Dereef was from a wealthy mixed race family in Charleston. Although well educated and wealthy, he was subject to discrimination due to his race. Unlike other
freedmen, Dereef did not have to pay the Free Black Man's Tax, as he claimed
Native American descent from his grandmother. In 1823 he and his cousin, John Cain, went to court and persuaded a Charleston magistrate that the Dereef and Cain families were legitimately descended from Native Americans, exempting them and their children from the tax. He also owned rental properties on the East Side of Charleston, and some of his tenants were white people. He was considered one of the richest black men in Charleston. Dereef built a house in
Wraggborough. He was owner of as many as 40 slaves. They were darker-skinned, whereas Dereef belonged to a lighter-skinned group that refused to associate with the darker-skinned group and regarded them with disdain in every aspect of life. He generally allied himself with
Democrats. He left a will and testament upon his death. == Legacy ==