Derby Hall of Famer of the Week features Mormon leader

Orson Hyde

The Derby Hall of Famer of the Week will be a surprise to most.

He was born in Oxford in 1805, but he was raised in Derby because of the death of both his parents.

At the age of 14 he walked to Kirkland, Ohio to be with Nathan Wheeler who had been raising him in Derby until the failure of his business led him to relocate to Kirkland.

At that point, Orson Hyde converted to the Mormon religion and began his rise in the leadership of the church! He even became one of the Twelve Apostles who were the leaders of the Mormon faith.

There's much more to the fascinating story of his life including missionary work in Jerusalem and eight wives and more than 30 children!

Shared from Derby 350 Facebook page.

Derby 350 features philanthropist, business, community leader

Col. Holton Wood

 

DERBY - Our first Hall of Famer of the Week for 2026 is Col. Holton Wood, a business and community leader of significance from the moment he arrived in Derby in 1887 to serve as vice president of the Derby Street Railway Company. 

He eventually served the city in the state general assembly and served in leadership positions in many local business groups. 

He and his family suffered a terrible loss in 1897 when their son Harcourt died at the age of 11. A few years later while he was living in Brookline, MA., he made memorial gifts in honor of his son that made the Derby Public Library a reality. 

Read more about this progressive business leader and some library history-https://electronicvalley.org/.../HallofFame/Wood,Holton.htm

Shared from the Derby 350 Facebook page.