Wednesday, June 25, 2008

George E. Decker

George E. Decker was born August 1, 1841, in New York, the son of Isaac (b. 1802) and Susan (Rideout, 1811-1875).

New Yorker Isaac married New Hampshire (?) native Susan and by 1830 had settled in New York where they lived for many years. Sometime after 1854, however, Isaac moved his family to Michigan, and by 1860 had settled on a farm in Hastings, Barry County, where George attended school with four of his younger siblings.

It appears that George was living in Clinton County when he enlisted as a private in Company D, Fourteenth Michigan infantry, on either November 30, 1861 or February 13, 1862. In any case, he was listed as under arrest for desertion on June 15, 1865. There is no further record.

George stood 5’8” with blue eyes, brown hair and a light complexion, and was a 22-year-old farmer probably living in Rutland, Barry County when he enlisted in Company E on December 23, 1863, at Grand Rapids for 3 years, crediting Rutland, and was mustered January 4, 1864. He joined the Regiment on February 10, 1864, and was probably absent sick when he was transferred to Company E, Fifth Michigan infantry upon consolidation of the Third and Fifth Michigan Regiments on June 10, 1864. He remained absent sick until he was discharged from Mower hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 26, 1865.

After the war George returned to Michigan and may have been living in Caledonia, Kent County in 1870. He may have for a time lived in Sherman Township, Isabella County where he worked as a farmer, and was living in Mellbrook, Mecosta County in 1890. (He may have been the same civil war veteran named George Decker living in Winfield, Montcalm County in 1894.)

George was admitted to the Michigan Soldiers’ Home (no. 6842) as a widower on July 3, 1915, discharged on February 24, 1916, readmitted on September 21, 1916 and discharged on October 15, 1917; he was admitted for the final time on April 12, 1920.

George was probably married twice: his first wife had apparently died since he was admitted to the Home in 1915 as a “widower.” But while a resident of the Home his personal record listed a wife named Mary and she was living in Port Huron during his stay at the Home.

In 1891 he was living in Michigan when he applied for and received a pension (no. 844029).

George died of general arteriosclerosis on March 5, 1922, at the Home and was buried in the Home cemetery: section 7 row 17 grave no. 5.

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