 Nyora kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - William B. Derrick akaberekerwa pachitsuwa cheAntigua muBritish West Indies July 27, 1843. Baba vake, Thomas J. Derrick vaibva kumhuri huru yairima zvirimwa pachitsuwa chacho. Akapinda chikoro chehurumende paGracefield chinotungamirirwa nemaMoravian kubva muna 1848 kusvika muna 1856. Ipapo akaenda kuchikoro chesekondari chakazvimirira chakasarudzwa kwemakore matatu. Akadzidzira kuva mupfuri. Pashure paikoku, akaenda kugungwa. Akanyoresa semufambisi wengarava kubva muna 1861 kusvika muna 1864. uye akashanda pa Minnesota, ngarava huru yeNorth Atlantic Squadron, panguva yehondo ye Merrimac uye Monitor. Muzvinyorwa zvake zvomugungwa akarondedzerwa kuva akareba mamita mashanu nemasendimita mashanu uye kuva nechiratidzo cheW. B. D. pachanza chake chokurudyi. 