DECKER, Jacob & Margaret (born 1831-1834)

DECKER, EINSFIELD, SPUHLER, PACEY, CANNEY, ALMQUIST

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 1/11/2011 at 21:11:20

Was ist das Deutschen Vaterland?
Ist's Preussenland, ist's Schwabenland?
Ist's wo am thein die Rebenblueht?
Ist wo man Belt die Move Zieht?
O nein! nein! nein!

This was the patriotic refrain that greeted the ears of Mrs. Jacob Decker (Margaret Einsfield) in place of "My Country 'tis of Thee", and the old fatherland of Germany was the place of her birth - Germany, the land of Goethe and Schiller and Humboldt, the land of music and the land of philosophers. How many of America's sons and daughters have come from this land of thinkers, of thrifty workers, of gifted singers.

It was in Germany at Fendessein August 19, 1834, that Mrs. Decker was born. Her home was only fifteen miles from the beautiful Rhine, through she never saw that classic stream, for in the early part of that century the people did not move about in Europe as they do now. Many women lived a useful life and died at a ripe old age without ever going fifty miles from their own chimney corner. In her early childhood she had a busy life both out doors and in the house. Beautiful vineyards were all about, such as we know nothing about in grain-growing Iowa. The homesteads were small and the land was tilled to perfection.

Mrs. Decker was only eighteen years old when she crossed the ocean. The voyage lasted thirty days in the beautiful month of June and was for the most part a calm one. Buffalo, New York was the first stopping place. After three months, Mrs. Decker went to Ohio, thence after one year to Illinois. There at Easter time, she gave her hand and heart to Jacob Decker on April 12, 1854.

Jacob Decker was born on January 16, 1831 in Hesse Darmstadt, Germany, about three miles from his future wife. He was a farmer's son, but as he grew he learned the baker's art. He came to America in 1850, landing at New York on July 25, where he remained a year, and then went to Bureau Co., Illinois, living there five years. It was there that he met and married Margaret Einsfield.

Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Decker came to Mitchell County, homesteading in Union Township, in the year 1856. The first year nature seemed sour and the rich soil withheld its bounty. Johnny cake was king, but not always welcome. They did not want to stay, but they could not sell out. They had paid $1.50 an acre for their land.

The early days were hard days for both men and women. While men took the long tedious drives to McGregor, the women had to do the chores at home in all kinds of weather. The 1883 book "History of Mitchell and Worth Counties" - states: "his landed estate now includes 700 acres of good, well improved land."

Nine children were born to this union: Mary, Barbara, Anna, Susan, Lizzie, Mina, George, Albert, and John.

George Decker was the grandfather of the writer of this article. He was born on December 26, 1863 in Union Township. on January 15, 1887 he married Mary Spuhler of Kilbourn, Wisconsin. (Now the Dells of Wisconsin). She was born on March 19, 1859. Like his father, George was a farmer. In an early clipping it states, "Mr. Decker has been quite inclined to look about. He has relatives in Kansas. Mr. Decker was down there. Land there was so cheap that an improved 160 acres could be had for $1600. We could smile to see a man offer Mr. Decker any such price for the 240 acres of fine land he owns in Union Township. From fourty-two acres of flax he just sold $970 worth with fifty bushels left in the bin at home. The flax was so clean the buyer took no test. He has 105 acres of choice corn. It is so heavy he puts on four horses to cut, and it will go fifty bushels to the acre."

Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. George Decker: Martha, Ralph, Rueben, Stella, Lillie, Bert, and Edith.

Martha was born on July 6, 1889. She married Fred Pacey in August 1909. He was born on April 15, 1882. They were the parents of two daughters, Eunice Pacey Canney, now residing in St. Paul, and Irma Pacey Almquist of Osage, the writer of this story.

There are just great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren and great-great-great-grandchildren living of the Jacob Decker family -- too many to mention.

The Decker homestead is a Century Farm as a member of the family owned and operated it for over a hundred years. It is still owned by Decker's, but it is a rented property.

[By Irma Pacey Almquist, MITCHELL COUNTY HISTORY, 1989]

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Photo of Margaret and Jacob Decker, from HISTORY OF MITCHELL COUNTY, 1989.

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