My Genealogy Hound

Louis Derking was born five miles northwest of Union, Franklin Co., Mo., July 26, 1851, and is the ninth in the family of ten children (three now deceased) of George and Mary (Heinermann) Derking, natives of Hanover, Germany, who immigrated to the United States in 1841, landed in New York City, and thence proceeded to St. Louis; they remained in the latter place one year, and then removed to Washington, Franklin County, and thence, after a year’s residence, moved to the tract of land northwest of Union; in the latter place they lived forty years, and in 1884 removed to the home of their daughter, Mrs. Mina Bebermeyer, in Lyon Township, Franklin County, where they are now residing, the father aged seventy-eight and the mother seventy-six years. Louis Derking received a common-school education in his native county, and learned the trade of a wagonmaker at Jeffriesburg; at the age of twenty he went to St. Louis, where he worked at his trade six months, and subsequently followed his trade with Anton Oethe, in St. Clair County, Ill., one year. He then returned to Franklin County, Mo., and worked for his brother-in-law, F. Bebermeyer, one year, when, in 1871, he established a business of his own at Jeffriesburg, which he conducted three years; he next formed a partnership with his nephew, August Everett, and bought out Fritz Strehlemann; this partnership lasted five years, when Mr. Derking sold his interest to his nephew, and moved to St. Clair, his present home, where he erected the brick-and-frame factory in which he is still doing business. January 26, 1878, he was united in marriage with Lizzie, daughter of George Roth, a well-to-do farmer of Franklin County; she was born in Franklin County, May 19, 1855, and is the mother of two children: John and Oscar Helmuth. Mr. Derking has been very successful in the prosecution of his trade, and now owns two town lots, his factory, blacksmith shop and dwelling and eighty acres of land a short distance from the town. He is a Republican in politics, and is the present treasurer of the St. Clair corporation. The family is, religiously, of Lutheran sentiment, and ready supporters of all worthy enterprises.