LUDWIG DERR, AN EARLY SETTLER OF THE BUFFALO VALLEY, WHO WOULD LAY OUT THE TOWN OF LEWISBURG

While paging through the 1877 Annals of Buffalo Valley Pennsylvania by John Blair Linn, the influence of settler Ludwig Derr details the prominence he maintained in what is now Union County. And his life was detailed during a ceremony in Lewisburg in 1935.

During a Flag Day Service at the Lewisburg Presbyterian Church, Mrs. F.M. Earnest discussed the life of the German immigrant, when a local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution honored Ludwig Derr with a marker for his contributions. Mrs. Earnest’s remarks were reported in the June 20^th, 1935, edition of the Lewisburg Journal.

“Ludwig Derr came to America from Heidelberg, Germany, his native country, in 1750, locating in Philadelphia. From Philadelphia, he moved to Heidelberg Township, Berks County in 1754 and was recorded there a taxable resident up to 1756 when he moved to Bethel Township, Berks County. In 1757 and 1758 his name appears on the first taxable records in this township as owning 200 acres of land, buildings, and cattle.

“In 1758 Ludwig Derr and Catherine Lorah, (sometimes spelled Laurer) were married in Old Zion Lutheran church, Philadelphia. While living in Heidelberg Town ship, Derr met Conrad Weiser. They became warm friends and Derr accompanied Weiser upon numerous in- j cursions into the West Branch Valley. Weiser was the first white man to have set foot in the West Branch Valley history tells us Ludwig Derr was evidently the first settler in Buffalo Valley, certainly the first settler upon the site of Lewisburg. Through family tradition we learn Derr purchased from the Indians in 1767 the site of land later known as Prescott, Buffalo Valley, and that year commenced clearing the land.”

The speaker noted that Derr lived on the land he owned before the purchase of land by the Penns at Fort Stanwix. He constructed his residence and a trading post in 1768. While operating the trading post that year, he began construction of a grist and sawmill, which began operating in early 1769 (the first in the Buffalo Valley.)

Having purchased his land from the Indians, the DAR speaker explained “Ludwig Derr understood the Indian nature and lived at peace with them. It was during the Great Runaway in 1778 when the torch was put to dwelling, post and mill by the Indians from Wyoming to the Mahantango, that Derr's residence, trading post and mill stood, and he and family stayed with them.”

Continuing her remarks, Mrs. Earnest said “By 1784 the settlers began to return in large numbers, and it was because of this fact that Ludwig Derr saw the advisability of laying out a town early the following year. Therefore, it was in March 1785 that laid out a portion of his three hundred and twenty (320) acre purchase in the plan for a town which he called Derrstown, such name being continued until the Borough of Lewisburg was incorporated on March 31st, 1812. Derr's first donation of lots were for religious purposes and were made to the Presbyterian, Lutheran and German Reformed denomination. He realized the need of the church in the building of a community. Later his son George donated land for the Christian church.

“To encourage the sale of lots, Derr, during September of this year, journeyed to Philadelphia, his object being to induce prospective settlers to purchase lots in his town at a nominal cost, then to go there and help build up a community. While upon this occasion of loyalty to his settlement, and to the county of Northumberland, he was stricken with sickness, died in Philadelphia and was buried there in 1785. His trip to Philadelphia, while brief, was successful, as a number of Philadelphians purchased lots at this time and later on. The last deed of record that Derr signed is dated October 18, 1785.”

Derr died without having a will. As a result, his wife and son became sole heirs to his estate.