SILAS DECKER
A farmer of Eckford township, Calhoun county, Michigan, Silas Decker
was born in Union county, Pennsylvania,
February 15,
1852, one of a family of four children born to his parents, two of
whom died in infancy, the other who survived being Amanda, who
became the wife of E. T. Randall. The parents, Simon and Mary Ann (Reitz)
Decker, were both natives of Union county , the birth of the former
occurring June 6, 1825. He was the son of
Peter Decker, also of
Pennsylvania, whose father was a German emigrant. Peter
Decker was a farmer who spent his entire life in Pennsylvania and
there his death occurred. He trained his son Simon to the duties of
a farmer and the latter after renting property in Pennsylvania for
some time, drove to Seneca county, Ohio, there renting land for six
years, coming in 1862 to Michigan, traveling in the same manner to
his western destination. The first three years were spent in Branch
county where he purchased a farm of one hundred and eight acres and
improved and cultivated the same, coming, in 1865, to Calhoun
county, settling upon a farm of eighty acres of improved land. The
death of the mother occurred March 26, 1889, and she is buried in
West Eckford cemetery. Both Mr. and Mrs. Decker were members of the
Reformed Dutch church. Mr. Decker is a man thoroughly educated in
the language of his forefathers, speaking, reading, and writing
German fluently. He started in life with only his own ambition as a
promise for the future, and before he ceased from active labor was
numbered among the successful farmers of the community. In his
political preferment he was a Democrat. His death occurred November
3, 1903, at the home of his son.
Silas Decker received his education in the district schools of
Ohio and
Michigan, at the age of nine years removing with his parents
to the latter state, his duty on the journey being to drive the
cows. With no incentive beyond his own ambition, he fitted himself
for teaching by home study, after which he taught in Calhoun county
for eleven winters. Until 1884 he lived with his parents when he
went on to a farm of ninety-two and three-fourths acres of improved
land, since which time he has erected all the buildings which now
add value to the property. He has also added forty acres to the
original number, devoting the land to general farming and
stockraising and at the same time conducting his father’s farm.
The marriage of Mr. Decker occurred March 26, 1879, and united him
with Miss Emma Bender, who was born in Ceresco, Calhoun county, a
daughter of
William and Susan (Lehr) Bender, the former of whom is now
deceased. They were both natives of Northampton county,
Pennsylvania, and came to Calhoun county in 1862, settling in
Marengo township, where he engaged in farming. His death occurred
in 1881. To Mr. and Mrs. Decker have been born two children namely:
Lewis Jefferson and Susan Emily. The former received his education
in the district school and
Marshall high school,
after which he became a student in a commercial college of
Detroit. He
married, December 9,
1903, Miss Irene Fish, of Marengo township, Calhoun county; while
the latter was educated in the district school. Both are members of
the paternal home. Mr. Decker and his wife are both members of the
Methodist Episcopal church. Politically, Mr. Decker is independent,
reserving the right to cast his ballot for the man best qualified
for the position. Though always active in public support and
endorsement of public measures Mr. Decker has never allowed his name
to come up for official recognition. As a citizen much interested
in educational work he has served as county superintendent of
schools. Mr. Decker is appreciated for the many qualities which
have distinguished his life in its every day affairs – a broad
minded, public spirited man in every way and one upon whom a
community may safely rely for its substantial element.
