Derbywas laid out in November, 1835, by John Cassidy, county surveyor, under the direction of William Mitchell, proprietor. Twenty-one lots were laid out, a number of which have been washed away recently by the encroachments of the river. Mr. Mitchell was for years the principal business man and leading citizen of the town. Arnold Elder opened a store early. Other early merchants were Biddle & Mitchell, Orville Nance and James Cole. Peter Murtha conducted a store and wood-yard north, at the mouth of Oil Creek. A man named Lacefield had followed the same business there at an earlier day. Jesse Inman opened a store at Derby, and Samuel Hargis followed him. In about 1858 Murtha moved his store down to Derby. William O’Neill opened a store about this time. For a time he was associated in business with Samuel Hargis. After the war O’Neill was burned out, but continued the business until a few years ago, when he died. S. J. Elsis opened up a general store five or six years ago, and has continued until the present. Henry Hargis commenced merchandising twelve or fifteen years ago, and is yet in business. S. A. Mitchell has conducted a store for the last five or six years. Mitchell & Mogan opened up in business in the spring of 1885. Ben Elder, Scott Cunningham and Badger & Cunningham have conducted saloons. About the beginning of the war Daniel O’Neill erected a frame grist-mill at a cost of about $1,000. It was a one-storied building, had one run of buhrs for corn, and was operated by steam. About 1866 O’Neill sold to Stephen Brown, and others, who removed the machinery to Kentucky. At the mouth of Oil Creek a Mr. Baldwin started a sawmill about twelve years ago, and operated it there about five years. Samuel Hargis, at quite an early day, built a warehouse, and conducted a produce business. He also bought the little tobacco that was raised in the vicinity. William O’Neill also owned a warehouse, and followed the same business. Hoop-poles were formerly one of the leading products of this vicinity. They are yet shipped in limited quantities. Tan bark has also been a leading staple. Hargis and others made money in the latter business, shipping large quantities of chestnut oak bark. H. C. Hargis is at present doing a large stave business. John B. Mitchell was the first blacksmith in town. After him came Lloyd Vessels, Vessels & Ballard, Ballard, James O’Neill, Hoover & Langdon, J. B. Mitchell, J. W. Davis & Bro., L’. L. Mitchell & Bro., W. H. Mitchell, J. W. Ramsey, Ramsey & Higdon and William Zeller, the present smith. The postmasters have been Samuel Hargis, H. P. Biddle, Samuel Hargis, Peter Murtha, C. C. Cummings. The doctors harve been Ira Whitmarsh, W. P. Drumb, Barbish, Killian, Howard, Daily, Souder, Pike, James Bennett (now), J. Meyers, and others. At an early day William Mitchell built a distillery in town. He started up about the time the town was laid out, and when in operation made from twenty to thirty gallons of whisky and brandy per day, finding a ready local sale for the liquor. He quit the business about 1848, and the building was then occupied by Jesse Inman as a chair factory. Three or four hands made from three to four dozen chairs per day, the work being done wholly by hand. This business was continued six or eight years. Derby Lodge, No. 1631, K. of H., was organized in May, 1879, by Dr. Hawn, of Evansville. The charter members were Joseph Yates, S. N. Badger, Scott Cunningham, J. B. Bennett, Marion Fite, Robert Brodie, John S. Williams, John W. Davis, Matthew Cunningham, W. H. Richardson, W. H. Jones, J. T. Gilliland and Solomon Snyder. One member, Robert Brodie, has died. The present membership is about fifteen, and the present officers are as follows: Marion Fite, dictator; S. N. Badger, V. D.; Scott Cunningham, reporter; Joseph Yates, treasurer; W. H. Mitchell, F. R.; J. T. Gilliland, sentinel; R. L. Gilliland, guardian. John Cassidy owned and conducted a grocery at the mouth of Oil Creek as early as 1830. It is said that Derby was named by Samuel Frisbie for the town of Derby, Ireland.
History, Genealogy, Early Settlers and Historical Points of Interest in Perry County, Indiana