John Obadiah Seastrunk

© Kathy Duncan, 2015

John Obadiah Seastrunk, was the second surviving son of Samuel and Lydia (Kelly) Seastrunk. He was born on 13 Sep 1846 in Utica, Hinds County, MS and died 13 Jan 1906 in Smith County, Texas. He married Nellie E. Speer on 16 July 1876 in Rusk County, TX

Known children of John Obadiah and Nellie E. (Speer) Seastrunk:
1. James Speer Seastrunk

Almost as soon as Samuel Seastrunk and family arrived in Smith County, Texas, Samuel arranged for John’s uncle Frost J. Kelley was appointed his guardian in Smith County, Texas.:

F.J. Kelly appt. guar. 11/30/1857. Former guar. was Samuel Seastrunk of Copiah Co., MS.  Appr.: E.F. Swann, A.O. Erwin. Inv.: 8 slaves, gold watch $6,685. James M. Gill pet. as guar. 10/17/1860.  Appr.: Thomas B. Erwin, J.M. Douglass. Inv.: 9 slaves, gold watch $6,315. Gill pet. to resign 12/18/1865. Seastrunk is an heir of Obadiah K. Kelly & wf dec’d. Obadiah K. Kelly & F.J. Kelly received property from James F. Kelly who died 1843 MS, with stipulation money to be paid to James Wallis Seastrunk, J.J. Douglas, and Ella L. Douglas, when they were of age. [Source: Abstracts of the Smith County Probate Records Smith County, Texas 1846-1880 by Andrew L. Leath]

John O. Seastrunk was an Odd Fellow.  He was a member of the George Johnson Lodge before transfering his membership to the William Tell Lodge.  He left 900 acres of land located near Starrville to the Grand Lodge of Texas and was a charter member of the Christian Church of Tyler, TX.

Store Burglarized
Winona, Tex., Dec. 10 -- The store of J.O. Seastrunk was burglarized a few nights ago and $60 or $75 worth of goods were stolen. No clew to the thieves.
[Source: Dallas Morning News: Dallas, TX; Wed. 12 Dec 1888]

John and Nellie (Speer) Seatrunk are buried in  the Seastrunk Cemetery in Smith County, TX:

SEASTRUNK, Nellie Speer - 12 Jan 1857 - 24 Jan 1934 - UDC

SEASTRUNK, J. 0. - 13 Sept 1846 - 13 Jan 1906

John O. Seastrunk’s obituary appeared in the Tyler Daily on 15 Jan 1906 and 20 Jan 1906:

Seastrunk, John Obadiah (Dr.) Died Jan. 13, 1906. Born Sept. 13, 1846 in Utica, Hinds County, Mississippi.  The deceased parents were Samuel Seastrunk and Lydia Kelly.  Survived by his wife, Nellie Speer Seastrunk, and one living child, Jas. Speer, Jr. Was in C.S.A., Co. C. Was a dentist and lived in Winona.  Was District Deputy Grand Master of the local Wm. Tell No. 127 lodge.    

This obituary leaves little doubt that Lydia Ann (Kelley) Seastrunk died after 1846 and the cemetery transcription of her tombstone is in error.

This additional biography/obituary was published in Texans Who Wore The Gray and provides an even clearer indication of J.O. Seastrunk’s life:

J.O. Seastrunk - John Obediah Seastrunk was born in Utica, Hines County, Miss., Sept. 18, 1846. His father was Samuel Seastrunk and his mother Lydia Kelley. In 1857 he removed with his father’s family to Texas. The subject of this sketch settled in Tyler, and it was his home until his death, January 13, 1906. Early in 1864 he joined Co. E, Border’s Texas Calvary, and participated in the campaigns of the command until the surrender of the Trans Mississippi Army in May, 1865. This regiment was composed of men over and under the age of conscription. Young Seastrunk, a mere boy, put on the Confederate gray and rushed to the defense of his country. After the war had closed he studied dentistry under Dr. Henry J. McBride and became proficient in that profession. During his military service he was made second sergeant of his company, and at the time of his death was a member of Albert Sidney Johnton Camp, No. 44, of Tyler, Texas. Dr. Seastrunk was a Mason and an Odd Fellow. Of the latter he was an enthusiastic member, having been a delegate to the Grand Lodge, I.O.O.F., and to the Grand Encampment of Texas in 1904, and was also a member of the Patriarch Militant branch of the order. At the time of his death he was Deputy Grand Master of his district. He was married July 16, 1876, to Miss Nellie Speer, the only daughter of James Speer, a prominent planter of Smith county. His wife survives him and resides on North Fannie Avenue, Tyler, Texas. Dr. Seastrunk stood high in his profession, and was a good citizen.  

