Allie Segars

This was first published several years ago.

This month a dear friend died.  Her name was Allie Segars, and she meant a lot to so many people in Palo Pinto County that I wanted to dedicate this column to her and to her family, some of the early settlers of this area.  

Allie was born in Brad, Texas,November 10, 1921, to Emil and Donnie Laura Christian Haberthur,  She had three brothers and three sisters.  Her sister, Julia Price, still lives in Palo Pinto.

Alle’s father, Emil Haberthur, was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on November 23, 1876, to Emile and Emma Louise Brake Harberthus.  He appears to have been one of seven children.

Emil’s father, Emile, was born in Switzerland in 1848 and arrived at the port of New Orleans on October 14, 1872, at the age of 24.  He arrived on the ship Saxonia which had departed from Hamburg, Germany.  The Saxonia traveled to France, then Spain, and finally Havana, Cuba, before arriving in New Orleans.  By 1880 Emile and his family had moved from New Orleans to Dallas, Texas, where they appear on the 1880 Federal Census.  In Dallas, Emile was listed as a boot and shoemaker in the 1888 city directory.

Emile’s father was Swiss, but his mother, Elizabet, was listed on the Federal census as being German.

Emma Brake was born in Germany about 1853.  She married Emile on March 22, 1873, in New Orleans.

Allie’s mother, Donnie Laura Christian,  was born June 4, 1995, in Texas.  Her parents were John Wesley Christian and Laura Mattie Christian.  John Wesley Christian was born in Bowie.  He was a farmer whose father was from Tennessee, and whose mother was from either Tennessee or Missouri.  He died in Mingus in Palo Pinto County on July 30, 1920, a year before Allie was born.

John Wesley’s parents were John Christian and Margaret E. Skelton or Garrison.  John Wesley and Laura Mattie moved to Palo Pinto County by 1880 where the Federal Census shows them with their children William W., Margarete E., and Ettie D. living.  Twenty years later the census lists them still in Palo Pinto County with children Garrett, Thomas, Donnie, and Lawrence.

The Mineral Wells Index printed the following obituary for Allie on January 9:  

“Allie G. Haberthur Segars, 91, passed away Sunday, Jan. 6, 2013, in Palo Pinto. Service will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 600 NW 6th St., Mineral Wells under the direction of White's Funeral Home. Interment: Brad Cemetery. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at White's Funeral Home.

“Allie G. Haberthur Segars was born Nov. 10, 1921, in Brad to Emil and Laura Christian Haberthur. She went to school in Brad, Palo Pinto and Weatherford then back to Palo Pinto, finishing high school in Gordon. She lived with her sister, Ruby and husband, Lloyd Price.

“While in Gordon High School she met Howard "Red" Segars, they dated until August of 1940, married and lived in Ranger for a while before going to Dallas, where Red worked in defense. He worked there until Uncle Sam called him into the United States Army for three years in the South Pacific theater. For 20 years they lived in and out of San Antonio. While there their daughter was born. Their son was born in Winchester, KY, while on one of their construction jobs.

“Tired of travel and having a desire to be closer to aging parents, they moved to Palo Pinto. They built a convenience store – "Red's Drive In" – and lived there the rest of their lives.

“Allie was a 50-year member of the Eastern Star Lodge and a member of St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Mineral Wells. She worked in the Altar Guild for over 25 years. Allie was also a member of the Palo Pinto County Historical Association and enjoyed showing visitors through the museum. She had donated family articles to the museum.

“Allie is best remembered for her homemade bread. It was a gift to the sick, lonely and bereaved instead of a bouquet of flowers.

“She loved her home in Palo Pinto that she and Red built in 1968 and had lived there to the day of her death. Allie had close caring, loving neighbors who took care of her in times of need. She loved flowers and a beautiful lawn; taking care of her home and yard were her greatest pleasures.

“Allie was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Howard "Red"; three brothers; and two sisters.

“Survivors: son, Michael Segars of Fort Worth; daughter, Linda and husband Ed Tracht of San Clemente, CA; sister, Julia Price of Palo Pinto; seven grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; numerous nieces, nephews, friends and acquaintances.”

Allie’s obituary in the Mineral Wells Index told about her marriage to Howard “Red” Sears and about their wonderful life together.  It told of Allie’s work at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Mineral Wells where she served as Altar Guild Mistress for over 25 years.  It told of her love for her family and friends and about her association with  the Palo Pinto County Historical Association and about her love for the place where she was born, raised, lived, and untimately died.  But words cannot describe the beauty of Allie Segar’s personality and life.  She was quite extraordinary, one of a kind, and she will be sorely missed by her family, her friends, her church, and her community, but as someone said last Sunday at church, Allie is now dancing up in heaven, glad to be with her Lord and with Red once again.

Allie, may you rest in peace, and my light perpetual shine upon you.

Now for a letter I received some time ago.

Dear Sue, Wynelle, Don, and Others,  I thoroughly enjoy your interesting and sometimes personal articles in the North Texas Star.  I receive the weekly Claude Times and with Goodnight being only eleven miles east, have had a life long love of Charles Goodnight.  I can remember growing up hearing my great aunt, Lena Hickox Bishop, telling me about personally knowing the Colonel.  By the way, she did extensive genealogical research on both Hickox and Buchanan.  They go back to Wild Bill Hickox and President Buchanan.  I have copies of both.  If you’re ever in Claude you must visit the museum.  It is exceptionally good and has so much on Charles Goodnight.  Pertaining to October 2012 Chasing Our Tales, my grandmother (mother’s mother) grew up in Bowie as a Jones before moving to Claude.  My mother, along with her three sisters, did extensive research on the Jones family while making long trips through the southeast USA.  If you are interested in any of the family history feel free to contact me, between my brother and myself, we have dozens of boxes of genealogy and pictures.  Sincerely, Von Dunn, Weatherford, Texas.”