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| 9/5/01 |
Isaac Newton Derrickson |
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The first members of the Derrickson family came to America before the Revolutionary
War. They were from Sweden and name is a variation of "Derrick". Some of the family lived
around New York and there is a record of Major Walter Derrickson serving in the Colonial
Army. Walter Derrickson died about 1811.
Dr. Albert Derrickson, a young physician, went from New York to Florida and then out to an
area near Creston, IA. During this time he married Sara Elizabeth Forman and they moved
to PA. Later they moved near Springfield, IL. There were seven children in the family, one
of which was my grandfather, Isaac Newton. the five sons were Isaac, Cary J., Theodore,
John, and David. The two daughters were Margaret and Ellen.
Dr. Albert Derrickson went about the area with his horse and buggy to treat the ill. He
also taught his wife how to deliver babies, which she did for many years. One time he went
out from home during a cholera epidemic and did not return. It was never learned what
happened to him as his horse and buggy and personal effects were never located.
Mrs. Derrickson remarried to a Mr. Philpott, who was a teacher and carpenter. He had
several children of his own so there was a large family to care for. His daughter, Margaret
Philpott Clem, said that he saw to it that they all knew how to work and had a good education
as well as good religious training. Those who were musically inclined learned to play
instruments. Isaac learned to play the violin and later was a music teacher and school
master. Isaac told that when he lived in IA he had a "Singin' School".
Isaac N. (Ike) went with the IL 33rd Infantry to the Civil War. He left his wife Elizabeth
DeLong, and small children behind. His brother, David, who was only twelve years old,
went with him as a drummer boy. When Isaac (Ike) returned from the war, he and his family
moved to IA and then to a place near St. Joseph, MO. David went with him and his brother,
Cary J., joined him later. Cary J., became a wagon master guiding people into the
Black Hills area.
Ike's son Albert, started to work as a telegraph operator. Unfortunately he caught
scarlet fever and afterwards found that it had impaired his hearing in one ear, so
he gave up this type of work and came to the Black Hills where he enrolled in what is
now the Black Hills State College. He was a good athlete and was proud of his track record.
He also enjoyed taking part in a popular racing event between various towns' fire departments.
About six men made up a team to pull a cart that carried the fire hose. Albert was on the
Deadwood team. In those days this was almost as entertaining as a good horse race. There
were plenty of those too, right down the middle of the town streets.
While exploring and hunting Albert (Bert) found a place that he liked so well in the Bear
Lodge Mountains area of Crook County, that as soon as he turned twenty-one he took a
'preemption' claim, built himself a bachelor log cabin and went there to live.
Ike learned from his son how beautiful and productive this area seemed to be so he sold
his MO farm, loaded his belongings into a covered wagon and came West. Bert turned his
place over to his father and filed a homestead about two miles west at the foot of the
Bear Lodge Mountain. Their places were about twelve miles north and west of "Coal Banks"
later known as Aladdin. (I believe that Eothen was the post office). Isaac N. was
a good carpenter and his home always showed his neat workmanship and many inventive ideas.
He built a frame house to replace the cabin and painted it and surrounded it with a picket
fence and flower garden. He dug out a spring on a hill above the house and built a wooden
storage tank to hold a supply of water. For pipes he hollowed out logs and ran the water down
to the house and to where he could irrigate the garden and berry patch. The water also
ran through a springhouse that was rocked up and where shelved were set down in the water
so that crocks of milk, cream, and butter were cooled by the water running around them.
Cured meats also hung from the rafters in this building. the water then guided by those log
pipes to trough for watering the stock.
His root cellar held neat bins of potatoes and other garden produce that could be stored.
There were shelves of jellies and large stone jars with meat that had been "fried-down".
For several years Isaac N. derrickson was Justice of the Peace and local Judge. He kept
a very careful written ledger of the cases he heard and the marriages he performed. He and
his wife had seven children:
(1) Albert Woodford, who married Christina House. Their children were; Adelia Gertrude (Mrs.
Arthur Dye), Theodora Theresa (Mrs. Harve Rensvold), Margaret Ellen (Mrs. Francis Logan), and
Lloyd Chassel Derrickson.
(2) Dora Dell (Mrs. Sherwood). One child Garthel Sherwood.
(3) Cora Belle married Nels Parkins and their child was Mary Parkins (Mrs. Puttscher).
