W. D. Bostick, Wdbostick@aol.com
125 Indian Ln, Oak Ridge, TN 37830
Rev 3/2002

The family of Richard William Derry (1859-1937) lived briefly in Madison County (~ 1880's to 1920's). R.W. Derry married into the Hall family, long-time residents of the county.

1. William Robert Derry, father of R.W. Derry, was born ca. 1822 and died May 5, 1888 (Age 66); his body was interred 11-May-1888 at Islington (originally Finchley) Cemetery, London England.

2. Richard William Derry, 1859-1937.

R. W. Derry was born 26-July-1859 in London England. According to his daughter, Florence Derry Hayes, R. W. Derry had sisters living in England.[1] He died in 1937 (age abt 78).

From a conversation with Mrs. Hayes (25-Nov-1979): R.W. had been expelled from private schools in England, and had joined the British Navy when he was abt 14-15 years of age. At age abt 20, he abandoned his ship (which sank?) while it was in America (possibly near Texas; see his obituary). He was "a cutter", with an affectionate personality — when he was not angry at you!

On 11-Sep-1878, R. W. Derry married Mary Ann Wood at the Bethnal Green parish in Middlesex, England. No further information on Mary Ann.[2] (R. W. Derry may have relocated to America within a few years of this marriage).

On 23-Sep-1888, R. W. Derry married Eliza Jane (Molly) Hall (abt 1866 to 1910).[3] Their children were Rosa, 1893-1976; Richard Walter, d. 14-Oct-1925; George W., died at age 18; and Esther (Hess).

The Derry family was very poor, and prone to tuberculosis. They experienced many difficult circumstances. Florence Derry Hayes, in correspondence dated 3-Apr-1980, wrote "Rosa's mother (Mollie Hall) had tuberculosis and all of the children had it except Rosa and Richard. Richard died with kidney trouble. So did Papa (R. W. Derry)."

After the death of Molly Hall Derry in 1910, R.W. married Mrs. Ira Grier Jordan (May 18, 1872 - Aug. 9, 1953), d/o Samuel Stephen and Harriett Carl Grier (or Greer) of Gibson Co., TN. R.W. and Ira had one daughter, Florence Derry (b. abt 1912), who married Lonnie Hayes (abt 1930).

The 1900-01 Jackson (TN) Directory listed Richard W. Derry as a laborer for the M&O railroad. His home at the time was 402 S. Church, Jackson.

By 1908-9, the Jackson (TN) Directory listed "Richard A. Derry, physician", living at 315 S. Shannon with his wife Mollie, and children Rosa, Esther, and Richard W., Jr. Again from Mrs. Florence Derry Hayes, R.W. was a self-declared "osteopath", affecting cures by "throwing body electricity."

R. W. Derry appears in the 1900 Tennessee census for Madison Co., living at 560 E. Baltimore:
(note: poor legibility of entries - also, accuracy is uncertain, i.e., Rosa was born in Feb, 1892 or 1893. Who was informant to enumerator?)

DERRY, Richard W., born July 1858 (age 42), born England, citizenship: A (alien?)

1910 TN Census: gives address as 560 E. Baltimore, Jackson, TN. Lists DERRY, Richard W., b. Jul 1858 in England (age 42), citizenship: alien. Also at this address: R. W. Jr (age 13, b abt 1897) and Esther (age 16, b abt 1894).

1920 TN Census: (Vol 55, ED 160, Sheet 4, line 67): Richard W. Derry, age 65, b. England; citizenship 1884 AL (does this mean arrived 1884, age abt 25, alien status?). Wife Ira, age 47 (b. abt 1873, TN); daughter Florence, age 8 (b abt 1912, TN; stepson Ernest Jordan, age 14 (b abt 1906, TN).

According to Mrs. Hayes, R.W. Derry relocated to Jacksonville, FL, about 1921.

