When Derrick was 3 years old around 1846 or 1847, his father died at the age of 47 leaving Derrick's mother with 7 children and very little means. A year later his mother died at the age of 41. His oldest sister Catherine took on the role of matriarch and protector of her younger orphaned siblings. By the time of the 1860 census Derrick was 16 and working as a farmer laborer in Alamo, Kalamazoo County, Michigan living with Catherine and her husband Chester Williams.
Ten days after the Civil War broke out, Derrick enlisted with Company I, of the 2nd Michigan Volunteer Infantry. He was a corporal and served until the fall of 1863, then re-enlisted in the same regiment until June 25, 1864. During the Siege of Petersburg (Virginia) he received what was thought to be a mortal wound in the right lung. Although he survived, he never fully recovered. He was given a disability discharged in January 1865. Following his discharge he returned to Kalamazoo County Michigan and became a retail merchant and received a soldier's pension as an "invalid."
In February 1866 he married Julia Fidelia Miller. Julia and Derrick had one child (Ada) while living in Michigan, and in the fall of 1871 they moved 700 miles west to York, York County, Nebraska where their other 6 children were born. They were: Mary Grace, Homer Ward, Claude Ernest, George Byron, Arthur Derrick and Elmer Jay. May Grace died at a year old and Claude died at birth.
In York, Nebraska Derrick homesteaded and lived on his soldier's claim of 160 acres. By the census of 1900, it seems Derrick was no longer a farmer. He indicated he was a "landlord" in York on Grant Ave where they had 4 boarder ages 16-20 all "in school" probably attending York College. Around 1900 - 1902 Derrick and Julia moved to Lincoln Nebraska where they lived at 2431 Q St. Derrick died on November 15, 1902 at the age of 59. Julia died 26 years later,
Ten days after the Civil War broke out, Derrick enlisted with Company I, of the 2nd Michigan Volunteer Infantry. He was a corporal and served until the fall of 1863, then re-enlisted in the same regiment until June 25, 1864. During the Siege of Petersburg (Virginia) he received what was thought to be a mortal wound in the right lung. Although he survived, he never fully recovered. He was given a disability discharged in January 1865. Following his discharge he returned to Kalamazoo County Michigan and became a retail merchant and received a soldier's pension as an "invalid."
In February 1866 he married Julia Fidelia Miller. Julia and Derrick had one child (Ada) while living in Michigan, and in the fall of 1871 they moved 700 miles west to York, York County, Nebraska where their other 6 children were born. They were: Mary Grace, Homer Ward, Claude Ernest, George Byron, Arthur Derrick and Elmer Jay. May Grace died at a year old and Claude died at birth.
In York, Nebraska Derrick homesteaded and lived on his soldier's claim of 160 acres. By the census of 1900, it seems Derrick was no longer a farmer. He indicated he was a "landlord" in York on Grant Ave where they had 4 boarder ages 16-20 all "in school" probably attending York College. Around 1900 - 1902 Derrick and Julia moved to Lincoln Nebraska where they lived at 2431 Q St. Derrick died on November 15, 1902 at the age of 59. Julia died 26 years later,
When Derrick was 3 years old around 1846 or 1847, his father died at the age of 47 leaving Derrick's mother with 7 children and very little means. A year later his mother died at the age of 41. His oldest sister Catherine took on the role of matriarch and protector of her younger orphaned siblings. By the time of the 1860 census Derrick was 16 and working as a farmer laborer in Alamo, Kalamazoo County, Michigan living with Catherine and her husband Chester Williams.
Ten days after the Civil War broke out, Derrick enlisted with Company I, of the 2nd Michigan Volunteer Infantry. He was a corporal and served until the fall of 1863, then re-enlisted in the same regiment until June 25, 1864. During the Siege of Petersburg (Virginia) he received what was thought to be a mortal wound in the right lung. Although he survived, he never fully recovered. He was given a disability discharged in January 1865. Following his discharge he returned to Kalamazoo County Michigan and became a retail merchant and received a soldier's pension as an "invalid."
In February 1866 he married Julia Fidelia Miller. Julia and Derrick had one child (Ada) while living in Michigan, and in the fall of 1871 they moved 700 miles west to York, York County, Nebraska where their other 6 children were born. They were: Mary Grace, Homer Ward, Claude Ernest, George Byron, Arthur Derrick and Elmer Jay. May Grace died at a year old and Claude died at birth.
In York, Nebraska Derrick homesteaded and lived on his soldier's claim of 160 acres. By the census of 1900, it seems Derrick was no longer a farmer. He indicated he was a "landlord" in York on Grant Ave where they had 4 boarder ages 16-20 all "in school" probably attending York College. Around 1900 - 1902 Derrick and Julia moved to Lincoln Nebraska where they lived at 2431 Q St. Derrick died on November 15, 1902 at the age of 59. Julia died 26 years later,
Ten days after the Civil War broke out, Derrick enlisted with Company I, of the 2nd Michigan Volunteer Infantry. He was a corporal and served until the fall of 1863, then re-enlisted in the same regiment until June 25, 1864. During the Siege of Petersburg (Virginia) he received what was thought to be a mortal wound in the right lung. Although he survived, he never fully recovered. He was given a disability discharged in January 1865. Following his discharge he returned to Kalamazoo County Michigan and became a retail merchant and received a soldier's pension as an "invalid."
In February 1866 he married Julia Fidelia Miller. Julia and Derrick had one child (Ada) while living in Michigan, and in the fall of 1871 they moved 700 miles west to York, York County, Nebraska where their other 6 children were born. They were: Mary Grace, Homer Ward, Claude Ernest, George Byron, Arthur Derrick and Elmer Jay. May Grace died at a year old and Claude died at birth.
In York, Nebraska Derrick homesteaded and lived on his soldier's claim of 160 acres. By the census of 1900, it seems Derrick was no longer a farmer. He indicated he was a "landlord" in York on Grant Ave where they had 4 boarder ages 16-20 all "in school" probably attending York College. Around 1900 - 1902 Derrick and Julia moved to Lincoln Nebraska where they lived at 2431 Q St. Derrick died on November 15, 1902 at the age of 59. Julia died 26 years later,
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