It's family reunion time--for the Tennessee Branch of the Seagraves family tree!

It Family reunion time--for the Tennessee Seagraves branch!

If your part of the Seagraves family, and happen to be in the neighborhood, I have it on good authority that they'll be happy to see you!

~

Family reunion information provided to me by Nelda Baldwin, from Pulaski Tenn.

Thank you Nelda!

~

The California branch is suppose to have a family reunion sometime, but as yet no date has been set.

Happy Memorial Day to all my Seagraves Family

Let us not for get what Memorial day was originally meant for,

a day to remember those we lost.

What follow are a few of my family that has passed away,

but not from the hearts of those that love them.

~

I always feel so sad when I think of my family members that have passed away.

Not just because that I love them and miss them, well that too.

But because we are diminished as a family group as family we are becoming smaller, and then more of the memories are lost! That's why I started this sight, I just want to share, and save what I can of our family memories and histories. I intend in the future to get a better sight that's more interactive and accessible.

~

Do not stand at my grave and weep,

I am not there, I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow,

I am the diamond glimpse on snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain.

When you waken in the morning hush,

I am the swift uplift rush

of quiet birds in circled flight.

I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry,

I am not there, I did not die.

Memorial Day Seagraves Family Reminiscence: My Aunt Regina, and Uncle Vern

My Aunt Regina And Uncle Vern

I took this picture myself in 1980 I think.

It was taken in their home in Fresno.

In Loving Memory

Regina Fritzen

Born: April 22, 1924 at Mount Pleasant, Tenn.

Died: March 31, 2002 Sacromento, California

Cause of death: Pantcreatic Cancer

She is interned at Arbor Vita cementaery, Madera Ca.

Her Husband Vern preceeded her in death some few years earlier in 1987 I believe.

He is interned in Fresno.

Memorial Day Seagraves Family Reminiscence: My Aunt Bessie "Dean" Seagraves

Im sorry to say this is but, this only photo

I could find in my albums of my Aunt Dean

In Loving Memory

Bessie "Dean" Seagraves

Born: October 23, 1914 in Tenn.

Died: August 23, 2001 in Madera

Interned in the Arbor Vitea Cemetery in Madera Ca

She was retired from Oberti Olives plant of Madera

Her husband: Baisel Seagraves proceeded her in death some 20 odd years earlier

(I don't have at present his infromation)

and she is laid to rest beside him.

Memorial Day Seagraves Family Reminiscence: My Grandmother Hattie E. Seagraves

My Grandmother Hattie Seagraves

This photo was taken when I got married in December 21, 1979.

I want to relate some thing that Grandma told me on my special day:

She told me in some excitement as I think it had just dawned on her that day that she like me was eighteen(18) years old when she had gotten married. And that my grandfather Jerome Milton Seagraves, was also the same age as my husband-to-be--21.

~

I hope that clears up the confusion in the family as to how old my grandmother was, when she had got married to my grandfather. I'm also gonna try and get a copy of their marriage certifacate and then I'll post that as well.

~

I think what may have started how-ever unintentionally to the confusion, was the oval colorized pictures on the wall of Regina's(Fritzen) house. One was of Grandma Hattie S. at age sixteen, and the second was of Grandpa Jerome Milton S. at age eighteen. Even though the pictures look like they belong together, they are not wedding pictures! I got this infromation from Regina's very own lips(before her passing). Those pictures where taken before they even met! Regina had the original black and white photos colorized, and re-formatted, then framed to look like they belonged together, as a wonderful reminder of her parents.

In Loving Memory

Hattie Estelle Seagraves

Born: January 22, 1891

Died: January 26, 1985

Cause of death: advance old age, and heart failure.

She was 94

Occupation: farmers wife and home maker, she raised eight children--7 boys and one girl, And she was a Sorter at Oberti Olive of Madera. She really liked that job, infect they had to force her to retire.

