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"Spokane and The Spokane Country - Pictorial and Biographical - Deluxe Supplement." Vol. II. The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1912. (No author listed.) pgs. 189-191.
THE roster of officials of Spokane county appears the name of Glenn B.
Derbyshire, who is now serving as county clerk, having been elected to that
position on the 8th of November, 1910. Moreover, he is widely known throughout
the state as a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and through
business associations, too, he has gained a wide acquaintance. His birth
occurred near Adrian, Michigan, January 12, 1874. His father, William
Derbyshire, a native of Onondaga county, New York, was connected with the
secret service at the time of the Civil war. He became one of the pioneer
residents of Michigan, settling about sixteen miles from Adrian, in 1845. In
the upbuilding of his part of the state he took an active and helpful interest
and at one time served as tax collector in Lenawee county. His occupation was
that of farming and through the careful and systematic cultivation of the
fields he provided a comfortable living for his family. He married Maria
Newitt, a native of Syracuse, New York, who still resides on the old homestead
in Michigan but Mr. Derbyshire passed away in March, 1908. They were the
parents of four sons, the brothers of Glenn B. Derbyshire being: Daniel Z.,
who is employed in a factory at Adrian, Michigan; William N., who is engaged
in the clothing business at Hudson, Michigan; and Paul M., who is cultivating
the old homestead farm. There are also two half-sisters: Mrs. Harriet Pratt, a
widow, who is now living with the mother; and Mrs. Orilla Babcock, residing on
a farm near the old home place.
Glenn B. Derbyshire acquired his education in the public and high
schools of Addison, Michigan, and in Hudson Business College, completing a
course there in the fall of 1894. Thinking to enter upon the practice of law,
he became a student in the law office and under the direction of the firm of
Bird & Wood, attorneys at Adrian, the senior partner becoming afterward
attorney general of Michigan. After reading law for a year Mr. Derbyshire
secured a position with the Page Woven Wire Fence Company, with which he was
connected for six years as bookkeeper. He then became interested in life
insurance as district manager of the New England Mutual Life Insurance
Company of Boston, having jurisdiction over four Michigan counties. Later he
was for a time connected with the Adrian State Savings Bank but thinking that
the far west offered better business opportunities he severed his connection
in his nativestate and on the 1st of May, 1902, arrived in Spokane, where he
became bookkeeper for the lumber manufacturing firm known as the Holland-Horr
Mill Company. He was afterward made estimator for the company and so continued
with this firm for about seven years. He then turned his attention to the
printing business as a partner of the Pacific Printing Company, with which he
was connected for two years and subsequently he became interested in the
real-estate firm of H. M. Howard & Company.
Since his election to the office of county clerk Mr. Derbyshire has
devoted his entire attention to the duties of that position. He was made the
democratic candidate and polled a large vote on the 8th of November, 1910.
From early manhood he has always taken an active part in politics, has served
on election boards, was a delegate to county conventions in Michigan, and was
secretary of the central committee of his county in 1896 during the free
silver campaign.
The pleasant home life of Mr. Derbyshire had its beginning in his
marriage at Hudson, Indiana, on the 8th of August, 1894, to Miss Anna M.
Platt, a daughter of William Platt, one of the pioneer settlers of Adrian,
Michigan, who is now deceased. Their only child, Naomi, is a student in the
Spokane high school.
Mr. Derbyshire has an interesting military record, covering three
years' service as a member of Company B, First Infantry Regiment of the
Michigan National Guard. He is a well known figure in fraternal circles, being
especially prominent in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He joined that
organization in Adrian, Michigan, and now holds membership in Mt. Carlton
Lodge No. 103, of Spokane; Unique Encampment, No. 32; Canton Spokane, No. 2,
of the Patri-archs Militant; and Hope Lodge, No. 38, of the Order of Rebekahs.
He has been honored with office in these different organizations, being a past
grand of Mt. Carlton Lodge, past chief patriarch of Unique Encampment, and
past commandant of Canton Spokane No. 2. In 1906 he was representative to the
grand lodge of the state of Washington and the same year was made district
deputy grand master. He has also been district deputy grand patriarch of the
encampment and in the spring of 1910 was deputized by the grand patriarch to
institute Abraham Encampment at Newport, Washington. In 1908 he was appointed
assistant adjutant general of the Second Brigade Patriarch Militant for the
department of Washington and still holds that commission with the rank of
major. His work in the Odd Fellows society has made him widely known
throughout the order in this state and among its membership he has many warm
friends. He is also connected with the Hoo Hoos, his number being 14,089. He
is a member of Spokane Lodge, No. 161; Loyal Order of Moose and is a member of
the Inland Club. His religious affiliations are denoted by his attendance at
the Christian Science church. He never holds narrow nor contracted views of
life but maintains the position of a progressive citizen who has faith in the
future and is ever willing to cooperate in movements for general progress and
improvement.
Submitted by: Nancy Pratt Melton
* * * * Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies Project. Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the individuals featured in the biographies.