| Notes |
- No evidence he ever married
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Notes for Jesse R. DERRYBERRY
Biography
Jesse R. was born about 1807 or 1808 in North Carolina, most likely in Burke Co., where his parents lived at that time.
Since some secondary sources ascribe a son to Andrew by the name of "Richard," Jesse's middle initial may well have
stood for Richard, but no sources found to date tell us for sure. When Jesse was a baby, the family moved west to
Warren Co., TN, and in the 1820s they moved again to Perry Co., TN. Jesse is most likely in his father's household in
1820 (age 10-16) in Warren Co., and 1830 (age 20-29) in Perry Co.
His whereabouts in 1840 are unknown, and this was just a year after his father's death. However, by about 1845 at the
latest he had moved south to Jackson, MS. He became a Mason, and about that time became part of Lodge No. 23 at Pearl.
He remained active in the Masons, becoming a representative for that lodge. He also opened a livery stable, which he
owned for many years. The following advertisement was run in local newspapers in 1845 and 1846:
"Livery Stable. J. R. Derryberry returns his thanks to his friends, for the liberal patronage he has received
heretofore. He intends keeping his stable well supplied with provender and attentive ostlers. He hopes to be able to
render satisfaction to all who may favor him with their custom. His stable is on the right side of State street,
between the Mansion House and Mr. McNair's new brick building fronting the store of Messrs. Hobson & Lamb, where he will always be found. He will be pleased to attend to all who may patronize his stable. --Jackson, Dec. 1845."
In 1848, he was one of a number of men granted charter by the Mississippi State Legislature to form the Pearl River
Steamship Navigation Company. He was probably the "Col. Derryberry" mentioned in an article from the "Times-Picayune" (New Orleans, LA), 15 Jan 1848: "Jackson (Miss.) Races. -- The following report we take from the Mississippian: Wednesday, Jan. 5, 1848--Purse $100--mile heats. ... Col. Derryberry's 'Comet', by imp. Belshazzar, out of the dam of St. Cloud. ..." No other record of official military service or rank has been found.
No further evidence of his shipping activities has been found, but between the two professions he was evidently quite
successful. By 1860, he had amassed an estate of $4000 in personal property and $10,000 in real estate. Furthermore,
he owned a number of slaves in both 1850 and 1860 (see below).
There is no evidence that Jesse ever married, and he had no one else in his household in 1850 or 1870. In 1860,
however, his nephew John W. C. Derryberry was living with him, as were two young boys, Richard and William, ages 14 and 9, respectively. John W. C. had probably moved from Tennessee to Mississippi in the late 1850s. In 1869, he married a widow from Simpson Co., MS, after which he returned to Madison Co., TN with his wife. The young boys cannot be attributed to any of Jesse's immediate relatives, and so they will be considered here as adopted sons. Their parentage is otherwise a mystery. There was also a John D. Derberry, age 22, incarcerated in Jackson for larceny, but his relationship to Jesse, if any, is also unknown.
During the Civil War, Jesse contributed $230 to the Quartermaster of the Army of the Mississippi "for the defence of
the State." During the war, Jesse's horses and stable were impressed into Confederate service from time to time. From
Confederate papers, a letter to Col. M[adison] McAfee dated 26 Jun 1861 states "please pay J. R. Derryberry two dollars
& fifty cents for forage for horses used to convey J. Knowlton from Brandon to headquarters at Jackson." Another, same
date, states "pay John Derryberry four dollars for buggy hire." (This was probably Jesse's nephew, John W. C.) Other
forms dated 1862 indicate J. R. was paid for stable use and saddle. An invoice dated 7 May 1863, mentions J. R. was
reimbursed $275 for a horse and $40 for saddle impressed by order of Lt. Gen. Pomerton.
Jesse is not found in any records after the 1870 census, and probably died between 1870 and 1880.
Slavery
The census schedules from that time describe slaves as either "black" or "mulatto" and do not give their names. The
1850 census shows Jesse with 3 slaves: black male age 23, mulatto female age 35, and black female age 4. In 1860, he
had 7 slaves, including a mulatto female age 47 (probably the same woman from 1850). The remainder were a black female age 34 and 5 mulatto males (4 age 18 and one age 16).
Census records from 1880 to 1910 mention a black man named Handy Derryberry born about 1868 in Mississippi, who lived in 1880 in Covington Co. and from 1900-1910 in Steens, Rankin Co. About 1895 he married a woman named Rena. Handy may have been the son of one of the slaves from Jesse's household, since he was the only Derryberry slave holder in the area.
Sources
"Laws of the State of Mississippi" chapter 244, 1848. "An Act to incorporate the Pearl river Steam Navigation Company.
Whereas, Joseh [sic] McDowell, William P. Gill, ..., J. R. Derryberry, ..., have formed themselves into a company for
the purpose of navigating the Pearl river by steam, have adopted rules and elected officers for the management of the
affairs of the association, and desire to be legally constituted a body corporate: Therefore, ... Be it enacted by the
Legislature of the State of Mississippi, That the persons aforesaid, together with their associates and successors be,
and they are hereby declared to be a body corporate, under the name and style of the Pearl River Steam Navigation
Copmpany...."
From the "Times-Picayune" (New Orleans, LA), 15 Jan 1848:
"Jackson (Miss.) Races. -- The following report we take from the Mississippian: Wednesday, Jan. 5, 1848--Purse
$100--mile heats. ... Col. Derryberry's 'Comet', by imp. Belshazzar, out of the dam of St. Cloud. ..."
1850 US census, Hinds Co., MS
J. R. Deryberry, age 43, keeps stable, $1000, b. NC
"Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Mississippi" shows J. R. Derryberry as representative of Lodge No. 23 at Pearl in
1851.
1860 US census, Jackson, Hinds Co., MS; p. 15
J. R. Derrybery, age 53, livery s keeper, $4000/10,000, b. NC
J. H. C. Derryberry [male], age 30, b. TN
R. D. Derryberry [male], age 14, b. MS
W. S. Derryberry [male], age 9, b. MS
1860 US census, Jackson, Hinds Co., MS; p. 51 [prison]
John D. Derberry, age 22, sailor, b. NY, larceny
(The John D. Derberry found above may well be another son of Jesse's despite the stated birthplace of New York. It
would be very coincidental for someone with a name similar to Derryberry to be found in Hinds Co. of all places, where
Jesse was living, yet be unrelated.)
In 1861, he contributed $230 to the Quarter-Master General of the Army of Mississippi, towards funds for raising "means
for the Defence of the State."
From Confederate papers, letter to Col. M[adison] McAfee dated 26 Jun 1861 states "please pay J. R. Derryberry two
dollars & fifty cents for forage for horses used to convey J. Knowlton from Brandon to headquarters at Jackson."
Another, same date, states "pay John Derryberry four dollars for buggy hire." Other forms dated 1862 indicate J. R.
was paid for stable use and saddle. Invoice dated 7 May 1863, J. R. reimbursed $275 for a horse and $40 for saddle
impressed by order of Lt. Gen. Pomerton.
1870 US census, Jackson, Hinds Co., MS
Jessie R. Derryberry, age 62, farmer, b. NC
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S Butler and S Hibbs Family History Our Family's Journey Through Time
1808 - 1880 (63 years)
[1] 
