Saturday, March 16, 2013

Puzzle - Decker descendants


Here's what I knew as I started drafting this post, a week ago:

    Decker, John Christian    a.1812 Ger - 1853 NY         
    ______, Margaretha        a.1814 Ger - 1893 NY         maiden name Meyer or Baker? 
          Henry                            1843 NY - 1911 NY          never married
          George Wilhelm          1848 NY - 1896 NY          children John & Edna                  
          John                              1850 NY - 1930 NY          my great-grandfather        

Little is known of George Wilhelm Decker, who appears only in the 1850 and 1870 census [1], with his mother and brothers, and 1874 marriage certificate [2]; his 1896 death certificate [3] indicates he was widowed.  He is buried in Green-wood cemetery, in the Decker family plot; his wife is not. Cemetery records also indicate he was widowed, and list 2 living children, John and Edna Decker, of whom nothing is known.

Nothing is known of his wife Charlotte Elizabeth Carson Decker other than what appears on her marriage certificate, which lists the name of her parents. It appears she died sometime after bearing the 2 children, and before her husband's death in 1896 [3].


              ------------------------------------------------------------------

Checking Family Search, there's now a NY marriage index including parents' names, so that narrowed down possible 4 brides from my earlier research, to a definitive one: 1874 marriage, to Charlotte Carson:

    Carson, Henry                     unk.          - unk.    
    Gilkenson, Elizabeth       unk.        - unk.           
          Charlotte Elizabeth  a.1848         - bef 1896


Then googling on George Decker & Charlotte Carson turned up this:


John C. Decker of New York, son George W. Decker
Posted by: Alice Webb (ID *****6329) Date: May 11, 2006 at 10:22:20

I'm looking for information on John C. Decker of New York (probably New York City), who was born somewhere between 1820 and the early 1830s. His wife's name was Martha. 
Their son, George W. Decker, was my g-grandfather, who married Charlotte Carson.
   
Re: John C. Decker of New York, son George W. Decker
Posted by: Alice Webb (ID *****6329)  Date: July 22, 2006 at 10:43:02

My g-grandfather, George W. Decker was born about 1852 and died about 1896, in New York City.  His father, John C. Decker, was a cavalry officer in the Civil War, Union Army.  


And here's my response!


Re: John C. Decker of New York, son George W. Decker
Posted by: Nancy Schlegel (ID *****2453)Date: March 11, 2013 at 09:18:25

Alice, we need to talk :-) My gg-parents are John C Decker and Margaretha Decker (listed as Martha on her son George William's marriage certificate, to Charlotte E Carson, which I just found online in last few days).

George's younger brother John is my g-grandfather; they had an older brother Henry, who lived with John and helped raise his children after he was widowed young.

All 5 are buried in a family plot in a NYC cemetery, and it was through that cemetery's records that I learned George had died widowed, leaving just 2 living descendants, John & Edna - but unfortunately that wasn't enough to locate them.

We also have a family story that some Decker served in the Civil War - there was even a sword supposedly from that, hanging on wall when my dad was young, in 1920's.


I have much more to share!  and a few questions :-)


No response as yet; have my fingers crossed!  Meanwhile, other posts by Alice on GenForum identified Charlotte's sisters, confirmed Charlotte's children as John & Edna, provided Edna's marriage date and spouse's name, and led to a sizable addition to my tree!



Records found and on order:
   1874 marriage - Decker/Carson   ... indexed on FamilySearch and ItalianGen

Records not found:
   1855 NY census - Decker, Margaretha and sons Henry, George, John
   1855 NY census - Carson, Charlotte (and parents Henry & Elizabeth?)
   1860 census - Decker, Margaretha and sons Henry, George, John
   1860 census - Carson, Charlotte (and parents Henry & Elizabeth?)
   1870 census - Carson, Charlotte (and parents Henry & Elizabeth?)
   1880 census - Decker, George and wife Charlotte - perhaps child John? 

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