GENEALOGY OF THE DERBY FAMILY.
Compiled By Perley Derby
'Roger Derby came from Topaham. Devonshire Co., near Exeter: in the 80 south of England, and landed at Boston, July
the 18th, 1671 (Town Rec. 8plem.) ) He /removed thence to Ipswich, where, in Jan 1672. 16'12, he of "Phillip ffowler consideration of 100 pounds, his dwelling house * * barns, orchards, yards, 6t gardens, containing two acres * * scituate & lyeing on t
he south syde of the streets comonly called Hill St. * * together with four acres of land * *.at Muddy river on the northwest syde of Richard Shatswells pasture" (Essex Co. Rec.) In the Co. Rec. he is .styled a "sope boyler'' and shopkeeper," in which l
atter capacity, as his inventory shows, his business consisted of a variety of departments. In matters of religion he and his wife were non-conformists 30 the 'church of England, tho made themselves so prominent and zealous in their profession, as to be
come very obnoxious to the prevailing sects of a more puritanic stamp, and were several times subject to heavy fines impeed upon them by court. To show the nature and extent of thew grievances, the compiler thought fit to insert a "a few items from Esse
x Co. Ct.
Nov 1674 - Roger Derby & wife fined for absence from the public meeting on the "Lords dayes."
"Sept 28, 1675 Roger Derby & wife Lucreatia fined 60a. and costs for absence
from meeting.
"Sept. 26, 1676 Roger Derby & wife for not coming to meeting on the Lords dayes, the court declared that they had forfeited 5s. a week since the last court in Sep; and~do order that they shall pay 5Os presently or be committed to prision being twelve p
ence a day for each of them"
Sept. 26, 1677. By warrant from' the county 'Treasurer for several fines imposed upon Roger Derby and his wife ceased upon four acres of land of the said Derbyes which he bought of Phillip ffowler and delivered it to the Tres'r as it was prized at fourt
een pounds.
By.me
ROBEBT LORD
Marshall."
Nov. 6, 1677. Roger Derby & wife fined 4Os and costs for absence from meetings and stand committed to prison till payd." ~/ From the foregoing facts, it is inferred that his persecutions being too grievous to be endured longer; in 1681, after a residence of ten years in Ipswich, he remove with his family to Salem, where, in Feb 8, 1618-9, he bought of "John Darland, (Darling) "seaman, ` for 27 in silver price of land to the westward side of: house, bounded. upon the land of John Ruck 6 John Simpson westerly, upon the town & street southerly, upon the land that was Richard Bishops now in the tenure of Thomas Robbins northerly, as fence now stands so soc home to the dwelling house and ground of the said.
Signed John and Mary Darland
As near as it can be ascertained, the supposition is that the old homestead occupied a spot not far from the western corner of Monroe and Essex Streets; and by recent inquiry the writer has been informed, from a reliable source, that the building which had always been known and used as, a soap house, and which was very old when torn down, stood upon the opposite side of Essex street, in what was then the pasture, now Chestnut street, where the house of the late Thomas Cole, now stands. This was undoubtedly the building occupied by Roger Derby, in carrying on his business as a "tallow chandler". Roger Derby was born in England, 1643, died in Salem, Sept. 26, 1698, aged 55 years. Married Ist, at Topsham, Devonshire Co., Eng. Aug; 23, 1668, Lucretcia (Felt says her maiden name war Kilham) b. Eng., 1643 Salem May 25, 1689. Their grave stones are yet standing and bear the most ancient inscriptions now to be seen in the old burial ground, at South Danvers. His gravestone when. First discovered by the writer, was lying upon the ground, broken in two pieces and nearly obscured from sight by the grass? It has since been repaired and resurrected by some of his descendants of the present, generation. That of his wife Lucretia was still erect; and in a remarkable state of preservation. Married 2d, Elizabeth administrator of her' estate granted to her son-in-law Joshua Hicks Apr 8, 1740.
Roger Derby who was born in Topham in England in 1642. He married Lucretia Hilman and came to America with one child named Charles in 1671. He settled in Ipswich, then removed to Salem in 1681. He married a second time and by both marriages he had eleven children.
Taken from family papers
Having been ousted as a Cromwell member at the restoration of the Stuarts. He was thrown out in 1660. He sheltered Quakers in England.
Taken from Family Papers
Roger, Ipswich 1671 came from Topsham in Devon. In England, he had married 23 August 1668 Lucretia Hilman or Hilman --- He was a shopkeeper, assisted by his wife in that way and founder of the distinguished family of that name, great grandfather of Elias Haskett Derby who died in 1799.
Savage II page 40