Hobbies: she was quite the handy woman; she made quilts (I have one she made for me for when I got married) she crocheted, knitted (my mother remembers my grandmother getting excited when she learned to turn a heal when she was nearly eighty). When she was ill with her heart at 85 years old, she turned to latch hooking rugs, then finally just to looking after her table filled with African Violets, on a table that Regina ( Regina and Arnold were her caregivers) had out-fitted with a grow lamp.

~

She is interned at Arbor Vitae Cemetery, beside my Grandfather:

Jerome Milton Seagraves

Born: Febuary 24, 1885

Died: August 7, 1961

He was 76

Occupation: Share cropper, then in California Farm laborer

and the farmers that he worked for loved how very hard he worked.

My Dad-Johnnie B Seagraves when he was older

This picture of my Dad Johnnie B Seagraves

was taken at my wedding December 21, 1979

taken by my brother-in-law John, not to be

confused with my brother who is also named John. Though the

family still calls him my brother 'Jacky" much to his chagrin!

When my husband(my then fiancee') asked my father for my hand in marriage, my dad decided to give us (or me) some advice. Maybe it's part of the tradition when you give your blessing? And he said, "Trust nothing--that you hear, and trust only half--the things that you see. And the only thing you can trust--in this life--is death and taxes."

"Um, okay dad? Th-anks for the advice? " I think?

~

But in the years since, I have found that his advice to be solid, I could find no fault in anything that he told me on that day that my dad gave us his blessing.

~

I loved my dad very much, and miss him (and his advice) still.

Memorial Day Seagraves Family Reminiscence: My Dad Johnnie B Seagraves

My Dad Johnnie B Seagraves

this picture was taken when my dad was a young man.

Here you can see clearly the Seagraves hair-line,

and the Seagraves turned-up nose.

And of course the Seagraves chiseled good looks!

In Loving Memory of

My Father

Johnnie B Seagraves

Born: March 5, 1922

Died: September 8, 1982

Cause of Death: Colon Cancer

Occupation: Body and Fender man

Hobbies: Scubba diving, Hunting, Bowling(he was on a bowling league when I was little and won trophies), Boating, Camping, Fishing, the making of lures to go fishing with, and did I mention fishing? The man loved to fish and was very, very, very good at it.

He was survived by his wife Jeannetta Seagraves, and his three children:

John, Janice, and Deanna.

At this date he has two Grandchildren Brian and Sarah, unfortunately

he never got to know them as they were both born after his death.

The first Segrave to move to Ireland is....

John Segrave son of I believe Thomas de Segrave of the baron line, and one of the lesser son who never was in line to recieve the title(darn the luck).

John Segrave moved to Limerick Ireland, and married Jennet Dungan in 1500. Jennet was from a family of Earls of limerick Ireland. John and Jennet's children inherited land and title through her.

Sorry this is all I have on them.

Segrave's in Finglas Ireland

In the Parish of Finglas is the remains of an Elizabethian house, and it bore the the arms of the Segrave family. It was built on the lands that had been granted in 1552 by Archbishop Hugh Curwen to James Segrave and Patrick Sarsfield.

In 1609 to John, son and heir of Walter Segrave, Walter Segrave had held the land and house some 15 years earlier.

For several generations the Segrave family had been very prominent on the Irish episcopal and judicial benches, and the commercial life of Dublin, where Walter Segrave and his father had both been Mayors of Dublin (Ireland folks). And Walter was also the sheriff of Dublin as well.

They both were alied to the Roman Cathlic church, but owing to thier "good and kindly dealings" with Englishmen, they enjoyed Archbishop Loftus's freindship, and through his wife, who was a sister of Walter Ball of Ballygall, Walter was closely allied to Protestants (in other words he had a foot in each camp).

Apparently this was quite a nice house! The chief apartments and the parlor, and the great bed-chamber were wainscoted, and some of the bed chambers were provided with cornices of wood from which tapestry was suspended. In the hall where the coat of arms of the Segrave impaled with those of those of Ball were carved, there was a high table at which the family took their meals seated on squar stools, and round the walls were ranged five court cup boards, on which plate and china were displayed.

