Col. Luke Decker

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/75996053/luke-decker

* Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Jul 29 2017, 15:08:01 UTC

http://www.gwsar.org/honoring-patriots/patriot-mini-biographies/

Luke Decker was born in Hampshire County, Virginia, in 1760, into an old Dutch family that first settled in the New Amsterdam colony on Manhattan Island in the 1630s. When the British invaded New Netherlands and stole the Dutch territory and renamed it New York, the Deckers refused to sign the 1675 Oath of Allegiance to the King of England. Like many Dutch Americans, they were early proponents of separating from the British crown to form a new nation. Luke along with four of his brothers and their father John Decker fought for American independence in the Revolutionary War. Lukes commission as a militia officer with the rank of ensign was signed in 1778 by then-Virginia Governor Patrick Henry, the patriot leader famous for declaring, Give me liberty or give me death. After the war, in 1784, Luke and the Decker clan migrated to the wilderness south of Fort Vincennes and began clearing land, farming, serving in the local militia, and holding public office in the government of the old Northwest and Indiana Territories. In 1790, Luke and six other Deckers petitioned Congress for a land grant of 400 acres each in recompense for the many dangers they have encountered and losses they have sustained fighting Indians to make western expansion safe for more settlers. Congress bestowed 200 acres each. That land, coupled with additional estates built up by the family, became Decker Township in Knox County, Indiana. Over a period of three decades, Luke Decker was a judge on the Court of Common Pleas, an associate Circuit Court judge, an elected member in the Territorial House of Representatives, an elected member of the Legislative Council (the upper chamber of the Assembly), and justice of the peace. In 1801, he was a founding trustee of Vincennes University, established by his close friend, then-Governor (and later 9th U.S. President) William Henry Harrison, a fellow Virginian. Governors Arthur St. Clair (a Major-General in the Revolution and President of the Continental Congress), Harrison, and Thomas Posey all appointed Judge Decker to high office. In 1810, Luke was on Governor-General Harrisons war council that met with Shawnee Chief Tecumseh in a failed attempt to avoid armed conflict with the growing Indian confederation. In the lead-up to the War of 1812, Luke was wounded during the Battle of Tippecanoe as a colonel in command of infantry under General Harrison. Afterwards, Governor Harrison wrote to President James Madison praising Lukes performance in combat, and the Indiana House of Representatives passed a resolution honoring his distinguished valor, heroism and bravery displayed in the brilliant battle. Luke Decker, veteran of both the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, and a founder of the State of Indiana, died on March 25, 1825. He was buried in the family graveyard in Decker Township.

https://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=dldecker...

Name: Luke Isaac (Jan-Jan G) Decker ,6 Sex: M Birth: ABT 1760 in Romney, Hampshire County, West Virginia Death: 25 MAR 1825 in Knox County, Indiana Burial: IN, Knox County, Decker Twsp, Decker Graveyard

Occupation: Colonel. Event: Military BET 1781 AND 1782 Revolutionary War - Pennsylvania Event: Family See Notes Event: Family See "Northwest Trail Tracer, Vol. VI, #3, Sept. 1985"

Note:

   From, HFAGLEY <HFAGLEY@aol.com>

   Luke served under my Capt Edmund Baxter,1781-82,OR 1782 Capt George Brown, 1781-82 in a militia co on the OHIO RIVER in the WV panhandle near Weirton,WV. DECKER'S STATION built ? 1774, was at MINGO BOTTOM, now FOLAMSBEE,WV. 1780,COL ISAAC COX led 1-2 DECKER'S IN HIS PARTY TO COX'S STATION, N BARDSTOWN, NELSON CO KY. ABT 1783,LUKE et al DECKER'S,and my FRENCH SPEAKING MCQUEEN brothers followed,but selected SW INDIANA territory. 35+ years before INDIAN BECAME A STATE . I would watch FRENCH SPEAKING DE DECKERS IN NEW NETHERLANDS- STATEN

   ISLAND,AND\OR KINGSTON-ESOPUS UP THE HUDSON RIVER,1663.

From Jill Orr, Broken Arrow, OK, (dorr@ix.netcom.com)

   "Private under Capt. Edward Baxter, Militia of Chester Co., Pa, during the Rev. War. After close of war he came to Knox Co., In. He was chosen by Wm. Henry Harrison to command troops against Tecumseh. He was given a note of thanks by Legislature of Northwest Territory for valor. He was Lt. Col. in command."

From "The History of Pike Co.,IN,", "Bob and Anthony, two free men of color" were plaintiffs and Luke DECKER (1760) was defendant.Served in the Revolutionary War, having enlisted in the Virginia Militia at age 18 in Yohogania County, Virginia. He served in the Indiana Militia prior to 1790, and served in the War of 1812 as Lt. Col. under Gen. W.H. Harrison. He was also a member of the Indiana Territorial Legislature and had many other honors.
Father: Jan\John Gerritsen (Jan-Jan G) Decker ,5 b: BEF 7 JUN 1719 in Kingston, Ulster County, New York Mother: Blandina Diana (Jacob-Jacob) Kuykendall ,4 b: 28 JAN 1718/19 in Machackemeck (Deerpark), Orange County, New York

Marriage 1 Sarah (Michael-Ludwig) Harness ,4 b: 1762 in Romney, Hampshire County, West Virginia

