Previous to 1795, DeRuyter was included in the town of Whitestown and was part of the "Lincklaen Purchase".  "Tromp Township" was the original name given by Jan Lincklaen, a Holland Land Agent in honor of a fellow countryman, Admiral Marten von Tromp.  The new town of DeRuyter was formed on March 15th, 1798.  Jan Lincklaen once again named it in honor of a fellow countryman, Admiral Michiel DeRuyter.

 

The Village of DeRuyter was incorporated in 1833.

 

Ezra Cornell, founder of Cornell University re-located from Westchester, New York to DeRuyter in 1819.

 

Sig Sautelle's Circus wintered and trained in DeRuyter from 1896 to the early 1900s.

 

The first Four-County Fair (Cortland County, Madison County, Chenango County and Onondaga County) was held in DeRuyter in 1908.  The first DeRuyter Fireman's Fair was held in 1927.