Throughout the house much of the furnature included; 12 bedsteads, many coffers, one was bound with iron and locked with three keys for the keeping of deeds. And in many of the rooms were rugs, tapestries, canopies of silk or taffeta, curtains and valances of mockado or white stuff, and cushions covered with wrought-velvet or needlework.

On the walls were hung two calverts(paintings), head pieces, and halberts, as well as "the day of judgement in oil work" and "Christ and the twelve Apostles in tables," and in the palor a pair of virginals in a frame that bespoke the accomplishments of Walters Segrave's daughter.

The very first Seagraves in America was.......

Reverend Francis Segrave born 1654 Ireland- died Jan 1725-27? Isle of Wight County, Virginia. Married to Lucretia in 1685. His occupation was minister, and appears in many important papers such as wills as a witness.


He is the common ancestor to all Seagraves in the south, with all various spellings of the name. Through his son William Segrave who had three wives and thirteen children, his descendents have spread through North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee.


For more infromation: Sandra S. Day wrote the book Reverend Wm. Segraves & his descendents, but unforntunately it is out of print. Maybe if you live in the south you could find it in a county library, good luck & good hunting.

My cousins in Tennessee!

I just wanted to give a big shout-out to all my cousins in Tennessee!

I've been in contact with my cousin Nelda Baldwin, and I wanted to post their family reunion picture here but I can't find it! So I'll have to post it later, sorry.

The neat thing about my cousin Nelda is that our grandfather's were brothers, and had family farms in Tenn. side by side. And my favoite cousin Ann (Seagraves) James, was her Auntie, and was named after her; her middle name Ann, is after Ann's first name. Cool huh?

The Seagraves's family Newsletter Questionnaire

All information gathered here will be kept confidential, and if you ask me to, I'll even erase your comment off this sight.

I'm sorry but, this questionnaire is for the California branch only.
If you'd like to fill it out anyway, I would use it on this sight only.

The questionnaire:

1.My name is:_______________________
2.My spouse's or significant other's name is:____________________
3.My parent's names are:_____________________
4.My occupation is:_________________________
5.My address is:___________________________
______________________________________
6.My e-mail address is_______________________
7.My children's names are:____________________
______________________________________
8.My grandchildren names are:_________________
______________________________________
9.My news that I'd like to share is:_______________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
This sight is connected to my e-mail, and I check it nearly every day. And if you want to share this information with me, and not with everyone who reads this sight; just let me know and I will erase it. But, if you want to answer the questionnaire, then you will have to do it as a comment, but you don't have to write the whole question(that would be too hard), just use the question numbers. Thank you.

Seagraves Texas--was it settled by a Seagraves?

Ever since I found out about Seagraves Texas, I had been wondering if one of our forbearer had settled the town. One of my cousin even thought it had been. Well if you too were wondering, and probably wondering were I'm going with this too.....Well wonder no more!

...............................................................................................

Seagraves Texas was originally called Blythe, because it had a post office on the Blythe ranch about 1911. Then the Santa Fe railroad, decided to make Blythe the end of the spur running from Lubbock, and that was around 1917. But because there was already a Blythe, on the Santa Fe line(Yeah, all the way in California) they just had to change the name, to advoid confusion--don't you know(maybe for them). So they decided to change the name to a certain Santa Fe Railroad Official by the name of C.L. Seagraves.

...............................................................................................

Who C.L. Seagraves was beside an Railroad official I still haven't determined, nor have I found what why they had selected him for this honor. But there you have it! Seagraves Texas wasn't settled by a Seagraves, but it was named after a Seagraves.

Uncle Arnold and his daughter and his granddaughters

Arnold Seagraves with his daughter(Annette) and granddaughters

Pictures e-mailed to me by my sister Deanna.

*Thank you Deanna*

Arnold's party was a smashing success, says my sister Deanna.

A few people stood up and made some nice speeches, and then Mike Seagraves stood up

said something too, then played his guitar and sang a song he wrote, for his Grandpa Arnold.

