Maiden family was among Dawes County pioneers

(Editor's Note:  The following story is among the many chronicled in "A Compendium of History, Reminiscence & Biography of Western Nebraska," an illustrated book published in 1909 by the Alden Publishing Company of Chicago.)

William H. Maiden holds a prominent place among the foremost agriculturists of Dawes county, Nebraska. His home is on section 5, township 34, range 47, where he has been located for many years past, and his well appointed home and well cultivated fields bespeak the man of taste and progress, and no one stands higher in the estimation of his fellowmen and associates than he. He is among the leading old settlers in this region who has take an active part in the development of the section from its very beginning, and richly deserves the success which has come to him.

William H. Maiden family - ca. 1900

(L-R) Dora, William J., and William H. Maiden)

Mr. Maiden was born in Whiteside county, Illinois, in 1848. His father, George Maiden. was a farmer and old settler in Illinois, and was one of those who lived in that section of the country at the time of the Black Hawk massacre. He married Sarah Templeton, American born, of Scotch blood.

In 1856 the family moved to Tama county, Iowa, and there our subject grew to manhood, remaining at home with his parents up to the time of his twenty-first birthday, assisting in the farm work, and attending the country schools, where he received a fair education, for those early days. He left home in 1877 and came into the Black Hills, working for different freighting outfits in that vicinity, and part of the time being manager of the mail route from Fort Pierre to Deadwood, remaining here up to 1880. He then returned to Iowa, where he was married to Miss Dora E. Derrick, whose father, John C. Derrick, was a farmer of German descent, and her mother was Adelia Kellogg, raised in New York state. One son was born to Mr. and Mrs. Maiden, William J., now twenty-one years of age and living on a farm adjoining that of his father.

Mr. Maiden and his family lived in Iowa up to the spring of 1886, farming there in Carroll county, then came to Dawes county, Nebraska, and settled on his present homestead, landing here on March 8th. This farm was located in section 5, township 34, range 47, and he at once began to build up a home, putting up a dugout, in which they lived for two years, then built a better house of the same kind and lived in that for nine years. 

During the first years they went through many hard times, witnessing the drouths, and was obliged to work in the roundhouse at Chadron and any odd work he could get to do in order to support his family. He kept on improving his place, however, and has now a ranch of eight hundred acres, about seventy acres of which is in alfalfa and plow land, with the balance in hay and pasture, as he engages extensively in the stock business, raising a large number of cattle and horses for market each season. The ranch is located on White river, and is well supplied with natural timber of all kinds, and he has it well improved, all fenced, and everything in first-class order.

Mr. Maiden is a strong Democrat and an ardent admirer of William Jennings Bryan,and takes a keen interest in local and national politics. He has served as school director for four years, also as school treasurer for five years.

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Late 1920's photo of Derricks and Maidens

This snapshot was taken on the old Maiden place about 14 miles northeast of Chadron, Nebraska, probably in about 1929.  We can identify several of the people — but not all of them.  The five children standing in front are (left-to-right):  Lettie Maiden, Henry Maiden, Nettie Maiden, Betty Maiden, and Dorothy Maiden.  The dapper fellow standing in the back at left is either Monroe Derrick or his brother William Derrick; others in the back (l-r) are Leota Durham Maiden, Dora Derrick Maiden, William Joseph Maiden, Minnie Maiden (partially hidden), an unidentified lady, and the elderly lady in the black dress at right may be Nettie Derrick Bouma.  The Derrick-Maiden relationships can be a bit confusing.  Here's a simple explanation for the relationships in this photo only:  William (Bill) Derrick (and Monroe) is a nephew to Dora Derrick Maiden, who is the mother of William Joseph Maiden.  Cora Derrick Bouma is a half-sister to Dora Derrick Maiden.  Question:  what are the names of the dogs, to whom do they belong, and — more importantly — who is taking the picture?

A 4-generation Maiden photograph

This is one of our favorite photographs -- a superb four-generation photo of Joseph Maiden and three of his descendants. Therein is the problem, since we don't know when or where the photograph was taken -- or who those descendants are. We do know that Joseph was a half uncle to William Joseph Maiden -- born near Chadron, Nebraska in 1886. Our best guess is that the lady seated in front here is Joeseph's second daughter, Sara Jane (Maiden) Zering Derrick Martin. The younger gentleman standing would be her son, Roy Martin, and Roy's son -- unnamed -- is at left in front.
Regrettably, these identifications are only suppositions, but perhaps someone will happen across this photograph and be able to assist us in identifying those in the picture with greater certainty. This photograph was probably taken sometime in the 1920s. You may click on the photo to see a larger image.

It's all John C. Derrick's fault

In shaking the family tree for information, relationships sometimes get a bit bewildering. A classic case is the relationship between the Derrick, Maiden and Miller families of western Nebraska, and it all seemed to start with this old guy.

John C. Derrick was probably born in Holland, although we’ve not been able to document it. We do know he married three times and that his second bride was Adelia Pamelia Kellogg. They had two children together – Walter Earnest in 1860 and Dora Ellen in 1862. While the family was living in Carroll County Iowa in 1880, Dora married William H. Maiden, whose family came from Tama County Iowa. They moved to Dawes County Nebraska, where their only child, William Joseph Maiden, was born in 1886.

Pretty easy, so far, huh? Continue to the next level: William J. “Bill” Maiden married Leota Irene Durham in 1915; they had seven children together – one of whom was Lettie, born in 1920. In 1938, Lettie married John Miller, whose sister, Marie, was already married to William Derrick, son of Walter Earnest and a grandson to John C. Derrick. So Lettie and Bill were cousins – as well as brother/sister-in-law.

Oh, did we forget about another son of John C. Derrick -- Albert? He was the son of John C. and his first wife, Martha Hulbert. Born in 1857, Al was just a few years older than his half-brother, Walter Earnest, and his half-sister, Dora Ellen. When he was 21 years old – living in Tama, Iowa – Albert took a bride, Martha Maiden. Martha was a daughter to Joseph Maiden – a half-brother to William H. Maiden.

Not yet confused? Visit the Maiden Genealogy web site and you’re bound to become even more disoriented. Happy hunting!