Meeker County MN Archives Biographies.....Deck, Philip 1825 - 1862
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 January 9, 2020, 12:44 am

Source: Alden, Ogle & Co.
Author: See Below

 PHILIP DECK, deceased, who fell by the deadly rifle of the ruthless Sioux during
the tragic days of the Indian massacre in 1862, was born in France May 24, 1825. He
learned the trade of baker in his native land, and there made his home until his
twenty-first year, when he came to America and settled at Lyons, Wayne county, N. Y.
He remained there until 1854, at which date he removed to Sault Ste. Marie, and was
the foreman on the ship canal then in course of construction there. He staid there
until that work was finished and then went to New York, but in the spring of 1856
came West, to Milwaukee, Wis., where he made his home until July, 1860, when he came
to Meeker county, arriving here the 5th of that month. He purchased 160 acres of
land, which was partially improved, on section 29, Manannah township, of William
Wilcox, taking everything on the place, house, furniture, stock, crop in the field,
etc. He then returned to Milwaukee for his family, who arrived at St. Paul after
numerous mishaps and troubles, and there made a stay of a day, and from there to
their place, where they located the same fall.

   Mr. Deck remained upon this farm until the time of the Indian outbreak. The news
of the murders in Acton reached the house about 11 o’clock in the forenoon of
Monday, August 18th. Mrs. Deck was sick in bed, and Mr. Deck was away from home
helping a neighbor harvest. Mrs. Ryckman brought the news, and took Mrs. Deck and
her family to Silas Maybee’s, where they were left while the men were sent for. The
women soon saw some Indians approaching, and were terribly scared, but the savages
did not come to the house. Mr. Deck rejoined his family that night, and remained
there until morning. The next night they spent at the house of N. C. Caswell, but
learning that the outbreak was general, the entire body of settlers removed to
Forest City. Friday Mr. Deck took his family to Kingston, where he remained until
the following Monday, when, provisions running short, he returned to Forest City,
with the intention of trying to get to his farm for clothing, provisions, etc. In
company with Wilmot Maybee and others, they started, and met with the fate told in
the history of the Indian massacre in this volume. Shot in the very dooryard of
Carlos Caswell’s house, Mr. Deck was found some ten or twelve rods from where his
wagon had stood, lying on his face, with eight bullet holes in his back, and it is
supposed that not being hit at the first fire, he jumped to the ground and ran that
distance before he was shot. The home guard turned out the second day after and
buried the dead, all except Wilmot Maybee, whose body was not found until three
months after. Deck, Howe and Page were buried in one grave in Manannah cemetery,
where, owing to the exertions and liberality of Mrs. Deck, there is erected a fine
and appropriate monument to mark the place where rests the remains of her murdered
husband and his companions.

  Mrs. Deck remained at Forest City until the following fall and then returned to
Wayne county, N. Y., with her family of five children, where she remained Until
April 22, 1879. On that date she returned to this county, having all these years had
a hard struggle to keep her little family and pay the taxes on her farm. Almost
everything upon the latter was destroyed by the savage marauders, the loss amounting
to some $1,100, which Mrs. Deck did not receive from the State until nearly twelve
years after, owing to the carelessness of those intrusted with her business.

  Mr. and Mrs. Deck were united in marriage April 23, 1849, at Lyons, N. Y. The
lady, whose maiden name was Miss Salome Shimpf, was born at Salza, France, November
21, 1830, and came to the United States in 1840. They were the parents of five
children, as follows— Philopena, born December 4, 1850, now married and living in
New York; Magdalena, born May 18, 1852, also married and living in the same place;
Josephine, born March 11, 1856, married, making her homo in the Empire State;
Franklin, in this county;, and Marie Louise, born December 22, 1860, died December
9,1862.

  Franklin Deck, who was born August 2, 1858, in Humboldt, Milwaukee, Wis., came
bade to Meeker county with his mother in 1879, and purchasing eighty acres on
section. 28, Manannah, carries on agricultural pursuits on it and upon the family
homestead, and with him the widowed mother makes her home.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:
Illustrated Album of Biography
Meeker and McLeod Counties, Minnesota
1888


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