bed where his mother gave birth to him and which has been handed down through the family for over 120 years. Ancestors on both sides received land through the allotment following the Cherokee removal. Rohr lives on allotment land once owned by his grandmother, Lula (Foster) Rohr.Rohr graduated from eighth grade at Verdigris, then went on to attend and graduate from Claremore High during the years that Verdigris had lost its high school. He attended Oklahoma Military Academy, a junior college at the time. Today it is Rogers State University.A retired vice president of data processing for Otasco, Rohr enjoys hunting and spending time with his grandkids. History is an enduring passion. He has collected photos, news clippings and notes on Verdigris, past and present.