(4) Phoebe Catherine (Mrs. Will Lawler); their children were, Catherine (Mrs. Luther Bryan),
Jack Lawler. Phoebe later married Bruce Walker.
(5) Edward Derrickson married Mary Redding. They had Jessie (Mrs. Dell Phillips).
Edward married a second time to Carolyn House and their children were; Francis (Frank)
Derrickson, Robert Derrickson.
(6) Roxanne (Mrs. McCloskey) her son was Ronald McCloskey.
(7) Mattie (Mrs. Will Guilde); their children were, Faye (Mrs. Ryan) and Sadie (Mrs. Thulan).
Bert Derrickson and his partner, Henry (Hank) Sutherland, built a lumber mill. This, in
addition to the ranch work, made it necessary to have extra help. the mill was set up to
supply anything one needed to construct a building; shingles, flooring, siding, etc. People
bought lumber at this mill for many years. The ranch hands, mill hands, and the people who
came for lumber were all welcome to eat at the Derrickson home and usually there was quite
a crew.
The Reverend James Derrickson, who I believe was the son of Isaac's brother, Theodore, came
from Minnesota and took up a homestead near Deep Creek Canyon on the way to Mona, WY. Later,
he exchanged ranches with Edward Derrickson, who had a place joining Bert Derrickson's home
place. The Reverend James (Uncle Jim) wanted to be near Bert and Tena so that he could work
on the ranch and board with them.
James derrickson was a Baptist minister and he held services at schoolhouses around the area.
He had a pleasing voice and often sang and accompanied the singing on the organ that he
hauled about with him in the buggy. The unique organ was described as having front legs and
pedals that folded up inside and the top folded down until it was all enclosed in a case and
could be moved about very easily. People liked to hear him sing, deliver his sermons and lead
them in community singing. He was very serious about his mission as a minister and because
some rather "irreverent" cowboys like to make remarks about how all "Sky-Pilots" were just
polite beggars, he allowed no collection to be taken at any of his services. He made his way
with ranching and general work. He stayed and boarded with Bert and Tena Derrickson for several
years and was well known and liked in the community. He finally decided to return to Minnesota
to retire.
Cary J. Derrickson also decided to bring his family to the west, so his wife Sara Elizabeth
and their two sons, Francis Marion and John, joined him on the wagon train. Somewhere on the way
many fell ill of smallpox and Sara Elizabeth and John both died. Carey took Francis back to
his wife's relatives and continued his work.
Sam Adair and his wife, Eliza Ellen (Barlean), their son's Sam and Jim, and daughter, Helen,
started with the wagon train to the Black Hills. Somewhere in NE Mr. Adair became ill and died.
The wagon master held Mrs. Adair and her children reach their destination. In a year or two Cary
J. brought his son, Francis, with him and he and Eliza Ellen were married. They settled in Crook
County near his brother, Isaac, on a ranch on Hay Creek. He and Eliza Ellen had two children,
George and Phoebe (Mrs. James Bates).
Isaac's daughter, Phoebe Lawler, came to WY after her husband, Will Lawler, died. She and her
children lived on a ranch that she established and managed on her own. After he children
were grown she married Bruce Walker and continued to live near Mona, WY, for many years.
Ike's home was one where there was always a warm welcome. His younger brother, David, came
West with him and made his home with Isaac and Elizabeth until he married. They also provided
a home for Cora Belle's three children Milton, Vera, and Helen Durrett. Their elder brother,
Willard Durrett, preferred to live with his "Uncle Bert" and did so from the time he was
about eight years old until he grew up.
David married Martha Caughorn and had a ranch joining Ike's. Martha and David had three sons,
David, John, and Albert and two daughters, Mable (Mrs. Will Gillan, later Mrs. Collins)
and Dora (Mrs. Charles Wood).
Isaac N. and Elizabeth moved to Belle Fourche, SD, and later to Long Beach, CA where Elizabeth
passed away and was buried. Ike then came back and lived with his daughter, Phoebe Lawler,
at Mona, WY, for awhile. He finally went to The Battle Mountain Hospital in Hot Springs, SD
and was buried there in the National Cemetery.
His family has moved away from Crook County, but they all remember and love the hills and valleys
of the Bear Lodge Mountain area.
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