Standard History of Adams & Wells Counties, Indiana – 1918
Tyndall & Lesh, Pages 489 & 490
CHARLES W. DECKER
Charles W. Decker, a former county surveyor of Wells County, has been active in the automobile business at Bluffton since retiring from office. Mr. Decker is a native of Wells County and represents one of the old and prominent families here.
His grandfather, Isaac Decker, was born in Berks County, Pennsylvania, in 1820, son of Christin and Elizabeth (Albert) Decker, natives of the same state. When a young man he went to Fairfield County, Ohio, where he married Miss Langle, them removed to Jay County, Indiana, and on his return to Fairfield County his wife died. In Montgomery County, Ohio, he married Miss Elizabeth Houser, daughter of Henry Houser. Following that he was again in Jay County, Indiana, but failing health sent him back to Montgomery County, Ohio, and in 1853 he came to Rock Creek Township of Wells County, where his father had previously bought land. Still later he removed to Huntington County, where he cleared up a wild tract of 160 acres, but after eighteen months returned to his father’s farm in Wells County. Only nine acres of that land had been cleared from the sovereign wilderness and it was the scene of his prosperous activities as a farmer until his death in 1868, at the age of forty-eight. His wife survived him until 1872. They had ten children. Isaac Decker was an early democrat in politics.
His son Edward Decker, father of Charles W. Decker, was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, July 19, 1846, and was seven years of age when his parents came to Wells County, where he lived ever afterwards save for the brief time spent in Huntington County. He was educated in the district schools of Rock Creek Township, and after his father’s death bought the old Decker farm and became one of the well-to-do and influential agriculturists of the county. He lived a long and useful life, terminated by his death at the age of seventy in December, 1916. He died in Hope Hospital at Fort Wayne, Indiana. In 1869 he married Miss Rebecca L. Houtz, daughter of John Houtz, of Rock Creek Township. They were the parents of seven sons and two daughters, including Charles W., John F., Rufus L., Otto R., Devilla N., Orpha, Jesse and Lydia E. The latter is now the wife of William Hoover of Huntington County, Indiana. Edward Decker was an active member of the Emmanuel Reformed Church of Rock Creek Township.
Mr. Charles W. Decker was born on his father’s farm in Rock Creek Township March 5, 1877, and in that locality, endeared to the family by so many associations, he grew to manhood. He was educated in the district schools and in Valparaiso Normal, and for three years was a teacher in Rock Creek Township. Of his six brothers four also taught in the same schools. At the age of eighteen Mr. Decker removed to Bluffton and became deputy surveyor of Wells County, but resigned that position to complete his education. In November, 1910, he was elected county surveyor and filled that office with great credit and efficiency a full term of four years, completing his work on December 31, 1914. The following year he took the local agency of the Overland automobile, and has done much to distribute that deservedly popular and high class car.
August 13, 1899, Mr. Decker married Lillie M. McAfee, daughter of John McAfee, of Rock Creek Township. The McAfees are another old and well known family of Wells County. Mrs. Decker is a graduate of the common schools of Rock Creek Township, having attended the same school as her husband and in the same grade. They have three children: Verdi, who graduated from the Bluffton High School in 1917; Ruth, aged six years; and Charles W., Jr., now two years old. Mrs. Decker is a member of the Lutheran Church at St. Paul, while her daughter is active in the Reformed Church. Mr. Decker has followed the political faith of his ancestors and is a sturdy democrat. He is now serving his second term as treasurer of the Bluffton School Board, and other interests require considerable of his time. He is secretary and general manager of the Bluffton Free Street Fair and is a stockholder in the Banner Publishing Company.