Riverside County
Biographies
GEORGE F. SEGER
George F. Seger,
deceased, was a resident of Riverside
County for thirty-five
years and here devoted his attention to horticultural pursuits on an extensive
scale. He was born in London,
Ontario, Canada,
March 15, 1846, his parents being Michael and Mary (Newcomb) Seger, the former
a native of Albany County, New
York, and the latter of St.
John, New Brunswick. Michael Seger left the Empire
State for Ontario, Canada,
in young manhood and became the owner of a stage line, carrying His Majesty’s
mail.
George F. Seger,
an only son, accompanied his parents on their removal to Wisconsin
in his boyhood and acquired his education in private schools and a business college of Milwaukee. Subsequently he went to Green Bay, Wisconsin,
where for a number of years he was associated with a mercantile enterprise
connected with the lumber industry. He
later founded a wholesale and retail boot and shoe concern in Green Bay but discontinued the business at
the time of the financial panic of 1871 and removed to Hixton, Jackson County,
Wisconsin, where he purchased a flour mill which he conducted for some time. It was the 11th of November, 1888, that he
arrived in California and the remainder of his
life was spent in the Golden
State. Here he began the growing of oranges and his
horticultural interests grew in extent and importance with the passing
years. For a time he was also active in
real estate operations in association with Frank Tetley. Prosperity attended his well directed labors and
he enjoyed high standing among Riverside’s
substantial and representative citizens.
On the 29th of
October, 1874, at Lone Rock, Wisconsin,
Mr. Seger was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Hardenbergh, daughter of David
and Maria (Brinkerhoff) Hardenbergh, of Lone Rock. She was graduated from the University of Wisconsin
with the class of 1871. Mr. and Mrs.
Seger became the parents of six daughters, as follows: Mary Isabelle, who was a graduate of Leland Stanford
University and is deceased; Georgia Hope,
who became the wife of Harrison Fisher and has also passed away; Sarah Helen,
who is Mrs. Alex Strachan and resides in New York; Helen, the deceased wife of
Henry Porteous; Gertrude H., who is Mrs. Bertram L. Pearson, of Nova Scotia;
and Dorothy, a teacher in the public schools of Riverside. Mr. and Mrs. Seger had hoped to celebrate
their fiftieth wedding anniversary, but Mr. Seger died in the forty-ninth year
of their happy married life.
A
public-spirited, enterprising and progressive citizen, Mr. Seger withheld his
support from no movement or measure looking toward the advancement of Riverside, for he loved
the city and actively promoted its growth.
In the early days he served as superintendent of streets. Fraternally he was identified with the
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, being a charter member of Riverside
Lodge, No. 642, of Riverside. His death occurred at his home at 3188 Orange Street,
in 1923, when he was seventy-seven years of age.
Transcribed
by Bill Simpkins.
Source: California
of the South Vol. II, by John Steven McGroarty, Pages 263-264, Clarke Publ., Chicago, Los Angeles, Indianapolis. 1933.
© 2012 Bill Simpkins.
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