A few family members, had done genealogy studies, and had made a family tree,

and brought them.

(I like to have a copy, hint hint.)

And of course there was a wonderful meal, and then nice cake(yummy).

A lot of plans were made to visit one another, which is always good.

(We're family we should make an effort to keep in touch!)

And a lot of family members said, that they like to have a family reunion soon.

**************************************************************

On a side note: I'm working on a family news letter,

and I will be sending out questionnaires soon;

to all the family members that I have address via snail mail,

and I may e-mail some as well.

If your a Seagraves family member, and would like to be on that list;

please leave your address here, this blog is connected

with my e-mail which I check almost daily.

Keep checking back, as I will post more on this later.

My Uncle Arnold Birthday Party! Blowing out the candles!

Arnold's birthday Party!

My sister Deanna sent me these picture via e-mail.

*Thank you Deanna!*

My Uncle Arnold Seagraves gets help from his Grand children,

in blowing-out his candles!

Segraves Family cemetery--destroyed

I have some sad news to impart, dear family.


The Waugh-Segraves family cemetery was destroyed in recent years. The cemetery was located in Wildersville-Yuma road in the old 9th District, Henderson County, Tennessee. The land is now owned by the Peterson family since 2003.

Did you notice the spelling of the family name? Segraves not Seagraves? That's because this cemetery dated back to as late as the late 1800. It's too bad it is gone now, so much information gone.

There has been an effort to save some of the names and dates from the cemetery.
Here are a few as follows:


Crabb, Susan P., 1832-1910

Laws, Martha "Patsy," 1814-26 Feb 1889
Husband#1: Sherrod Segraves
Husband#2: William Pitt Waugh
Husband#3: Benjamin Phillips
Husband#4: Stephen Thomason
Children: 1:Moses Segraves 2: William pitt
3: Joseph Phillip 4: Charles Phillips
( I guess Patsy was a little hard
on husbands?)

Segraves, Moses, 1832-1910
Father: Sherrod Segraves
Mother: Martha Laws

Philip, Benjamin 1787-?
Wife: Martha Laws
Children 1:Joseph Phillips
2:Charles Phillips

Stacy, Cyrena Elizabeth, 1843-1889
Husband #1: William Pitt Waugh, Jr.
Children 1: William Lee Waugh
2: James More Waugh
3: Mary Eliza Waugh
4: Joseph Edward Waugh
5: Martha Elisabeth Waugh
6: Joanna Waugh
7: Martin Louis Waugh
8: William Rupert Waugh
Thomason, Stephen

Thomason, Stephen
Wife: Martha Laws

Waugh, William Pitt Jr., 1844-1880
Father: William Waugh, Senior
Mother: Martha Laws
Wife: Cyrena Elisebeth Stacy
Children: 1: William Lee Waugh
2: James Monroe Waugh
3: Mary Elisa Waugh
4: Joseph Edward Waugh
5: Martha Elisebeth Waugh
6: Joanna Waugh
7: Martin Louis Waugh
8: William Rubert Waugh

The address to the sight is --

http://www.tngenweb.org/records/henderson/cemiteries/waugh-se.htm
If I did this correctly It's a link, so click away!

Arnold Seagraves turns 90

Arnold Seagraves

I am pleased to announce:

that the senior member of my California branch of my family,

is having a birthday!

He was born on December 12, 1914.

He will be 90 years young!

*****

Happy Birthday Uncle Arnold, and may you have many more birthdays!

*****

Arnold Seagraves, is my Father Johnnie B Seagraves's second oldest brother, and both are from a family of eight children only one of which was a girl! My Aunt Regina.

*****

Arnold came to California with the family in 1936, later he married his first wife Betty, and with her, he had his four beautiful children; Susan, David, Eli, and Annette. He worked very hard for his family, as a appliance repairman for Sears until his retirement.

