William James Seger Family
Stuart Centennial, A One Hundred Year History of Stuart, Nebraska
1884-1984This publication and others about the Stuart Nebraska area and people are available for purchase from:
The Stuart White Horse MuseumContinued From:- The Donat Seger Family - from "The Stuart Centennial"
- John Leopold Seger - from "The Stuart Centennial"
- The John "Jack" Leopold Family - from "The Stuart Centennial"
page 335 and 336William “Willlie’ James Seger was born on Aug 14,1923, the 6th child of John and Eva Campbell Seger in Stuart, Nebr. He was 1 of 11 children; 4 boys and 6 girls and one still born child.
Willie attended grade school north of Stuart and graduated from Stuart High School in 1940. While attending high school he was active in all sports; football, basketball, boxing and track.
After graduating from high school, he galloped horses for Alan Foster and Frank Ulrich who owned the local tavern in Stuart.
In 1941, Willie went to Ak Sar Ben in Omaha with Frank Ulrich. While there, he met a jockey named Fritz Becker who taught him how to ride. He rode his first race in Lincoln, Nebr in 1941. That fall, he went to Phoenix, Ariz and won his 1st race at the Phoenix Fairgrounds. In 1942 he spent the summer riding in Nebr and Mont.
On Sept 16,1942 Willie married Margaret Kirkman from Wood Lake, Nebr. They had 3 children; Richard James, Susanne Luane, and Sandra Alyce.
Richard James lives in Tonto Basin, Ariz.
Susanne is deceased.
Sandra married Rasch and lives in Phoenix, Ariz.
Willie and Margaret have one granddaughter, Sunny Jane Seger of Phoenix, and two step grandchildren; Sean and Kim of Tonto Basin, Ariz.
Willie has ridden in most of the states west of the Miss River. Wash, Oreg, Cal, Ariz, NM, Mont, Okla, Kan, Ky, Ill, Ind, Nebr. He had a successful career as a jockey.
In 1960 after 20 years of riding as a jockey, Willie became a jockey’s valet. In 1979 because of health reasons, he was forced to retire but still travels the racing circuit with his wife. Margaret was employed by Ak Sar Ben in Omaha for 18 years. She is presently employed in the Pari Mutuel Dept in Phoenix, a position she has held for the past 23 years.
Although their home is in Phoenix, Ariz, and they have lived there for 41 years, Willie and Margaret still claim Nebr as their home state and look forward to coming back every summer.
The following articles printed in the Stuart Advocate in Sept 1942 and Nov 1943 acclaim Willie Seger’s success as a jockey.
WILLIAM SEGER IS LEADING JOCKEY AT STATE FAIR MEET
At the close of 2 days of racing in the state fair meet at Lincoln, William Seger, apprentice jockey, was leading all the riders with 15 points. In two days he had ridden 12 mounts and finished in the money in 7 of the races. He took 2 firsts, 4 seconds, and 1 third. Two other jockeys won in 3 races, but they had ridden more mounts and had not finished in the money as frequently.
The Stuart jockey, son of Mr and Mrs John Seger, is rapidly coming to the top in his profession. At the race meets in Madison, Albion and Columbus and in 2 weeks on a Mont track, he recently brought home 15 winners and an unreported number of place and show horses. In one of the good races in Mont, Seger rode Glad Quibbler, owned by
Frank Ulrich of Stuart, and placed second in a close race.
SEGER RIDES FIVE TURF WINNERS IN PHOENIX MEETING
The following is taken from a report in a Phoenix, Ariz newspaper.
Jockey Willie Seger, who got his start here a season ago, booted home five winners in a nine race program at Phoenix Sportsman’s Park yesterday, including Counsellor Fat, owned by Geo Hazelton of Glendale, in the featured Hotel Adams Purse.
Outstanding rider of the current holiday and weekend racing being presented here by the Phoenix Breeders Inc, since he brought in four winners in seven races on opening day, Seger’s performance yesterday boosted his victories to 19 in 5 days of racing. He has been aboard winners in almost half of the 40 races presented in the current meet at the North 7th Avenue Track.
SEGER BOOTS MOUNT TO VICTORY OVER FAVORITE
Chief Stanley’s highly regarded Midland finished fourth as Seger guided Counsellor Fat to victory before a large crowd in yesterday’s 6 ½ furlong feature. His time was 1:21 2-5 and his mount paid his backers $10.60, $4.80 and $3.80.