The Segraves family to be honored as Pioneers of the Year

WAITSBURG - This year, the Waitsburg Historical Society will honor the Segraves family as the Pioneers of the Year.

"The Waitsburg Historical Society chose the Segraves family to receive the "Pioneer of the Year" award because of their long history in the area. Their land was purchased in 1903 on Jasper Mountain, and the family spent a lot of time those first years logging the area to set up their home," said Deanne Tipton.

John Henry Segraves was born on July 28, 1868, in Ashe County, North Carolina, and brought his bride to Washington to start a life and family.

In 1882, he traveled to the Waitsburg, Washington, area to find work. In 1903, he purchased the family property on Jasper Mountain from Rufus Gross. He returned to North Carolina to marry Lona Phipps on June 4, 1904. A week after their wedding, the newlyweds moved to Washington, where they lived for the remainder of their lives. They were the parents of four children born in Gross, Washington:

• Lillie Mae Segraves born February 15,1906

• Robert Lewin Segraves born April 3, 1909

• Elmer William Segraves born October 21, 1911

• Luella Lee Segraves born December 7, 1914

"John Henry and Lona Segraves and their children are the reason why we are here today: to honor our heritage," said members of the Segrave family.

The family will be recognized at the annual Fall Festival on Sunday, September 15, at 11:45 a.m.

After the Pioneer of the Year presentation, there will be live music, horse-drawn wagon rides, and free tours of the Bruce House, Carriage House, Wilson-Phillips House, and Mill House between noon and 4 p.m.

There will be great food, crafts, and craft demonstrations on the grounds of the Bruce House Museum.

The pies will be auctioned at 1 p.m., and a vintage-style show will begin at 2:30 p.m.