The Derr Sisters

The late Geraldine Derr (maiden name Pentz) had 9 children.

I know two sets of Derr Women; Gerry, Linda, Lydia, Deb, Kathy, and Traci is in one set. Holly is in the second set. The late Geraldine Derr had 9 children. In both sets, there are eleven Derr members total.  Linda Beaver (2 of 9; sounds like the Borg on Star Trac) from Milton, Pa. called me about two weeks ago and told me of all the parties that they were planning to have in the month of August. These parties are in the rural parts of Central Pennsylvania, about 70 miles north of Harrisburg.  We are not talking about country towns for the most part. We are talking about isolated farm land areas.  I told them that I would try to make the parties.

Linda Beaver lives with her husband in Milton, Pa. She is a grandmother. 

The first party was a wild party, a pig roast given by Traci Appleman (9 of 9; Grandmother) in Montour County. The next weekend, I went to Jim and Misty’ s birthday party for their son Sawyer. He is a boy that just turned 2 years old. Misty is one of the step children of one of the Derr men. So as you can guess, they have many parties and get to gathers throughout the year. This party was also in Montour County in Pottsgrove, Pa. on Rt. 147.  Misty follows my grandson Daniel in his track and field events around the United States. I asked Misty if I can have 2 boxes of treats to give to my grandchildren. Misty was very glad to give them to me plus additional candy that was left over from the party. I said good-bye to everyone and gave Linda and Deb Delaney (4 of 9; Grandmother from Muncy, Pa.) a good-bye kiss before getting into my car and driving to Washingtonville, Pa. about 10 miles north.  

Later that day, I took Kathy Derr (8 of 9) to Turbotville Great Valu Food Store, 4680 State Route 54, Turbotville, Pa., about 15 miles from Pottsgrove and 5 miles from Washingtonville. Here is where I encountered an Amish woman that came into the store to shop while her preteen son parked the horse and buggy In the barn area set up for the Amish shoppers. I spoke to the woman and practically shopped with her as I went through the store. At check out, I was amazed that she did not pay in cash. She paid by check written out on her families checking account at First National Bank of Turbotville.   I was shocked because a checking account is something used for convenience. Convenience is something that the Amish way of life is against. This is just another example of how over the decades, the Amish are changing their ways.  Outside, the Amish lady put her groceries away in the buggy and started cleaning out the barn area.  Kathy said that she wish people would clean out the parking lot when they are done with it. I told Kathy that our cars do not poop all over the parking lot either. Kathy replied, “No but they do leak oil and transmission fluid all over the place and people put cigarette butts and paper everywhere!” I shut up because she won that argument.

Kathy Derr who helps out with Daniel

After taking Kathy home, I stopped at Lydia Parker’s house (5 of 9; Great Grandmother) in Washingtonville. She is a great grandmother. Lydia with the help of her sisters runs the candy drive for Daniel’s Track and Field Fund in Central Pennsylvania. She counted the candy money that she had and Kathy and Lydia did the accounting work. The Derr sisters do a large part in raising money for Daniel to travel all over the country to run in track. Some of these national and international events cost $1,000 for him to participate. Without their help, Daniel will have a harder time getting to and from these track meets.

After looking for aliens in Washingtonville and out at the PPL Reserve, I came home.

Daniel running his first indoor track meet at 5 years old.

The next day, I deposited Daniel’s money into his trust. I handed the teller the envelope from the Federal Credit Union of Danville, Pa. The teller wanted to know who does Daniel know in Central and Northern Pennsylvania? So I told her and others in the bank about the Derr Family and how their ancestors developed the Pennsylvania northern frontier when it was just a colony under the British.  Actually, it was the late Geraldine Derr, maiden name Pentz whose ancestors came from Prussia. John Pentz was said to have fought for the British in the French and Indian War. Peter Pentz, his son fought for George Washington in the Revolutionary war.  He was involved in the siege of Boston. The Derr family came from the Rhineland in William Penn’s day. They came here thru the docks of early Philadelphia, Pa. 

The Derr's and Pentz families came to America toward the end of the first Reich, the Holy Roman Emperor time period between 962 to 1806. They probably came over in the early 1700s. They were here before the unification of Germany before 1871.  

The Rhineland and Prussia are only two of the independent German states that formed the New German nation created by King Frederick William (Second Reich) and was organized into a modern German state by Hitler. In World War II, the Derr and Pentz women worked in the factories and farms to produce war goods for the Allied troops. The Pentz and Derr men went to Germany in World War II to defeat Hitler (Third Reich) and the NAZIs and freed Europe from slavery.    

The Derr family may have started out as German’s four centuries ago but as time went on, other people married into the family. They may look Pennsylvania Dutch now but in fact they are many different people under the same family name. As time goes on they will continue to water down their German ancestry roots and become vastly different people in the same family with the same Derr/Pentz name.