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SOURCE: History of Genesee County, Michigan
        pub. Everts and Abbott - 1879

        Page facing 144


                              GRANT DECKER

  As a pioneer of the city of Flint, Mr. Decker is entitled to special
mention; as a business man, he was among the early merchants and lumbermen;
in the church he was one of the founders of St. Paul's Episcopal church;
upon the organization of the city of Flint, he was chosen its first mayor.

  Mr. Decker was formerly from New Jersey, his ancestors locating in the
village of Deckertown before the Revolution.  There he was born, February
4, 1814.

  In 1824 his father moved to Western New York, where Mr. Decker was reared
to manhood.  In 1838 he was married to Miss Elizabeth Stevens.

  In 1839 he came to Flint, and engaged in the mercantile and lumbering
business with two of his brothers-in-law, A. C. and Sherman Stevens.  This
firm continued a few years when it was dissolved, and Mr. Decker continued
in business alone or with other partners.  Since that time he, with Artemas
Thayer, built a large flouring-mill, which was subsequently destroyed by
fire.  Mr. Decker has been particularly unfortunate from fires; eight times
has he suffered serious loss by this element, and although the aggregate of
his loss has been many thousand dollars, he has always paid one hundred
cents on the dollar, and at this time is carrying on an extensive
manufacturing business with his son-in-law. H. C. Hascall.

  Mr. Decker's first wife died in 1844.  He was again married, to Mrs.
Julia I. Clark, formerly Miss Julia I. Fenton.  He has reared a family of
six children,--five daughters and one son.  The son enlisted in the 5th
Michigan Calvary and served in the war of the Rebellion; was taken prisoner
at Gettysburg, and died in Andersonville prison.

  On all questions of morality or Christianity, Mr. Decker has ever thrown
his influence upon the side of right and justice.  He was vestryman of St.
Paul's church, of Flint, more than thirty years, and has served for many
years and to the present time as senior warden of that organization.

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