Cumberland County, Maine - Nathan Decker
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Biography
Nathan Decker
Biographical Review
Cumberland County, Maine
Boston
Biographical Review Publishing Company
1896
Page 363-364


Nathan Decker, of Casco, senior member of the firm of Decker & Hancock, leading
lumber dealers of Cumberland County, was born in this town, March 18, 1814, son
of David and Jemima (Decker) Decker. His father, who was a native of Boothbay,
Me., was a minister of the Free Baptist church, and also a success successful
farmer, eking out his small salary with such profits as his labor could extract
from the soil. When a young man David Decker located in Standish, Me., and
subsequently purchased a farm about one mile south of Casco. The latter part of
his life was spent in the eastern portion of the State, devoted principally  to
preaching. Mr. Decker was one of the first preachers in that part of Cumberland
County. He died in 1843, at the age of seventy-two. His wife, a native of
Standish, Me., died in Casco, January 26, 1842, at the age of sixty-three. Their
eight children were: Mary, the wife of James Garling, of Portland; David, a
farmer and lumberman, who married Eliza Dunham, of Otisfield; William, a farmer,
who married Mary Whitney, of Harrison; John, a farmer, who married Mary
Furlong, of Greenwood; Eunice, who became the wife of Ira Smith, a cooper of
Standish; Charles, a farmer, who married Mary Jackson, of Casco; Nathan, the
subject of this sketch; and Spencer, a merchant of Casco, who married Rebecca
Walker, of that town.

Nathan Decker, the sole survivor of his parents' children, took charge of the
home farm when quite young, and managed it successfully until 1859, at the same
time attending carefully to his mother's comfort. In that year he moved to the
homestead, which he now occupies in the village of Casco. He had been in trade
for a number of years in Casco, when he forsook it for the lumber business,
which he deemed more profitable. He is now one of the largest lumber dealers in
Cumberland County. In company with his stepson, Mr. Hancock, he owns about four
thousand acres of timber land in the vicinity of Casco. In their business they
keep fifteen teams constantly busy. They sell immense quantities of lumber to
buyers on the water. Mr. Decker has practically retired from active work, but
still looks after his large business interests.

In 1859 Mr. Decker was united in marriage with Mrs. Hannah Stewart Hancock, a
native of Harrison, Me., born March 3, 1825. She is a daughter of Solomon and
Polly (Hall.) Stewart, esteemed members of the farming community of Harrison.
Mr. and Mrs. Decker have no children. Mr. Decker is a stanch Republican, while
he has never been an aspirant for office. He and his wife attend the Union
Church of Casco.