DAR #A207468

Peter Derry was born in 1736, in Oberhoffen, Germany (some sources believe he was born in Virginia), son of Jacob Derry and unknown wife. At least three sons, Baltser 1739‐1808, Peter 1740‐1813, D Phillip 1740 are known. In 1752 Peter and brothers sailed to America (A list of German Immigrants to the American Colonies from Zweibruecken in the Palatinate 1750‐1771). He married Catherine FELDMAN 5 May 1761 in the First German Reformation Church in Frederick Co., MD. Known children of Peter and Catherine are Jacob, Andrew, David, Mary Elizabeth, Maria Catherine, Elizabeth, and Johann George. (Mary Elizabeth married a Jacob Wiatt; Catherine was married to a Smith and a Hindle; and Elizabeth to a Rymer).

Peter, his father and brothers, all served as patriots during the Revolutionary War. They served with Frederick Co., MD, troops sometime between the years of 1775‐1783. On May 12, 1780 Peter Derry petitioned the General Assembly, stating he had been a non‐juror to the Oath of Fidelity in 1778 due to “ignorance” and now desired relief under the Act to take the Oath.

Per the 1780 census, Peter Derry and his family lived in Frederick Co., MD. He made his living as a farmer. He spent his remaining years doing so and on 26 Sep 1813 he died and was buried at Lovettsville, VA. Reading Peter’s will, date 23 Sep 1813, he seemed to have been a man of compassion and wanted his family to share equally. “My Will is that my whole estate real and personal shall be sold at public sale by my executor within 6 weeks after my decease and the money arising there from my Will is that it be divided into five shares and to be distributed as follows… ”Andrew was to continue taking out the crop of grain and the product to be “equally divided”. In his Will he stated that his son Andrew should be able to get the grain out and share with the other children. David and Johann are not mentioned in the Will, therefore, it is believed that they had already passed away. Those named in will included Jacob‐son, Andrew‐son, Mary Elizabeth‐daughter, Jacob Wiatt‐son‐in‐law, Catherine Hindledaughter, John Smith, George Smith, and William Smith‐all grandsons, Sarah Hindle‐granddaughter, Adam‐Hindle grandson, Elizabeth Rymer‐daughter and her two sons, Jacob Rymer and John Rymer, grandsons.

Peter’s Great Grandson, Jacob Henry, (1788‐1854) left Virginia and moved to Freeport, Ohio around 1846/1847, along with his parents. Jacob’s two brothers, Nicholas and George moved to Illinois and encourage him to move also. George moved to Mason County, while and Jacob and Nicholas settled in Astoria, IL.

Insert graphic and text

Available resources:
-"United States Revolutionary War Pension Payment Ledgers, 1818-1872," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24Q-L6H6 : Archives and Records Administration, 1962), roll 7; FHL microfilm 1,319,387. -United States War of 1812 Index to Service Records, 1812-1815, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q29K-2Q74 : 11 March 2016), Ezra Parker, 1812-1815; citing NARA microfilm publication M602 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); roll 159; FHL microfilm 882,677.
-"United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHYX-3Y8 : 24 August 2015), Ezra Parker, Royal Oak Township, Oakland, Michigan, United States; citing p. 90, NARA microfilm publication M704, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 209; FHL microfilm 14,797.
-"Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVVD-R67N : 13 December 2015), Ezra Parker, 1842; Burial, Royal Oak, Oakland, Michigan, United States of America, Royal Oak Cemetery; citing record ID 15167043, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com. -Ancestry.com. U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.