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DDerry Family Archive
Evidence, not mythology

Archive desk

Uncertainty is preserved instead of smoothed over. Export the portable snapshot any time. JSON and GEDCOM are the heirlooms; this site is a static reading room.

45Records with research leads
9Archive notes to review
3.0.0Schema version

Archive notes

34 people store family roles as claims

Wife, husband, son and father labels duplicate parent–child links. They remain as research notes, not the relationship graph.

Haddie Albaugh Racer: named ancestor is not a person record

The biography treats Zachariah Ahlbach as a direct ancestor, but no person node exists yet. Surname-origin narrative is not proof of descent.

Uncertain link: John MacKinnon → Donald McKinnon

From the 1873 death record of a different Donald Mackinnon (Strath, Skye); the Tiree Donald's 1790 baptism names only a father, John McKinnon.

Uncertain link: Mary Kennedy → Donald McKinnon

From the 1873 death record of a different Donald Mackinnon (Strath, Skye); the Tiree Donald's 1790 baptism names no mother.

Family fact still needed: Betty (Hartle) Stover

Betty Stover’s death date and husband’s given name

Family fact still needed: Ina Mae Racer Philo

Ina Mae Philo’s place of birth (death certificate or birth record)

Family fact still needed: Scott C. Derry

AIDS Memorial Quilt block number for Scott C. Derry

Family fact still needed: Bruce Mattern

Bruce Mattern’s death date

Photographs are not in the archive yet

Cards and profiles have portrait slots. Add scans under public/portraits/ and set portrait on the person record. Start with Jack, Beverly, Elton, and Scott’s quilt panel.

Records to find

John MacKinnon

Needs research
Determine who the Tiree Donald's father John McKinnon was (Tiree register from 1766, name lists of 1776 and 1779). A John McKinnon and Flora Kennedy had a son Archibald christened on Tiree on 9 Nov 1796; whether that John is the father of Donald (b. 1790) is not known.

Mary Kennedy

Needs research
See John MacKinnon's entry. The Strath death record can be checked on ScotlandsPeople (Strath, 1873).

Neil McFarlane

Probable
Tiree's Old Parish Register begins in 1766 (only 23 baptisms recorded that year), so a baptism in 1742 will not be in it. Better sources: the 1776 and 1779 Tiree name lists, later rentals and the baptism or marriage records of his children after 1766.

Marion McLean

Probable
Tiree's Old Parish Register begins in 1766, so a baptism in 1769 should be present if the family was recorded. Search it for McLean baptisms at Kilkenneth and other townships, and for Neil McFarlane's marriage in the 1790s.

Donald McKinnon

Probable
Find Donald's death in Ontario (candidates exist for 1877 and 1886) and his father John McKinnon: the Tiree register from 1766 and the name lists of 1776 and 1779. The 1790 baptism names no mother, so only the father is known.

Christina McFarlane

Probable
Search the Tiree register (from 1766) for Christina's baptism around 1802 and her marriage on 14 Sep 1825, and Ontario records for her death in 1861.

Rev. Neil McKinnon of Mosa

Probable
His death record and burial; Anne McGregor's family; whether the Niel baptized in 1827 is him (the Keith children in his household strongly suggest it).

Flora McKinnon Keith

Probable
Her own death record (1903) and Duncan Keith's family, and any record placing her with Neil in Ontario.

Catharine McKinnon

Probable
Whether she emigrated with the family in 1850; an Ontario record naming Donald and Christina.

Hugh McKinnon

Probable
Find Hugh in Ontario (1861 and 1871 censuses, marriage and death records); his record would name his parents.

Mary McKinnon

Probable
Whether she emigrated with the family in 1850; an Ontario record naming Donald and Christina.

Archibald MacKinnon

Probable
A record naming Archibald as Neil's father (Neil's Ontario marriage or a sibling's death record). The 1861 census of Bruce Township (Archibald, about 65). On Tiree, the register (from 1766) should hold Archibald's baptism around 1796 and Neil's in 1827; the Tiree censuses of 1841 and 1851 show no Archibald-and-Neil household, so the family probably left before 1841. Ontario civil registration began in 1869, so there is no civil record of his 1866 death.

Annie McLean

Needs research
Resolve whether Annie McLean was Archibald's wife or mother; the Tiree register (marriage in the 1820s) is the test.

Neil McKinnon

Probable
A record naming his parents: his Ontario marriage to Janet McLaren (about 1857), a sibling's Ontario death record, or the Bruce Township censuses of 1861 and 1871. His own Tiree baptism (1827) is not yet identified; several Niel McKinnons were christened on Tiree in 1826–1828, and the one naming Donald and Catharene McFarlane is the minister's family. The Lot 11, Concession 1 detail has not been found in any published source I could reach.

Janet McLaren

Probable
The Ontario marriage registration for Neil McKinnon + Janet McLaren will confirm her parents and exact Perthshire parish. Also search the Perthshire Old Parish Registers on ScotlandsPeople for McLaren baptisms in the 1820s to find Janet's specific parish of origin.

