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Charles Decker marries Mary Mabee c. 1895

Updated: Jan 31, 2019


Charles Decker, a barber, marries Mary Mabee, daughter of Thomas Mabee, in Florida, Orange County, New York. - Newburgh Register, May of 1894 or 1895.


There is a woman named Mary (Mabee) Decker (1877-1930) buried in Warwick Cemetery, but her headstone reads "Wife of Seely Decker", and no headstone with Seely's name is found. There are at least four men named Charles Decker buried there and of those four, none were born in the 1870s. Perhaps one of these is "Seely"? Seely is an old word used to refer to someone of a cheerful disposition. Perhaps this was Charles' nickname.


Seely O. Decker and Mary were found living in Warwick in 1900 and 1910 when the census was taken, in both his occupation was given as Barber, and in 1900 they report having been married 5 years. His birth date was given as October, 1873, and hers was given as November, 1877. Their son, Lloyd O. Decker, was born in June of 1896, and S. Earl Decker was born in August of 1899. Volney S. Decker was born abt. 1905, and R. Seaman Decker was born abt. 1906.


A search of area newspapers revealed this snippet, which makes it clear there was another man by the name of Seely Decker in Port Jervis in 1880, one which was already married by 1880 to the daughter of Mrs. Mary A. Cole. Therefore, it could not have been the above mentioned Seely, but could have been his father. If so, it would indicate his mother's maiden name was Cole:

Another article in the Port Jervis Evening Gazette (Feb 1908) reports the death of Seely Decker who was born in Wantage Township but died in Birmingham, Alabama. His wife's name is given but is illegible, except that her last name was Cole. There was a man and wife named Seely and Mary Decker in Wantage when the 1880 census was taken. He was 48 and Mary was 46. At the time only one other person lived in the home, Peter C. Decker, age 17.


Additional research needed.

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