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Notes |
The World War I Doughboy
is now located on Main Street in Woody Wilson Park.
They're only few of these types
of monuments left in the U.S.
A local citizen was commissioned by the government
to create this statue to pay tribute to the soldiers of WWI. |
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 In
the mid 1930’s a young husband and father , Claude Fisher whose home
was approximately 3 ½
miles southwest of Carney had a dream. His dream was to own a garage
in Carney to repair Model T Fords. In this way, he could support his
young wife, Ida Hagar Fisher and three sons, Curtis, James Leon and
Kenneth. With no money for supplies, not even a pair of gloves to
protect his hands, he used a wagon and a team of horses to load
rocks from the riverbed near his home and hauled them into Carney.
He secured bags of concrete; combined with the rocks supplied by
mother earth he built the garage on the corner on Main Street and
Maple. Constructed by his own hands, the building was completed in
1931. Then he added an arch as an entry to the park of his vision.
Being the son of a German-Russian emigrant, Mollie Young Fisher who
lived on a claim south of Carney, his country was vastly important.
In this land his mother met and married her husband, James Emory
Fisher, James Fisher‘s land adjoined the young farm. Claude was very
proud of his hometown, Carney and of his country, the United States
of America. His dream was to build a park to honor his God, home and
country.
One cold winter in the mid 1930’s he began his first project, the
doughboy. Having seen a picture of the doughboy from another town,
he wanted one for his hometown. This was a project near to his heart
because he felt so indebted to the brave men and woman who laid
their lives on the line for his beloved country. With no training,
no pattern, he worked though the winter. In a crude fashion, he
first made a skeleton frame from scrap iron. Without a pattern,
having no money and only a few bags of cement he began his project.
He used the empty cement bags to make the form. Then he used chicken
wire to hold the cement bags in place. After which he would use the
cement to make one body part at a time. He had to work quickly; if
the cement were allowed to dry, he would not be able to carve all
the features. It was very cold Oklahoma winter and he would have to
keep the wood stove going all night to prevent the concrete from
freezing.
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The Book of Names
After completion of the doughboy, he created The Rock of Ages, which
was complete in approximately 1940. The figure at the cross was
built with its back to the world. Thus representing every person
turning from the world, and looking to god, clinging to the cross
for salvation in life’s stormy seas. The waters surrounding The Rock
of Ages represented life’s stormy seas. A rock fence and other items
were added to the park as time and funds permitted.
Claude’s love of his hometown extended to the area. It was indeed
and extended family. Because he felt a strong love for his fellow
citizens, he kept a book and asked everyone with whom he came in
contact to sign The “Book of Names”. The Rock of Ages was completed
and Claude sealed “The Book of Names” inside the Rock of Ages on
February 28, 1941. He did not set a date for The “Book of Names” to
be removed.
 In October 1979 Claude and Ida
Fisher, accompanied by their son and daughter-in-laws, James Leon
Fisher and Pat Fisher, Russell Hanmer, Sandy Hagar opened The Rock
of Ages and removed The “Book of Names”. Approximately 75 local
citizens gathered to bare witness to the occasion. Remarkably, it
was in good condition.
Throughout his life, with the
help of the Ida, his wife and faithful companion, he continued to
create many structures. Together they left many ‘monuments’ for the
future generations to enjoy.
Claude and Ida Fisher left
behind three sons. Curtis, Decreased, James Leon, Pismo Beach, CA,
Kenneth, and Marline of Dinuba, CA.
During Claude’s youth, he and his sister Cecelia Fisher McKey played
and sung various kinds of music for social functions in the Lincoln
County area. Music and creating continued to be the center of his
life. It was gift that he used to celebrate his love of God and man.
Other members of his family were:
James Fisher, Claude’s father was an innkeeper in Carney. James was
said to possess a gift for witching water wells. He witched the town
well still standing in the center of Main Street. James Emery Fisher
and his wife Ollie had two children, Cora Fisher, and Jim Fisher
(both deceased). Ollie died during childbirth.
After the death of his first wife, James married his neighbor, Molly
Young and they were blessed with 7 children:
Charlie Fisher who was married to Winnie Lyons, they were given
three children, Frank, Phillip (deceased), Aileen Hasty of Bain
Bridge Island, WA, and Ray and Madeline Fisher of Chapala Jalisco,
Mexico.
Charlie and Nellie fisher was firstborn and twins.
Nellie fisher was married to James Phipps, sons of Mollie and James
Phipps. This union produced two children, Margret Phipps Russell and
Wayne Phipps (deceased). Nellie and James Phipps spent their entire
life on the farm, which was homesteaded By James Parents, four miles
south of Carney.
Nellie Fisher and his wife Thelma Gazaway, Daughter of Will and
Elsie Gazaway, had three children. Don and Nadine Fisher of Visalia,
CA, and Lavonna Knittle (deceased) and Evelyn Ecker of Madera, CA.
Annie Fisher was married to Omar Hagar, son of Zack and Liz Hagar.
They had three children. Ivol Hagar, Wanda Hibben and Whela Nettles.
All are (deceased).
Ester Fisher married Jack Wakley son of Bill and Donie (Deere)
Wakley. The Union produced two children, Dewey (deceased) and Lois
Jacobs of Fresno, CA.
Cecelia Fisher was married to Louis McKEY, son of Irvin McKEY and
may Galuse-Ford. This Union bore two children, Naomi Tricomi of
Lancaster, TX and Dr. Duane McKEY of Ridgefield, WA. Louise and
Cecelia McKEY spent most of their life living on a farm south of
Carney, ½ mile from Cecelia’s childhood home.
Laverne Fisher married Irene Moffett, Daughter of Henry and Ethel
Howell-Moffett. Both are (deceased) and leave behind three children,
Shirley Hill of Castle Berry, CT, Jimmy Fisher, Fallis, OK.
Fisher Family members who currently reside in the Carney area are
Cecelia McKey, Mayva Phipps, and Keran Bannon.
As the years have passed the families represented here: The Fishers,
Phipps, Gazaways, Hagars, Russells, Moffets, Wakley, Fords, Bannons,
Cullies, Galuses, McKeys, Lyons, Howells, Nettles, and others too
numerous to mention have traveled the world over but still Carney is
home. In special way there is a Golden Cord living within every
child, grandchild, grandchild, and great-great grandchild that is
connected to Carney.
The family’s wish for you is
that beauty of the statues and part that Claude Fisher worked so
hard to build, with no funds, no training under very primitive
conditions, provide a place of pride and peace.
This was gift to all past,
present, and future generations. We are certain that if he could
speak to you to today his words would be “May all find peace in this
little park, by the Doughboy, at the foot of The Rock of Ages of
perhaps derive substance and courage from the well (old town water
well)".
May all take time to remember,
time to reflect, time to dream, the future starts today.
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