DERRY, George

DERRY, LITTLE, WHELDAL

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 1/18/2014 at 09:51:49

Biography ~ George Derry

"Biographical and Historical Record of
Ringgold and Decatur Counties, Iowa"
(Lewis Publishing Company (1887)), pp. 516-17:

GEORGE DERRY, dealer in harness and saddles at Lamoni, is a native of England, born in Staffordshire, July 18, 1824, a son of CHARLES and AMELIA DERRY. His father dying when he was but eighteen months old, he was cared for by his maternal grandmother, REBECCA LITTLE, and at the age of ten years he was apprenticed to learn the harness-maker’s and leather-manufacturing trade, and probably no other man in Iowa or the West has followed this business as long as he. He has been engaged in the manufacture of leather good, at intervals, for fifty-two years, working eight years in London, and also at Walsall, England. In 1846 he was married to Miss LOUIS WHELDAL, who was born in Derby, Derbyshire, England, in 1822, and to this union were born seven children, of whom two died in England. Those living are CHARLES, MORONI and ARTHUR, all living in Antelope County, Nebraska, and ADA LOUISA and BERTIE GERGE, at home, the two eldest being natives of England. Mr. Derry came with his family to America in 1856, landing at Boston. They came West by railroad, and thence to Council Bluffs by wagon. He first located at Frontanelle, Nebraska, where he took up a homestead, remain there about eight years. He then followed harness-making at Frontanelle until he removed to Lamoni, Iowa, in the spring of 1880, when he established his business at this place. Mr. Derry has prospered since coming to this county, owing to his persevering energy and industry, and is one of the well-to-do citizens of Fayette Township. He owns his business property at Lamoni, and a good home and sixty acres of land under good cultivation, located in the eastern part of Ringgold County. Mr. Derry is a member of the Reorganized Church of the Latter-Day Saints. He is liberal in his political views, voting for men, not parties.

Transcribed by Sara LeFleur, Decatur County Historial Society Musuem, January of 2014