Dade County History Book

WILLIAM MILTON C DERRYBERRY AND SARAH ELIZABETH MALON

There is a 1st Cpl William M Dearberry in Company D, 39^th Georgia

Volunteer Infantry, Army of Tennessee CSA, listed in The Civil War Comes to Dade County documented as “The Dade County Invincibles”. It is our belief that this William M and William Milton C Derryberry are one in the same.

After the Civil War about 1866 William Milton_/ eldest son of John and Lucinda Derryberry, married his next door neighbor, Sarah Elizabeth Malone. Sarah was the daughter of Leroy H Malone born about 1816 in Jackson Co AL and Dorcas Jett born about 1817 in TN/GA they were married in DeKalb Co AL, August 15, 1839.

1. It was in the 1870 Marion County Census records that William Milton was listed as William C Derryberry. William C Derryberry is also listed as the father on the death certificate of Robert Lee Derryberry, his son. It is unknown if he always had the initial C or if he added it himself.

William, Sarah, their parents and other family members migrated to Texas between 1870/1872. Since the exact origin of the Derryberry family line has never been established, I find it quite interesting that the area of Austin county that some of the Derryberry families migrated too was predominately settled by families with ancestry from Austria, Bavaria and Germany.

Three more children were born to William & Sarah in Texas.  John Milton born about 1872, Stonewall Jackson, born 1874 and Marie Derryberry born about 1876.

William Milton C Derryberry died of causes unknown at this time between 1876 and the 1880 Austin County Texas Census, where Sarah Elizabeth a widow and her children were residing with her father, LeRoy Malone, a widower. It is our assumption that her mother, Dorcus Jett-Derryberry and eldest daughter Georgietta may have died during the migration west, as did so many.

Sarah Elizabeth Malone-Derryberry remarried on the 12 day of October 1883 in Bellville, Austin County Texas a Mr. D. D. Lewis.  There is no further information available at this time on Sarah Elizabeth Malone-Derryberry -Lewis, her daughter Rhoda Jane Derryberry or Marie Derryberry the youngest daughter.

Robert Lee Derryberry married about 1902 Miss Eula C ?? born 1883 in TX, they had one daughter, Ruth Derryberry, born about 1906 in Burleson Co. TX. Robert Lee & Eula owned a general store in Summerville TX.  He later moved to Cleburn, Johnson County, TX where he was the Justice of Peace in

Precinct 1, Place 2 from 1936 to 1950. One of Judge Derryberry’s favorite

sayings was that he wouldn’t have so much trouble in the court room if he could keep the lawyers out.

Robert Lee Derryberry died May 14, 1960 in Cleburne, Johnson Co TX and wife Eula C. (Lee) Derryberry died prior to his death.

John M. Derryberry married about 1905, Delia Etta Welch born about 1891 in TX the daughter of Thomas A & Elizabeth A Welch. John & Delia had two children:  William (Billy) Derryberry, born about 1906 and Irene Derryberry born about 1907 in Burleson, Co TX. William married Almeda ?? and it is unknown if Irene married.

Delia Etta Welch-Derryberry died in Harris County, TX July 9, 1926.

Stonewall Jackson Derryberry married Birdie Elizabeth Welch, sister of Delia Etta Welch-Derryberry. (Story to Follow)

Written by Patricia Ann Brawner-Derryberry-Schiro Magnolia, TX 77355-0535