Johann Jacob Decker (1760 - 1843)

Born 19 Apr 1760 in Tulpehocken, Berks, Pennsylvania

Ancestors

Husband of Maria Barbara (Zehring) Decker — married [date unknown] in Jackson, Berks, Pennsylvania

Husband of Catherine (Zehring) Decker — married 12 May 1794 in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died 24 Feb 1843 at age 82 in Bethel Township, Berks, Pennsylvania, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Robert Tiffner [send private message], Margaret Garner [send private message], and David Higgs [send private message]

Biography

This profile is part of the Decker Name Study.

Johann Jacob Decker was born in April 19, 1760 in the colony of Pennsylvania.^[1]

See research note on birth year.) He was the eldest son of Johann Michael Decker and Anna Maria Doerr

Baptismal Record

He was baptized in Tulpehocken Township's Host Reformed Church on April 27, 1760. Johann Jacob's sponsors were Jacob Löwengut and his wife.

Inheritance

In 1776, Jacob's father died. Jacob, the eldest son, inherited the bulk of his father's real property. Michael's will stated:

"to my son Jacob Decker his heirs and assign forever my Land and Plantation with all the Buildings, whereon I now live in Tulpenhocken Twp which Plantation he shall take into Possession...As touching my personal Estate, herein I give and bequeath to my son Jacob the Mare and Cow for his birthright.^[2]

Jacob's inheritance was stipulated on the condition he pay his siblings "Elizabeth, Michael, and Charles ... two hundred pounds" for the use of the real property.

Service in the Revolutionary War

Sergeant Jacob Decker served with 6th Battalion, Berks County Militia, Pennsylvania Militia during the American Revolution.

Jacob Decker is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A031242.

Jacob enlisted in June, 1776 and served as a sergeant in Captains Lower's and John Gregg's Pennsylvania Company. He was discharged August, 1777. Jacob re-enlisted two more times over the course of the revolution.

In September, 1777, Jacob enlisted as a private in Captain Conrad Weiser's Company. He marched to New York where he re-joined his former company. Jacob was involved in the battles of Brandytown, Germantown, and Monmouth. He received a slight wound above his left eye during this service. Jacob was discharged February, 1779.

Jacob enlisted for a final time in April, 1779. He served as a wagoner under Captain Dann and was discharged in December, 1779. Source: NARA, Case Files of Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Applications Based on Revolutionary War Service, compiled ca. 1800 - ca. 1912, documenting the period ca. 1775 - ca. 1900, record group 15, Roll 0783, Pension Number S. 22206, Jacob Decker.

First Marriage and Children

After his final discharge from the army, Jacob married Maria Barbara Zehring around 1780. :Source Needed

Jacob and Barbara had an unknown number of children together, family tradition states that they had around 10 children.

Reference Source: R. Decker, "Early Decker History"

Some of their children include:

Johann Heinrich "Henry" Decker (Born 1781)

Michael Decker (Born 1786)

Barbara died around 1794. She may have died giving birth to her youngest child as the the death date assigned to Barbara is also the birth date of her youngest child.

Second Marriage and Children

Jacob quickly remarried after Barbara's death. His second wife, Catherine Zehring, was his late wife's younger sister. Jacob and Catherine were married on May 12, 1794.^[3]

Jacob and Catherine had an unknown number of children together, family tradition states that they also had around 10 children. I.R. Decker, :Reference Source: Early Decker History

Residence 1810

Source: Bern, Berks, Pennsylvania, United States; Page: 1810 United States Federal Census Data: Text: residence date: 1810

Residence 1820

Source: Berks, Pennsylvania, United States Page: Year: 1820; Census Place: , Berks, Pennsylvania; Roll: M33_99; Page: ; Image: . Data: Text: Residence date: 1820 Residence place: Berks, Pennsylvania, United States

Residence 1840

Source: Lebanon, Pennsylvania, United States Page: Year: 1840; Census Place: Lebanon, Lebanon, Pennsylvania; Roll: ; Page: . Data: Text: Birth date: abt 1756 Birth place: Residence date: 1840 Residence place: Lebanon, Pennsylvania, United States

Tax Records

Date: 1781

Place: Tulpehocken, Berks, Pennsylvania

Source Page: Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission; Records of the Office of the Comptroller General, RG-4; Tax & Exoneration Lists, 1762-1794; Microfilm Roll: 316

Burial (1843) Lebanon, Pennsylvania, United States

Research Notes and Questions

What year was Johann Jacob born? Many sources list April 19, 1757; however, there is a major issue with that birth year. If he is the son of Michael Decker and Anna Doerr, which his baptismal record and and inheritance strongly suggest, then a birth year of 1757 is unlikely as Anna Doerr was married to her first husband at that time.

