BIOGRAPHY: William Harrison DECKER, Mifflin County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Patty Frank

Copyright 2006.  All rights reserved.
http://files.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://files.usgwarchives.net/pa/mifflin/
http://files.usgwarchives.net/pa/mifflin/1picts/runk1897/runk-bios.htm
__________________________________________________________________________ 

The Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley, 
Comprising the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata, and Perry, 
Pennsylvania.  Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. Runk & Co., 1897, Volume I, 
pages 440-441.
__________________________________________________________________________ 
  
  REV. WILLIAM HARRISON DECKER, Lewistown, Mifflin county, Pa., was born at 
Johnsonsburg, N.J., November 5, 1856. He is a son of Isaac Jansen and Mary 
(Sutton) Decker, who lived, as their ancestors had done, in Sussex, Warren 
and Hunterdon counties, N.J. They had the following children: Isaac Dayton; 
Sarah A. (Mrs. James McCain); Elizabeth, widow of J. Milton Brugler; John 
L.; Josephine (Mrs. Silas Gibbs); William Harrison; Martha M. (Mrs. William 
McConachy); Austin; and Julia Bertha (Mrs. Charles Harris). Isaac Dayton 
Decker is a graduate of Yale College and of Drew Theological Seminary. He 
has spent several years of study in Germany and France. Impaired health 
compelled him to seek the climate of Algiers, where he has for many years 
been engaged in private teaching and other forms of literary work.
  From 1858 to 1876, the family of Isaac J. Decker resided near the village 
of Hope Warren county, N.J., where William H. Decker received his elementary 
education in the common schools. At nineteen years of age he entered the 
office of the Belvidere Apollo, Belvidere, N.J., and was occupied with 
general newspaper work. He became a member of the Second Presbyterian church 
at Belvidere in the fall of 1877, under the Rev. James M. Maxwell, D.D., now 
of Monongahela City, Pa. In January, 1880, he entered the Blair Presbyterian 
Academy, Blairstown, N.J. and completed his course in June, 1881. In 
September of the same year he matriculated at Lafayette College, Easton, 
Pa., and graduated in June, 1885. During his college course he was one of 
the editors of The Lafayette, a college monthly; and at the commencement 
exercises he was chosen class orator. Mr. Decker entered Princeton 
Theological Seminary, Princeton, N.J., in September, 1885, graduating in 
May, 1888. He was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Newton, April 14, 
1887, and was called to the pastorate of the Madison Avenue Presbyterian 
church, Albany, N.Y., April 11, 1888. He entered upon the work May 10 of 
that year, and was ordained and installed pastor of the church on the 20th 
of the following month. Having served the congregation as stated supply 
during the preceding summer, he had been instrumental in the organization of 
the church of which he became the first pastor. The original membership of 
the church was fifty-three, but at the close of the pastorate, April 3, 
1893, it had reached about two hundred. The church was self-supporting, and 
contributed liberally to the treasuries of the various boards of the 
denomination, as well as to other benevolent objects. The call from the 
Lewistown Presbyterian church, of which Rev. Mr. Decker is now the pastor, 
was received by him March 8, 1893; he entered upon his work in this charge 
April 30, and was installed June 21, 1893. Since that time the interior of 
the house of worship was been remodeled and improved at a cost of $6,000. 
The benevolent offerings of the church during the fiscal year ending March 
31, 1896, were over $2,100; and in addition the congregation contributed 
$300 towards the million dollar fund for the liquidation of the debts of the 
benevolent boards of the Presbyterian church. The membership of the 
congregation is now larger than it has been at any time during its history, 
which goes back more than one hundred years. More than a hundred members 
have been received into fellowship during Mr. Decker's pastorate of three 
years. Besides his pastoral work, he has been a frequent contributor to the 
Presbyterian and the Presbyterian Journal, published in Philadelphia, and is 
the author of an interesting article in the Chicago Ram's Horn, for November 
14, 1896, treating of the proportion of Christian men to Christian women.
  Rev. Mr. Decker was married January 17, 1889, to Emma, daughter of Samuel 
and Frances Thomas, of Phillipsburg, N.J. They have one child, a daughter, 
Ruth. Samuel Thomas, the father of Mrs. Decker, is a representative business 
man, and a director of the Phillipsburg National Bank.