John MacKinnon

Verified
✅ CONFIRMED: John MacKinnon + Isabelle Scott are the parents of Catherine MacKinnon Hartle. ✅ CONFIRMED: John's parents are Neil McKinnon + Janet McLaren. Next: Pull the 1896 Ontario marriage registration for John + Isabelle — will name John's father Neil and Isabelle's parents. Also pull John's 1935 Ontario death registration (will name his parents and likely birthplace).

Isabelle Scott

Needs research
✅ CONFIRMED: Isabelle Scott is the mother of Catherine MacKinnon Hartle. The 1896 Ontario marriage registration for John MacKinnon + Isabelle Scott is now the primary document to pull — it will reveal Isabelle's parents, her birthplace, and push her line back further. Also check 1901/1911/1921 Canadian census for Bruce County.

Catherine A. MacKinnon Hartle

Verified
✅ CONFIRMED: John MacKinnon and Isabelle Scott are Catherine's parents. Next step: Pull the 1896 Ontario marriage registration for John + Isabelle to identify their parents and push the line back toward Scotland. Also pull John's 1935 Ontario death registration — it may list his birthplace or father's name.

Reuben Hartle

Needs research
Pull Ontario census records (1871, 1881) searching for 'Reuben Hartle' in Simcoe County or surrounding area. William Lorenzo's 1902 Ontario marriage registration may also name Reuben as the groom's father.

Anne Emma Stamp

Needs research
Ontario census records and William Lorenzo Hartle's 1902 marriage registration should name her. Search Simcoe County vital records.

William Lorenzo Hartle

Verified
Pull the 1902 Ontario marriage registration for William Lorenzo Hartle + Lilly Strong (Collingwood, Simcoe). This will confirm his parents' names and likely birthplace (Ontario vs England), which is the key to pushing the line back to England.

Lilly Strong

Needs research
The 1902 Ontario marriage registration and 1911 census image for the Collingwood household will confirm her details. Search for 'Strong' family records in Simcoe County for her parents.

Beverly J. (Hartle) Derry

Verified
A public 2022 obituary was not found online. Confirm burial details with Salt River Cemetery / Berry Funeral Home. Identify Dell's legal given name and whether Betty Stover and Ann Prince are still living.

Robert Racer

Needs research
Search West Virginia census records (1880–1910) for 'Robert Racer' — particularly Kanawha, Raleigh, Fayette, or Pendleton/Hardy counties where German families settled. Theodore Racer (b. 1894 WV, son of Joseph L. Racer) may be Robert's brother — this is a strong research lead. A WV marriage record for Robert Racer + Haddie Albaugh would be the key document.

Haddie Albaugh Racer

Needs research
The Albaugh migration had two branches: one went west (Maryland → Ohio → Indiana → Michigan) and another went south down the Great Wagon Road (Maryland → Shenandoah Valley → Hardy/Pendleton counties WV). Search WV census records 1870–1910 for 'Albaugh' families — especially in Hardy, Pendleton, Barbour, or Kanawha counties. Then trace forward to find Haddie's parents. Priority: identify Haddie's parents (WV census 1900–1920, marriage record to Robert Racer, Ina Mae's 1923 birth record), then trace the Albaugh line back generation by generation. Sources for Zachariah himself: the Albaugh Project Bulletin, the Flammersfeld Reformed church book (1669–1726) and Strassburger & Hinke List 37A.

Harley G. Philo

Needs research
Pull Harley's Michigan birth record (Isabella County / statewide births) to confirm 9 April 1897. 1900 and 1910 census for Isabella County should name his parents. Marriage record with Helen Lethorn will give both sets of parents.

Helen E. Lethorn Philo

Needs research
Resolve 1901 (stone) vs 1902 (some compiled indexes) with a Michigan birth record. Search Lethorn households in Isabella County census 1900–1920 for her parents.

Elton Laverne 'Verne' Philo

Verified
Confirm 30 December 1922 against a Michigan birth record or WWII enlistment. Morning Sun obituary gives place and parents; veterans burial compilations give the full date.

Ina Mae Racer Philo

Verified
Birth date from family knowledge. Next: Michigan death certificate or a birth record to confirm place of birth.

Daniel Derry

Needs research
FreeREG (Staffordshire, 1770–1850) lists 20 events for a Daniel Derry, including a baptism at Cannock on 16 Jan 1785 and a marriage to Mary Pass at Shenstone on 3 Dec 1795; the index is incomplete. The Derry name is common around Lichfield (over 500 Staffordshire events 1700–1860), so the Staffordshire origin is plausible. Test with the 1841 census for Gresley Row and the baptism of Thomas Derry Sr. around 1808 (FreeREG shows none in that year, but its coverage is partial).

Thomas Derry Sr.

