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NEW LAND PIONEER: A DECKER FAMILY HISTORY

By Chrystol (Holmes) Lindsey

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we find him in Summit where he is listed with a homestead of 4 males, 6 females, 2 males of militia age, 3 male voters, 3 females unmarried between 16 and forty five years, 2 females under 16 years unmarried. Peter was farming 100 acres, had 17 head of cattle, 5 horses, 35 sheep, and 16 hogs. The family made 40 yards of fulled cloth 40 yards of flannel, and 200 yards of linen in the previous year.

In 1839, the tenants of the area, which included Eminence, started a rent revolt which eventually broke into what was called "The Anti Rent War". The landlords tried to serve notices to the farmers who refuse to pay rent. To prevent this, the farmers used their dinner horns to signal the approach of the sheriff’s men, using a relay system from farm to farm. Since the area is so high, the sound of the the dinner horns would carry across the hills and serve as a warning. The use of these dinner horns were for bidden at any other time. In a short time after the first horn sounded, the process servers would fine themselves surrounded by armed and mounted farmers who appeared out of nowhere. In many instances they where tarred and feathered, their horses tail and mane shorn, and their wagons smashed. Finally, out of fear of reprisals if their identity be known, the farmer dressed as "Indians" with loose pantaloons and colorful tunics. Each men had his own Indian name and costume, and some wore mask of calico or painted their faces red to prevent recognition. Thus came into existence the " Indian" of the Anti 0Rent War.

 

Our own Decker family was involved in the Anti- Rent War, with at least two family members who were Indians. These were Salah Decker, son of Peter and Elizabeth, and Henry Cleveland, a son in law.

 

The Anti- Renters finally won the to full title of their land through Legislature and the courts, and were entitled to buy it full title. Peter Decker, who had homestead his land forty seven years before, who had toiled long and hard to carve his farm out of the wilderness but never had a clear title to it, finally bought his 105 acres on 10 September 1845. He paid $262.50 for it or $ 2.50 per acre. By this time Peter was nearly 73 years old , and had spent a lifetime paying taxes and farming the land that was not his. We can only imagine the jubilation he must have felt.

 

Page 6

 

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