The obituary for R.W. Derry gives the following (rather imaginative) information:

Dr. Richard W. Derry
        Funeral services for Dr. Richard W, Derry, 70, retired osteopath, who died at his residence at Edgewood avenue and Lem Tucker road, Tuesday night (10-Aug-1937), were held at 3 p.m. today in the Elliot Funeral Home. The Rev. Witty officiating assisted by the Rev. Lee.
        Dr. Derry was a native of Texas and had lived in Jacksonville for 16 years. Surviving are his widow and two daughters, Mrs. Florence Hays and Mrs. Rosa Mitchell of Birmingham, Ala; one step-son, Ernest Jordan, Jacksonville, and five grandchildren.
        Pallbearers were C.A. Knapp, L.E. Cockrell, L,G. Taylor, W.C. Lee, B. Carter and P.C. Smith.

A note of thanks was also posted, "signed":

After the death of Eliza Hall, R. W. Derry married a lady named Mrs. Ira Jordan (maiden name Greer or Grier), who already had a son named Ernest. This union produced Florence Derry.

A note found in Rosa Derry's Bible indicates that her father, R. W. Derry, Sr., and her brother Dick were buried in West Evergreen Cemetery (in Jacksonville, Duval County, FL): "Daddy - lot 364 - Sect 11- Aug-10-1937"; Dick - lot 552 - died Oct-13-1925."

3. Rosa Derry, daughter of R.W. Derry and Eliza Hall, was born 20-Feb-1893 in Jackson, TN. She died 31-Oct-1976 in Nashville, TN.

Her marriages:

(1) Samuel Julius Friedlob. Sr. (1869-1926), married on 11-Oct-1908. Beginning when she was about 12 years of age, she had worked as a shop girl at the dry goods business of Sam's father, Julius Friedlob. Rosa's family was poor and Protestant; Sam's family was relatively wealthy and Jewish. When Rosa and Sam first married, Julius disowned Sam (because he had married outside of the faith), but Sam and Julius became reconciled when Julius came to live with them during his final illness.

(2) Ira Mitchell. Mitchell was a steel mill worker, who became violent and sadistic when drunk (which became often). Rose, Mitchell, and Babette (Rosa's daughter) migrated over much of the country, trying to find work during the Great Depression. Rosa eventually divorced Mitchell.

(3) George R. Carter. Mr. Carter was a widower (first wife, Martha Ewing of Sweetwater, TN, m. jul-1912) and an attorney in Birmingham, AL; it is likely that he was the attorney that helped Rosa get her divorce from Mitchell. Mr. Carter was fond of his foster grandchildren, teaching the young boys the manly arts of 'rasslin', spittin', shooting marbles, etc. He died of lung cancer in October, 1955.

(4) (Reverend) Arthur A. Ross, born ca. 1892 at Fairton, New Jersey. Rosa and Arthur were married on Easter Sunday, 1958. He outlived Rosa.

Her children (all by Sam Friedlob):

(i) Issac George Friedlob ("Mannie"); b. 13-Aug-1909; d. Mar-1973; m. Bess Moore. Their children: George Thomas, Barbara (m. Richard Speight), and James Wesley Friedlob.

(ii) Sam Julius Friedlob, Jr. ("Sammie"); b. 17-Nov 17-1910, d. 27-Sept-1916 (appendicitis).

(iii) Babette Molly Friedlob; b. 3-Feb-1918; m. 4-Jul-1936 to Marvin Cathey Bostick (divorced in 1957). Their children: George Marvin, Marvette (Mimi), and William Derry Bostick. Babette died 25-Jan-2001 in Nashville, TN.

1. One sister was Sarah Ann Derry, Christened 25-Jan-1851 at Old Church, Saint Pancras, London, England.

2. There must have been many "Mary Ann Woods" in Bethnal Green (or she was oft-married); Free BMD lists 10 marriages for a bride "Mary Ann Wood" in the Bethnal Wood district between 1875 and 1885. Also recorded is a marriage in Dec-1885 for a "Mary Ann Derry" (could this be a remarriage of the former Mary Ann Wood?).

3. Tennesee Death Records (1908-1912) lists two records (#59339 & #59711) for Molly DERRY of Madison County. The former lists date of death as March 10, 1910; cause of death: Consumption (TB).