Needs research
The family left England in 1854 and lived in Wayne County, New York. Test his 1866 death: the 1860 US census for Wayne County and New York death records. In England: the 1841 and 1851 censuses and baptism registers. Cambridgeshire (where his son was born) may be the family's home rather than Lichfield.

Mary A. Johnson Derry

Probable
Find her in the 1860 and 1870 US censuses for Wayne County, New York (age about 50–60, born England) and in New York death records. In England, the 1841 and 1851 censuses (Cambridgeshire, with Thomas, about 33, and a son Thomas, about 9 and 19) and the marriage of Thomas Derry and Mary Johnson before 1832 in Cambridgeshire or Staffordshire. Cambridgeshire Archives hold parish registers; FreeREG does not transcribe the 1830s at Fen Drayton.

Thomas Derry Jr.

Probable
Confirm the village: the 1841 and 1851 English censuses (Thomas, age 9 and 19), Cambridgeshire Archives baptism registers (Fen Drayton 1576–1865) or Bishop's Transcripts. A descendant's note on Find a Grave says the family sailed on the Quickstep from London on 17 May 1854; the ship is not confirmed. The 1860 US census for Wayne County, New York should show his parents.

Mary Ann Swailes Derry

Probable
John Swails and his wife (native of England) are the next generation: Wayne County, New York censuses 1850 and 1860, and local histories of Sodus and Ontario townships. A Swales/Swails family from Yorkshire, England lived at Sodus, Wayne County (William Swales, 1776–1855, with a Captain John Swails b. 1815), but nothing links them to Mary Ann's father, who must be older than she was. Other spellings: Swailes, Swales, Swails. Mary Ann's Find a Grave memorial (if one exists) may name her parents.

Albert M. Derry

Needs research
Search FamilySearch for the 1880 US Census in Michigan for 'Albert Derry' — it will show his birth year, birthplace (New York), and his father Thomas's birthplace (England). The 1870 New York census may show Albert as a child in Thomas Jr.'s household before the family moved to Michigan.

William Henry Smith

Needs research
Search Sandusky County, Ohio vital records and census (1870–1910) for William Henry Smith and Manetta Moomey. A marriage record for William H. Smith + Manetta Moomey in Ohio would be the key document — it will confirm both families and likely list parents' birthplaces. Also check Hattie's 1959 Michigan death certificate, which may name her parents. Note: earlier notes assumed Hattie's mother Manetta Moomey had German ancestry through a Jacob Moomey (1699–1779). No record supports that; see Manetta's entry.

Manetta A. Moomey Smith

Needs research
Identify Manetta's parents first: Sandusky County, Ohio census 1870–1910 and the marriage record of William H. Smith and Manetta Moomey. Then trace backward. Do not rely on the Moomey genealogy book unless her line appears in its index. Search spellings Moomey, Mummy, Mumy, Momeyer, Mumaw.

Ernest A. Derry

Needs research
Search Gratiot County, Michigan census records (1900, 1910, 1920) for 'Ernest Derry.' A Michigan marriage record for Ernest Derry + Hattie Smith will confirm dates and parents' names for both. Also check for an obituary for Ernest in Gratiot County newspapers. His death certificate (if found) will name his parents and birthplace — the key to pushing the Derry line back toward England.

Hattie Estelle Smith Derry

Verified
Hattie's 1959 Michigan death certificate is a high-value document — it will name her parents (William Smith + Manetta Moomey), her birthplace (Sandusky, OH), and may list her children. Search the Gratiot County death index and FamilySearch vital records for Michigan 1959. Also search Sandusky County Ohio birth records around 1889 for Hattie Smith.

Jack C. Derry

Needs research
✅ CONFIRMED via Morning Sun obituary (Jun 17, 2011): Born 4 May 1926 St. Louis MI, died 16 Jun 2011 Shepherd MI; parents Ernest & Hattie (Smith) Derry; married Beverly Hartle 17 Jun 1951 Saginaw. Next: Search FamilySearch for Ernest Derry in 1900/1910/1920 Gratiot County census — the census will show Ernest's parents' birthplaces and may confirm an Irish origin. Ernest's Michigan death certificate is the single highest-value document to find.

William J. “Bill” Hartle

Verified
Funeral: W.L. Case & Company, Saginaw, 28 Nov 2016. Next: Michigan death certificate; confirm burial place. Daughter Kim Fizell and her children are named in the obituary and are not yet separate person records.

Betty (Hartle) Stover

Verified
Need death date and place, and husband’s given name. Sons Dean, Kent, and Todd are recorded.

Scott Hartle

Verified
Find an obituary or vital record for dates. He is not the same person as Scott C. Derry (1952–1995) buried at Salt River Cemetery.

Scott C. Derry

Verified
Confirm 1952–1995 against a death record. Locate the panel in the National AIDS Memorial interactive quilt (aidsmemorial.org) and record block number. Distinct from Scott Hartle, son of William J. Hartle.

Bruce Mattern

Verified
Need death date and place.