Why is Johann Jacob given the title "Rev." when there is absolutely no evidence he served as a Reverend? One theory: the title "Rev." has erroneously been assigned to Jacob due to a mis-reading of what "rev" was referring to. Rather than "Rev" being the title Reverend, the abbreviation "rev" may be referring to the revolutionary war where Jacob served as a soldier.

Sources

1. ↑ Pennsylvania Births and Christenings, 1709-1950", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V2VQ-SDR : 15 February 2020), John Jacob Decker, 1760.
2. ↑ "Pennsylvania Probate Records, 1683-1994," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L991-CHDG?cc=1999196&wc=9PM6-BZ4%3A268499201%2C268973901 : 3 July 2014), Berks county courthouses, Pennsylvania. Estates 1752-1799 Brady, Samuel-Dehart, William; Estate of Michael Decker, image 1984 of 2158;
3. ↑ https://genpa.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Trinity_Tulpehocken_Reformed_Church_Marriages_pages_1-38.pdf

• Family Tree," database, http://familysearch.org : modified 20 October 2018, 21:14), entry for Johann Jacob Decker(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:LZFS-9YL
• Ancestry.com Title: Pennsylvania Pensioners, 1835 Publication: Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1998.Original data - United States Senate. Report from the Secretary of War, in Obedience to Resolutions of the Senate of the 5th and 30th of June, 1834, and the 3d of March, 1835,
• Ancestry.com Title: Pennsylvania, Tax and Exoneration, 1768-1801 Publication: Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.Original data - Tax & Exoneration Lists, 1762–1794. Series No. 4.61; Records of the Office of the Comptroller General, RG-4. Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission, Harrisburg, PA;
• Ancestry.com Title: 1820 United States Federal Census Publication: Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Original data - Fourth Census of the United States, 1820. (NARA microfilm publication M33, 142 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census,
• Ancestry.com Title: 1840 United States Federal Census Publication: Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch .Original data - Sixth Census of the United States, 1840. (NARA microfilm publication M704, 580 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census,
• Ancestry.com Title: 1810 United States Federal Census Publication: Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Original data - Third Census of the United States, 1810. (NARA microfilm publication M252, 71 rolls). Bureau of the Census,
• Ancestry.com Title: American Revolutionary War Rejected Pensions Publication: Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000.Original data - Rejected or Suspended Applications for Revolutionary War Pensions. Washington, D.C.: n.p., 1852.Original data: Rejected or Suspended Applications for Revolutionary War
• Jackson, Ronald V., Accelerated Indexing Systems, comp. Title: Pennsylvania Census, 1772-1890 Publication: Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999.Original data - Compiled and digitized by Mr. Jackson and AIS from microfilmed schedules of the U.S. Federal Decennial Census, territorial/state censuses, and/or census substitutes.
• Ancestry.com Title: Pennsylvania, Veterans Burial Cards, 1777-1999 Publication: Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.Original data - Pennsylvania Veterans Burial Cards, 1929–1990. Digital Images, 3–5. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Bureau of Archives and History. Harrisburg, PA.
• Hatcher, Patricia Law Title: Abstract of Graves of Revolutionary Patriots Publication: Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999.Original data - Hatcher, Patricia Law. Abstract of Graves of Revolutionary Patriots. Dallas, TX, USA: Pioneer Heritage Press, 1987.Original data: Hatcher, Patricia Law. Abstract of Grave;

Acknowledgements

Decker-1962 was created by David Higgs through the import of Brown-12 Generations_2014-07-23.ged on Jul 23, 2014