Person:Davis Derr (1)

SSP City Directory, 1915; living at 241-1st ave. so., employed by Swift & Co.

Hardin County, Ohio Court Records, Marriage Book 5, page 179, Married 6 Feb 1875 at Kenton, Hardin, Ohio, Ohio. Marriage record gives bride's name as Louisa McKEE and the groom as Stanton DERR. "Personally came Stanton DERR, applying for License for himself to be married to Louisa McKEE who, being duly sworn, says that the said Stanton DERR is over the age of 21 years and is unmarried; that the said Louisa McKEE is over the age of ["eighteen" is crossed out] sixteen years and is unmarried, resides in Hardin, County, Ohio, and that he knows of no legal impediment to said marriage. (Signed by Stanton Derr.) Sworn to and subscribed before me this 6th day of February 1875. (Signed by S. Kramer, Probate Judge.) Said James McKEE father of said Louisa McKEE appeared in open court on the 3d day of February 1875 and consented that the License issue in this case. (Signed S. Kramer, P.J.) I certify that on the 6th day of February 1875 Stanton DERR and Louisa McKEE were legaly joined in marriage by me, a Minister, Urias Hoyt (signature)."

1910 Federal Census, South St. Paul, Dakota County, MN, 1910 census says Stanton and Liza Derr had been married for 35 years as of 27 April 1910; that would be about 1875.

"South St. Paul Daily Reporter," South St. Paul, MN, 18 Feb 1927, Eliza Derr's obituary said she and Davis were married 6 February 1877, but the offical court record says it was 1875.

Other about Davis Stanton Derr: We have not been able to find a birth record of Davis Stanton Derr.

In 1860 Davis, who was also sometimes called "Stanton," was living with his aunt and uncle, Martha (Derr) and Christian Zahller, Jr. in Taylor Creek Township, Hardin, Ohiounty, Ohio. By 1866 Christian Zahller had been appointed guardian of Davis and his three brothers and sisters, although their mother Miriam was still living. It is not known how their father, John Derr, died. It is believed he died circa 1866.

For most of Davis Stanton Derr's life, he was a farmer. In 1880 he farmed in Lynn Township, Hardin, Ohiounty, Ohio. He and his wife Eliza moved to Minnesota around 1903 (per 1905 MN State Census which said they had lived in the state for three years but in the district of SSP for only 3 months), but it isn't known where they lived until 1905 when they came to South St. Paul.

For some reason his daughter Ivy May is listed as being alive and age 29 in the 1905 census, South St. Paul, Dakota Co, MN.

In 1905 his occupation was listed as "night janitor." He worked for Swift and Company for twenty years.

The SSP Daily Reporter, 30 Dec 1921, carried a report of violence in the city due to the packing plant strike. "Old Man Attacked. Window smashing was surpressed last night by the presence of armed patrols of guardsmen driving through the city during the night but with the coming of early morning hours several sluggins were reported and warrants were to be sought this afternoon for the arrest of three men who were caught and identified as the alleged assailants by D. S. Derr of South Park. Mr. Derr, who is about 70 years old, was attacked as he came down the hill. Three men, Mr. Derr said, took hold of him and some one threw him to the ground and another hit him in the face. While he was struggling on the ground and calling for help, he was kicked in the face, according to the story he told the military authorities. A party of guardsmen patrolling the street in an automobile saw the men run and took after them. One of the party was sentenced to jail in Hastings for ten days on a drunk charge and he will be turned over to the military authorities after his term expires. Warrants were sought for the other two this afternoon. Several cases of slugging or initimidation hae come to the attention of the military authorities... A mass meeting of the strikers was held last night at Bowlby hall in St. Paul. Strikers decided 'to stick to the finish.'" The 9 Jan 1922 issue said one of the men arrested for the assault of William Derr (sic) was G. Schowalter.

SSPDR 23 Sep 1930: "D. S. Derr was taken to hospital." On 27 Sep 1930 the newspaper reported that he was home from the hospital.

He died in November 1930, four years after the death of his wife, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. I. B. Hoover, in South Park following what his obituary described as a long illness. A private funeral was held