BIO: W. E. DERRICK, Clearfield County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja & Sally Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/ NOTE: Use this web address to access other bios: http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/swoope/swoope.htm _____________________________________________________________ From Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and Representative Citizens, by Roland D. Swoope, Jr., Chicago: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, 1911, pages 445 - 449. _____________________________________________________________ W. E. DERRICK, one of Grampian's enterprising and successful business men who conducts a general store and has frequently held public office, was born in a log cabin, situated four miles northwest of Grampian, Pa., in Bloom Township, Clearfield County, March 6, 1864. He is a son of W. G. and Eliza (Moore) Derrick. W. G. Derrick was born in Pike Township, Clearfield County, Pa., on the Thompson farm, on the Erie turnpike road, June 16, 1832, and attended school near Bridgeport. He married Eliza Moore, a daughter of James Moore, and they had nine children, of whom James, who is a carpenter, lives at Grampian; Ella, Mrs. Dean, lives in Medina County, O.; Ellsworth, lives in Stark County, O.; W. E. is the subject of this sketch. At the outbreak of the Rebellion, W. G. Derrick enlisted for service under Col. A. E. Irvin, in the famous "Bucktail" regiment. He was wounded in the foot at the battle of the Wilderness and thereby received an injury that troubled him during the remainder of his life. When he entered the army his wife and four children moved to Grampian, where he subsequently joined them but in the next year sold out his interests there and moved with his family to Kaoland, Mo. Prior to that one more child had been born, Bertha, who is the wife of William Thomas, of Grand Rapids, Mich. Mr. Derrick resided in Missouri for four years and during that time was a prominent citizen in the community, serving as postmaster and also as mail carrier. Before the return of Mr. and Mrs. Derrick one more child was born, David, who lives in Stark County, O.; and after reaching Grampian a daughter, Caroline, was born. She is now deceased, having been the wife of Job Spencer. The family then moved to a farm in Penn Township, where two more children were born: Harry, who died at the age of two years; and Victor, who died aged seven months. Mr. Derrick being somewhat incapacitated on account of the injury to his foot, soon sold his farm and returned to Grampian, where he worked as a carpenter. He was a Republican after the Civil War and served in several public capacities both in the borough and township. His death occurred May 6, 1904, at the age of seventy-three years. His wife had passed away July 2, 1894, and both were buried in the Friends' Cemetery at Grampian. W. E. Derrick attended school at Grampian and when old enough he went to Ohio and worked by the month on farms in Lafayette Township, Medina County, for eight years. After his first marriage he engaged as a clerk with M. H. Lampman, at Lorain, O., afterward going out on the road for W. B. Chapman, Jr., a dealer in groceries in Medina County. Following the death of his first wife he returned to Grampian and was employed as a clerk by William McDonald for eight years and then for one year was manager for E. F. Spencer. Mr. Derrick then embarked in the meat business with C. G. Russell, the firm being Russell & Derrick, which continued for three years, when Mr. Derrick sold his interest and became a clerk for S. T. Orcutt, in the hardware business. In 1906 he bought the business of his former employer, William McDonald, and has developed a large and constantly growing enterprise. In the winter of 1895, Mr. Derrick worked for Mr. McDonald for fifty cents a day and in 1896, for seventy-five cents a day, and fourteen years later, through his prudence, industry and acquired experience, was able to purchase the business and make it his own. He has several valuable pieces of property, two lots being improved with buildings and two lots still vacant. His business capacity has been fully demonstrated. On September 17, 1885, Mr. Derrick was married in Medina county, O., to Miss Macy Kindig, who was born in Wayne County, O., December 13, 1868, a daughter of David Kindig. Mrs. Derrick died July 21, 1893, and was survived by one daughter, Nora, who is the wife of William L. Nolder of Luthersburg, Pa., and they have two children: Anna May and Robert Lewis. Mr. Derrick was married September 21, 1898, to Miss Kittie Shaw, a highly educated lady, who had been a school teacher for eight years previously. She is a daughter of G. Moody Shaw, of Medina County. They have one son, Charles Edinson, who was born January 6, 1901, who is a bright student in the Grampian graded school. On many occasions Mr. Derrick has been shown proof of the esteem and confidence of his fellow citizens. He has served as assessor and for eight years as borough treasurer and has filled other offices, elected to the same on the Republican ticket. He is collector for the Harrison & Industrial Savings and Loan Association, of Grampian, in which he is a stockholder. He is also a member of the P. O. S. of A.