Chalkey H. Derr Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1626-1627 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

	This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit 
	organizations for their private use. 

	Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval 
	system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other 
	means requires the written approval of the file's author.


	CHALKLEY H. DERR has the distinction of having been elected the 
first judge of the courts of Faulk county, while he continued on the 
bench for the long period of twelve successive years, and is still 
engaged in the practice of his profession in Faulkton. He is a native of 
the old Buckeye state and a scion of one of its pioneer families. He was 
born near the village of Salem, Columbiana county, Ohio, on the 14th of 
April, 1840, and is a son of Charles and Rebecca (Elliott) Derr, both of 
whom were likewise native of that state. The paternal great-great-
grandfather of the Judge was a patriot soldier in the Continental line 
during the war of the Revolution, and his great-grandfather took part in 
the war of 1812, while the subject himself upheld the military prestige 
of the name by his valiant service in the Civil war. Frederick Derr, 
grandfather of the Judge, was born in Pennsylvania, whither his father 
had come from Germany prior to the war of the Revolution. He removed to 
Ohio when a young man and located four miles south of Salem, Columbiana 
county, being one of the early settlers in that section of the state 
where he engaged in farming and also in the work of his trade, that of 
cooper, while he and his good wife there made. their home until they 
were called from the scenes of life's activities. The father of the 
subject was a millwright by trade and also owned a good farm in 
Columbiana county, his death occurring when the future judge was but 
thirteen years of age, so that the latter was soon thrown on his own 
resources, having been in the fullest sense the artificer of his own 
fortunes and having accumulated a competency through his own efforts. 

	Judge Derr secured his early educational discipline in the 
district and select schools of his native county, where he was reared to 
maturity. In September. 1861, as a young man of twenty-one years, he 
gave significant evidence of his patriotism by enlisting in defense of 
the Union, in response to President Lincoln's first call. He became a 
private in Company I, Nineteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, commanded by 
Colonel Samuel Bailey, and was mustered in at Alliance, Ohio, as orderly 
sergeant, whence he proceeded with his regiment to Cincinnati, where 
they were equipped, and went forward to Louisville and then to Columbia, 
Kentucky, where they passed the winter. The regiment thence proceeded 
into Tennessee in the spring and was actively engaged in the battle of 
Shiloh, in April, as well as the battle of Perryville, Kentucky, and the 
siege of Corinth, from which city it went to Holly Springs, Mississippi, 
and to Florence and to Battle Creek, and thence over the mountains with 
General Buell's forces, reaching Louisville after having had daily 
skirmishes with General Bragg's forces. Thence they went to Stone river, 
where, owing to a severe attack of rheumatism and the results of an 
injury received in the battle of Shiloh, the subject became 
incapacitated for active service and was given a three months sick 
furlough, passing the time in Ohio and then being assigned to the 
quartermaster's department and being stationed at Nashville, Tennessee, 
for two years, having taken part in the last battle in that city, and 
having been honorably discharged, on the 1st of June, 1865, so that he 
served during practically the entire period of the war. He returned home 
in July and was shortly afterward married, after which he removed to 
Jones county, Iowa, where he purchased a large tract of land and became 
also interested in a large grain, stock and hardware business, with 
which he was identified for two years. In the meanwhile he had continued 
to devote much attention to a careful study of the law, and had served 
six years in the office of justice of the peace. Owing to impaired 
health he came to Faulk county, South Dakota, in 1882, taking up his 
residence here before the county was organized, and here he has ever 
since maintained his home, having taken a prominent part in public 
affairs and in the upbuilding of the city of Faulkton, while he was 
admitted to the bar of the district court in 1888 and to the supreme 
court in 1899. He was elected the first judge of the courts of the 
county upon its organization, in 1884, and was retained in the office, 
by successive re-elections, for the consecutive period of twelve years, 
making a most admirable recorr1 for his fair and impartial rulings, 
based on the law and the evidence in the various cases, while it should 
be noted in the connection that he never had one of his decisions 
reversed by the higher tribunals. In politics the Judge is a stalwart 
Republican, and is thoroughly well fortified in his convictions as to 
governmental policies, and fraternally he is identified with the Grand 
Army of the Republic and the Masonic order, in which latter he has 
attained the Knights Templar degrees and also become a member of Ancient 
Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He is one of the 
strong, true, public spirited men of Faulk county, and is held in the 
utmost confidence and esteem in the community. 

	On the 3d of August, 1865, was solemnized the marriage of Judge 
Derr to Miss Eliza J. Camp, who was born and reared in Ohio, being a 
daughter of Levi Camp. She was summoned into eternal rest on the 31st of 
April, 1891, and is survived by three children, namely: Kate May, who is 
the wife of I. Allen Cornwell, of Faulkton; C. W., who is a resident of 
Turton, Spink county; and Inez, who is the wife of J. F. Armstrong, of 
Faulkton. On the 21st of December 1898, Judge Derr was united in 
marriage to Mrs. V. C. (Stewart) Coffee, who was born in Beaver, 
Pennsylvania, being a daughter of Samuel Stewart and the widow of Dr. J. 
L. Coffee.