My Genealogy Hound

P. J. DECKER, farmer and stock-raiser; P. O. Potosi; was born Feb. 9, 1836, in Philadelphia, Penn., and moved from there with his father to York Co., Penn., remaining there seven years, when he moved to New York City, staying there six years, moving thence to York Co., Penn., where he remained some time; then emigrated to Livingston Co., Ill., engaging in farming and working for Mr. B. Walton for two years. He was married, in 1866, to Mary E. Austin, who was born Dec. 28, 1849, in Richmond Co., Va.; after marriage, they managed the farm of Mr. Walton, and then moved to Fairbury, remaining there one year; from Fairbury, they came to the present farm of eighty acres, earned entirely by their own labor and management. He has held town offices, worked at stone and brick laying, and has taught five terms of school in Pennsylvania ; he ran a planing-mill one year in Jersey City, managed the packing department of a soap factory, and worked two years in a saw-mill in Wrightsville, Penn. They have five children — Charles H., born Oct. 26, 1868; Jennie, July 16, 1872; Philip J., Jan. 17, 1876; Edward L., Feb. 15, 1878; Albert, Jan. 16, 1874.