Well, he thought he was retired! After a trip to his home state of Tennessee, he returned to Madera to visit his Mom(my Grandma) Hattie Seagraves. She (his mom)had started having fainting spell, and he and his sister Regina were--as well as the rest of the family--very concerned! After being rushed to the hospital, then then another trip to St. Agnest Hopital in Fresno; it was discovered it was her heart, and she would need a pacemaker. Arnold and his only Sister decided right then and there, to take care of their Mother themselves! After an unsuccessful stint as apartment managers, they decided to be mobile home managers, and settled into Vila Capri mobile home park. There they took turns taking care of their Mom, and the responsibility of managing the Mobil home park, for the next nine years! Until their Mother's death in 1985.

*****

Arnold is fully retired, and now resides in Pleasanton California with his current wife.

His children are planning a wonderful birthday celebration for him.

I am sure "a good time will be had by all!"

*****

Happy birthday Uncle Arnold!

Have a wonderful birthday!

***********************

I made a correction about the number, and names of Arnold's children.

On advice of David Seagraves, who is Arnold oldest son.

*Thank you David*

***************

Sir John de Segrave

Sir John Segrave:

This I belive was taken from his tomb.

At his feet is his coat of arms lion,

but I'm not sure what's on his shoulders?

Sorta looks like a pig?

I got this at- http://www.gothiceye.com/pictures.asp?...

I'm sorry the image is so blury. The image was so light

You could hardly see it, and I did what I could with it!

Different spellings of the name Seagraves

There are some 40 odd spellings of our name; some the name just got mis-spelled, usually because of the great many of the early Americans who were illiterate, and couldn't even spell their own name, and would leave a mark! Ususally an X, after someone else wrote their name as it sounded!
Here are some examples as follows:

Segrave

Seagraves

Seagrave

Seagrove

Seagroves

Hargraves

Seagram

C-grave

C-graves

(I'm assuming these last two are typo-os)

Grave

Graves

Which begs a question?

If Graves is actually Seagraves,

did my Grandmother who is a Graves

marry her cousin who was a Seagraves?

But since there are Graves

that are separate from the Seagraves,

maybe not! Anyway I hope not!

(Well anyway! You get the idea!)

There is also what I got called in school!:

Seahorse

Seagram

Seaweed

and

My lest favorite

Sea-snott!

What's in a name? What does Seagraves mean?

I remember wondering since I was little, what does our name mean? Does it mean graves of the sea like my sister Deanna thought? Or does it mean something different?
I think I found the answer to this interesting question:

This next is according to James Seagraves, who has been doing research on our family name for years now. I will paraphase some of what he said, on the Seagraves Family Genealogy Forum. If you would like to read the quote in full, use your search engines and type in Seagraves Family Forum then click on the one marked genalogy.com. That should take you there!

The family name is based on the village of Seagrave or Segrave(the older spelling) in Leicestershire in the English Midlands. (I checked-yep, it's there!) He goes on to mention that the original meaning of the name of the town; is an old English reference to a grove original spelled grave--of trees by a bit of water, known as a Se or Sea.(hence the name Segrave)

It was more common in the middle ages for people not to have family names, as long as they lived in a small farming villages, where everyone knew everyone else. There were too few people to require such distinctions.
William was just William, unless there was two of them. As populations grew and towns became larger, it was nessary to distinguish people better to advoid confusion. William became William the Farmer or William the Mason. When someone left his town he would be known as William of Salisbury or William of Segrave. After the Norman invaded, then French was the lauguage of the rulers. The French version of the word "of" is "de" so he would have been recorded as William de Segrave. Many of our family were known as de Segrave in those early years.

The family described in detail in Charles W. Seagrave's book, "The Seagraves family 1066 to 1935" published in London in 1936, were the nobles and Lords of Segrave, and major landowners in Ireland. (Isn't that cool, we maybe Irish!) Other individuals who lived in the village of Segrave would have probably adopted the "de Segrave" name as well, and have ultimately been ancestors of many of us. Due to the normal lack of written records of the non-nobility, we are not likely to find much of these folks. (These people would have been the so-called "dirt realitives" to the landowners.)