John Decker (abt. 1850 - 1885)

Born about 1850 in New Jersey

Husband of Mary A. (Ball) Decker — married 13 Nov 1878 in Aldenville, Pennsylvania

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Biography

"Married. DECKER-BALL - November 13, at the Baptist Parsonage, Aldenville, Pa., by the Rev. J. R. Remson, Mr. John Decker of Carbondale, to Miss Mary Ball of Weymart." - Port Jervis Evening Gazette, Thurs., Nov. 28, 1878.

In 1880 when the census was taken, John and Mary were both 35 and living on Main Street in Westfall, Pike County, Pennsylvania. Their daughter, Martha, was 11 months old (born July 1879). John was a brakeman.

He was struck by a train at Bergen and killed instantly. His remains were taken to his brother's home in Matamoras, where the funeral was held at the Reformed Church. He was buried in Montague. (Note: There is an old cemetery in Montague on Old River Road near the south end of Mashipacong Island, called the Old Decker Burying Ground).

According to his obituary, his father was John Decker of Lafayette, Sussex, New Jersey. He was survived by a wife and child in Waymart, Pa., his father, and several brothers and sisters: Elias of Lafayette, William of Montague, Theodore, George, and James of Carbondale, Thompson of Matamoras, Mrs. Jacob Brink of Mast Hope, and Emily of Lafayette. He had been employed on the Erie railroad for six years, running with Conductor Carey for three years.

Note: Waymart is 6 miles east of Carbondale.

Sources

• *"United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWJM-KL2 : 16 July 2017), John Decker, Westfall, Pike, Pennsylvania, United States; citing enumeration district ED 244, sheet 403C, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 1165; FHL microfilm 1,255,165.
• Tri States Union Port Jervis 8-27-1885