   Married: 1783 in Knox County, Indiana

Children

   Has Children Luke (Luke-Jan G) Decker ,6 b: ABT 1782 in Knox County, Indiana

Has Children Isaac (Luke-Jan G) Decker ,7 b: 26 JUL 1784 in Hampshire County, West Virginia
Has Children Daniel (Luke-Jan G) Decker ,6 b: 1785 in Knox County, Indiana
Has Children John (Luke-Jan G) Decker ,6 b: 17 FEB 1791 in Johnson Twsp, Knox County, Illinois
Has No Children Welsch (Luke-Jan G) Decker ,6 b: ABT 1794 in Knox County, Indiana
Has Children Hiram M. (Luke-Jan G) Decker ,6 b: 17 NOV 1794 in Knox County, Indiana
Has No Children Phillip (Luke-Jan G) Decker ,6 b: ABT 1795 in Knox County, Indiana
Has Children Asa B. (Luke-Jan G) Decker ,6 b: 8 SEP 1796 in Knox County, Indiana
Marriage 2 Traney (Jeremiah-Norton) Claypoole ,5 b: 14 DEC 1786 in Hampshire County, Virginia

   Married: 18 DEC 1807 in Knox County, Indiana

Children

   Has No Children Eleanor\Nellie (Luke-Jan G) Decker ,7 b: ABT 1807 in Knox County, Indiana

Has No Children Jeremiah (Luke-Jan G) Decker ,7 b: 20 DEC 1814 in Decker Twsp, Knox County, Indiana
Has No Children William (Luke-Jan G) Decker ,7 b: 12 DEC 1809 in Knox County, Indiana
Has No Children Sarah (Luke-Jan G) Decker ,7 b: ABT 1815 in Knox County, Indiana
Has No Children Adam (Luke-Jan G) Decker ,7 b: ABT 1817 in Knox County, Indiana
Has No Children Absolon R. (Luke-Jan G) Decker ,7 b: 24 JAN 1817 in Knox County, Indiana
Has No Children Abner (Luke-Jan G) Decker ,7 b: 10 JAN 1819 in Knox County, Indiana

• Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Jul 29 2017, 16:01:33 UTC

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https://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=md020720...

Name: Luke Decker Given Name: Luke Surname: Decker 1 2 Name: Luke Decker , I, Colonel Given Name: Luke Surname: Decker Suffix: , I, Colonel Sex: M Birth: 1760 in Hampshire Co, VA

Note: became West Virginia. Death: 23 MAR 1825 in Knox Co, IN Military Service: Lt Colonel in Indiana Militia, Battle of Tippecanoe Burial: Decker Cemetery Knox Co, IN 3

Note:

   Northwest Trail Tracer, Volume VI, #3, September 1985: Served in the Revolutionary War, having enlisted in the Virginia Militia at age 18 in Yohogania County, Virginia. He served in the Indiana Militia prior to 1790, and served in the War of 1812 as Lt. Col. under Gen. W.H. Harrison. He was also a member of the Indiana Territorial Legislature and had many other honors.

   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   Letter to Pamela J. Bennett: Lt. Colonel under General Harrison in the battle of Tippecanoe.

   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   http://www.deckerjourney.com/paf/pafn12.htm

   "History of Knox and Daviess Counties, Indiana" (1886): Luke Decker, came from Virginia previous to 1783. Luke Decker son of Luke Decker. John Decker lived at Deckertown, on White River. Isaac Decker, son-in-law of Kirkendall*, was a relative of John and Luke Decker.

   * Probably Kuykendall.

   Northwest Trail Tracer, Volume VI, #3, September 1985: Served in the Revolutionary War, having enlisted in the Virginia Militia at age 18 in Yohogania County, Virginia. He served in the Indiana Militia prior to 1790, and served in the War of 1812 as Lt. Col. under Gen. W.H. Harrison. He was also a member of the Indiana Territorial Legislature and had many other honors.

Father: Jan Jansen Decker , Sr. b: 7 JUN 1719 in Kingston, Ulster Co, NY Mother: Belinda Kuykendall b: 18 JAN 1718 in Deerpark, Orange County, New York

Marriage 1 Sarah Harness

   Married: Marriage of Decker, Luke and Harness, Sarah ABT 1784

Children

   Has Children Isaac Decker b: BET 1784 AND 1786 in Knox Co, IN

Has No Children John Decker b: 1791
Has No Children Hiram Decker b: 1794
Has No Children Asa Decker b: 1797
Marriage 2 Trenny or Fanny Claypool

   Married: Marriage of Decker, Luke , I, Colonel 18 DEC 1807 in Knox Co, IN 4

Children

   Has No Children Nellie Decker

Sources:

   Title: Letter to Pamela J. Bennett

   Author: Herbert F. Smith

   Publication: February 4, and August 3, 1981

   Note: 358 Cora Avenue, Lawrenceburg, Indiana - 47025

   Date: 15 FEB 2012

   Title: "Northwest Trail Tracer"

   Publication: Published jointly by Lewis Library and Genealogy Society

   Note: Lewis Library, Vincennes University, Vincennes, Indiana

   Date: 18 AUG 2010

   Title: Decker Cemetery, Knox County, Indiana records

   Date: 1 APR 2009

   Title: Marriage Records, Knox County, Indiana

   Date: 1 APR 2009 

* Residence:

                           Konx County                        

• Military service:

                           Virginia Militia and the Indiana Militia during the war of 1812, mentioned in Indiana House Resolution for the Battle of Fallen Timbers                        

• Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: May 3 2024, 10:05:15 UTC