Grayson County TXGenWeb
Yellow Jacket Boat Company
Richard "Mac" McDerby,
previous to founding Yellow Jacket Boat Company in 1949, had been a
test engineer for Higgins Boat Company out of New Orleans. After
participating in the "mock invasion" on the shores of Lake Texoma in 1945, Mac met a lot of the local people and saw an opportunity for boat sales.
Mac McDerby helped set up a dealership for Yellow Jacket Boats in Denison with Cy Breen, a former camerman for Republic Studios and acquaintance of Roy Rogers. Mr. Breen mentioned to Mac that Roy Rogers was an avid boatsman and asked if Mac would be willing to supply him a boat in exchange for using Roy's name to promote the line of boats. At that time Roy Rogers was one of the best known western movie starts. As a result of sending Roy a Yellow Jacket boat in which he won many race, he became interested in the firm as an investment. After visiting the Denison company, Roy purchased a major interest in it.
Mac McDerby helped set up a dealership for Yellow Jacket Boats in Denison with Cy Breen, a former camerman for Republic Studios and acquaintance of Roy Rogers. Mr. Breen mentioned to Mac that Roy Rogers was an avid boatsman and asked if Mac would be willing to supply him a boat in exchange for using Roy's name to promote the line of boats. At that time Roy Rogers was one of the best known western movie starts. As a result of sending Roy a Yellow Jacket boat in which he won many race, he became interested in the firm as an investment. After visiting the Denison company, Roy purchased a major interest in it.
Yellow Jacket Lane at Northern Hills is where the Main boat company was located.
The one across from JM was the Hornet Factory, also part of Yellow Jacket Boat Company.
Mac and His Yellow Jacket Boats
by Marty Franz
Geneseo Republic
(Geneseo, IL)
October 31 2014
contributed by David Kanally
"I Grew Up in Denison, Texas"
"Yellow Jacket Stories From Friends and Family"
Roy Rogers
DENISON HISTORY
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