Mecosta County MI Archives Biographies.....Decker, Richard S. September 10, 1825 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Jan Cortez http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00020.html#0004939 April 17, 2009, 6:20 pm

Author: Chapman Brothers

RICHARD S. DECKER, farmer, sec. 2. Millbrook Tp., was born in Delaware Co., 
N.Y., Sept. 10, 1825.  In 1833 

his parents removed to Canada, and Mr. Decker remained  there until he was 33 
years old, when the family 

went to Illinois and settled in Kane County.  In the fall of 1860 he came to 
Mecosta County and entered a 

claim of 40 acres of land under the Swamp Land Act in Millbrook Tp., then 
attached to Hinton.  Mr. Decker 

was a laborer from the age of four years until he became a farmer in 
Michigan.  Previous to his 30th year, 

he was employed at intervals in a machine shop, alternating with farm work and 
as a carpenter.  Two years 

before going to Illinois he was variously occupied, and in that State he was 
employed nearly three years as 

a carpenter.  Reverses in Canada swept away all he had accumulated, and on 
coming to Mecosta County he 

began life anew.  The township had no independent organization until 1865, and 
at the date of Mr. Decker's 

settlement this section was mostly in a state of nature, the first permanent 
inhabitants of the township 

having been resident but a year.  In the spring of 1861 Mr. Decker entered 
upon the work of a pioneer; 

built a log house for his family and set about clearing his land.  The year 
following he bought another 

tract of 40 acres of land and has since added 40 acres more, aggregating 120 
acres in all of which he has 

been the owner.  His home farm now contains 76 acres of his original estate, 
and nearly all of this is well 

improved.  In 1870 the pioneer home gave place to its modern representative - 
a good frame house, but the 

days of struggle and privation are still honored in the memory of those who 
had the fortitude voluntarily 

to confront them and the forethought to look beyond to the years of fuition 
sure to follow honest, 

persistent endeavor.

Mr. Decker was married Feb. 26, 1851, to Ellen, second duaghter of Lorenzo and 
Fanny (Fisher) Aldrich.  Her 

parents were natives of New Hampshire and Massachusetts respectively, and she 
was born in lower Canada, 

Dec. 26, 1832.  Mr. and Mrs. Decker have had seven children.  The eldest, 
Danforth /D., born Jan. 11, 1853, 

died a month after birth.  Those surviving were born in the order named:  Mary 
C., May 23, 1854; Ida M., 

March 11, 1856; Hiram S., May 22, 1858; Leonard H., May 3, 1863; Darwin D., 
Aug. 6, 1867; Addie J., Oct. 

19, 1869.

In politics Mr. Decker is a Republican, as his record shows.  He has served 
his township two terms as 

Supervisor, four terms as Treasurer, and has been Constable one year.  While 
acting as custodian of the 

municipal finances he became involved in difficulties that caused serious 
trouble and considerable 

litigation.  The safe where the moneys belonging to the township were 
deposited for security, was broken 

open and $800 abstracted; but Mr. Decker claims exoneration from 
responsibility in the affair.

He was drafted in 1864 and served in the Union army until the close of the 
war.  His regiment was attached 

to the command of General Sherman, and Mr. Decker was in most of the 
engagements of that memorable 

campaign.  Himself and wife are Adventists in religious belief.  As one of the 
leading agriculturalist and 

a prominent citizen of the county, we present Mr. Decker's portrait in this 
Album.

Additional Comments:
1883 Portrait & Bio Album of Mecosta Co.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/mecosta/bios/decker577nbs.txt

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