[Source: Texans Who Wore The Gray by Sid. S. Johnson, p. 128.]

Mrs. John Obediah SEASTRUNK received a confederate pension based on the service of her husband, John Obediah SEASTRUNK of Smith Co., TX. Texas Confederate pension #49471. In her pension she stated that she was born 12 Jan 1858 in Texas. That she married John Obediah Seastrunk on 16 Jan 1876 in Smith Co., TX and that he died 6 Jan 1906 in Smith Co., TX. She further stated that John O. Seastrunk was living at Starville  when he enlisted, serving in Co. C. Borders TX Cavalry. His service records state that he was sick in the hospital in Hempstead on Nov. 1864. There is a notation in the pension to see Texans Who Wore the Gray by Johnson, p. 128 for information on J.O. Seastrunk’s service. The pension file reveals that Nellie Seastrunk died 25 Jan 1934 and was buried on 25 Jan 1934.

Mrs. Nellie Seastrunk Dies at Tyler Home
Tyler, Texas, Jan. 25--Mrs. Nellie Seastrunk, 77, widow of the late Dr. J.O. Seastrunk, died at her home here Thursday after a very few hours illness. Mrs. Seastrunk for years had devoted her life to community service, and was one of the most loved characters in the State.
She was born at Starville, Eastern Smith County, received her schooling there when that community was a flourishing village.
In 1898 when the Mollie Moore Davis Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy was organized, she was a charter member, served as president for over fifteen years, and was later made an honorary life president.
Funeral services will be held Friday, conducted by Dr. Porter M. Bailes, pastor of the First Baptist Church, later another service will be held at the Starville Baptist Church, following which burial will be in the private cemetery of her old family home near Starville by the side of her husband.
[Source: Dallas Morning News; Dallas, TX; Fri. 26 Jan 1934]

Census records: 

23, June 1880, Prct. #8, Smith Co., TX:

Seastrunk, J.O. W M 33 Dentist b. SC fb. SC mb. SC
-----N. E. W F 20 wife b. TX fb. TN mb. MS
Speer, James W M 58 farming b. TN mb.fb. KY mb. KY
-----Tabitha W F 44 wife b. MS fb. KY mb. KY

15 June 1900, J Prct #1, Smith Co., TX:

374
Seastrunk, John O. head W M b. June 1851 48 M 24 b. NC fb. NC mb. NC
-----Nellie wife  W F b. Jan 1860 40 M 24 0-0 b. TX fb. KY mb. MS

19 April 1910, Prct 1, Tyler, Smith Co., TX:

916 North Fannin Ave
72-75
Seastrunk, Nellie E. head F W 49 W b. TX fb. KY mb. MS
-76
McGrew, Harry R. head M W 32 M-1 3 b. TX fb. TX mb. TX
-----Lorrice wife F W 21 M-1 3 1-1 b. TX fb. TX mb. TX
-----Harry L. son M W 1/12 S b. TX fb. TX mb. TX
Bennett, Pearl boarder F W 26 S b. TX fb. TX mb. TX
-----Mable boarder F W 19 S b. TX fb. TX mb. TX

3 Jan 1920, Tyler, Smith Co., TX:

916 N. Fannin Ave
2-3
Seastrunk, Nellie E head F W 58 Wd b. TX fb. KY mb. MS
-4
Montgomery, William head M W 42 M b. TX fb. US mb. TX
-----Edith R. wife F W 29 M b. TX fb. AL mb. TX

8 April 1930, Tyler, Smith Co., TX:

920 North Fannin Ave

89-120

Seastrunk, Nellie E. haed F W 72 Wd b. TX fb. KY mb. MS

-121

Pash, Valta T. head M W 55 M 30 b. TX fb. AL mb. TN

-----Cora G. wife W 55 M 30 b. Ark fb. Ark mb. Ark

This page last updated March 15, 2015