Page "DeRidder, Louisiana" Paragraph 2

DeRidder was named for Ella de Ridder, the sister-in-law of a Dutch railroad financier.

Her family originally came from the small town of Geldermalsen in the Netherlands, where she was one of 13 children.

She ran away from home at an early age, and was presumed dead by her family who only recently discovered that she had traveled to the United States.

The town was named for her by her brother in law, who brought the first railroad to that area of Louisiana.