Corpus Christi in Nueces County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
William DeRyee
(May 15, 1825 - May 23, 1903)
Photographed By James Hulse, September 1, 2021
1. William DeRyee Marker
Inscription.
William DeRyee. (May 15, 1825 - May 23, 1903). Chemist, geologist, and photographer William DeRyee was born as William Düry in Würzburg, Bavaria. He was educated at the gymnasium and lateinschule in Würzburg, then went on to study at the University of Munich. He participated in the 1848 uprising against King Ludwig I, but when it was suppressed, he left with other dissidents to settle in Tennessee. Here he married his wife, Dorothea Mylius from Saxony, in 1849. They had five children. He also changed his name to "DeRyee". After establishing highly effective cottonseed mills, he gathered the attention of many copper mine operators and they hired him to investigate their mines. He and his family relocated to New Braunfels, where he developed and demonstrated new photography techniques alongside other German immigrants., During the Civil War, DeRyee served under the Confederacy as a state chemist to help develop materials for weapons and to find sources of nitrates for the military. He also invented smokeless explosives, and materials for marine torpedoes, but these did not see use in the Civil War. After the war, he moved to Corpus Christi, and opened the DeRyee and Bingham Drugstore. In 1867, after a yellow fever epidemic took his son, Emil, as well as physicians in town, William DeRyee developed remedies for the fever, including an effective antiseptic. He later represented Nueces County at the World Cotton Exposition in New Orleans in 1885. He went on to publish important geological research for the state. Deryee is remembered as a major scientific leader in Texas history.
Chemist, geologist, and photographer William DeRyee was born as William Düry in Würzburg, Bavaria. He was educated at the gymnasium and lateinschule in Würzburg, then went on to study at the University of Munich. He participated in the 1848 uprising against King Ludwig I, but when it was suppressed, he left with other dissidents to settle in Tennessee. Here he married his wife, Dorothea Mylius from Saxony, in 1849. They had five children. He also changed his name to "DeRyee". After establishing highly effective cottonseed mills, he gathered the attention of many copper mine operators and they hired him to investigate their mines. He and his family relocated to New Braunfels, where he developed and demonstrated new photography techniques alongside other German immigrants.
During the Civil War, DeRyee served under the Confederacy as a state chemist to help develop materials for weapons and to find sources of nitrates for the military. He also invented smokeless explosives, and materials for marine torpedoes, but these did not see use in the Civil War. After the war, he moved to Corpus Christi, and opened the DeRyee and Bingham Drugstore. In 1867, after a yellow fever epidemic took his son, Emil, as well as physicians in town, William DeRyee developed remedies for the fever, including an effective antiseptic. He later represented
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Nueces County at the World Cotton Exposition in New Orleans in 1885. He went on to publish important geological research for the state. Deryee is remembered as a major scientific leader in Texas history.
Erected 2015 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 18224.)
Location. 27° 48.061′ N, 97° 23.986′ W. Marker is in Corpus Christi, Texas, in Nueces County. Marker can be reached from the intersection of Ramirez Street and Padre Street. The marker is located in the west section of the Old Bayview Cemetery. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1150 Ramirez Street, Corpus Christi TX 78401, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Eli Todd Merriman (a few steps from this marker); Matthew Nolan (a few steps from this marker); James Downing (within shouting distance of this marker); John Dix (within shouting distance of this marker); Louis de Planque (within shouting distance of this marker); Old Bayview Mesquite (within shouting distance of this marker); William Henderson Maltby
Photographed By James Hulse, September 1, 2021
2. The William DeRyee Marker and other family gravestones
(within shouting distance of this marker); Thomas S. Parker (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Corpus Christi.
DeRyee returned to Corpus Christi in 1867, during a yellow fever epidemic, which he ascribed to an unsanitary slaughterhouse. His son, Emil, died on August 12, 1867. DeRyee was called upon to treat the sick because all the physicians had died in the epidemic. He introduced the use of chlorine water with an alkaline solution of creosote as an antiseptic with some success. Source: The Handbook of Texas
(Submitted on October 2, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)
Photographed By James Hulse, September 1, 2021
3. The view of the William DeRyee Marker in the cemetery
Credits. This page was last revised on October 3, 2021. It was originally submitted on October 2, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 136 times since then and 10 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on October 3, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
