History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, 1887



Decker Family - WILLIAM DECKER Biography

Lycoming county has among its citizens many men of more than average intelligence and ability, who are doing a great work for its improvement and advancement. Prominent among these is William Decker, of Montgomery, sole proprietor of the Montgomery Table Works, manufacturer of extension tables, desks, tabourets, etc., also president of several leading enterprises. He was born October 15, 1861, in Clinton township, Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, a son of Henry and Mary (Herr) Decker.

He resided on the paternal farm until eighteen years of age, in the meantime attending the Pine street school (district school), completing his course of instruction there at the age of fourteen years. He then located in Montgomery, Pennsylvania, and there, through his own energy and perseverance, learned the trade of carpenter, becoming a thorough and expert workman. The following ten years he successfully conducted a contracting and building business, and in 1888, in company with C. W. Fehr and H. M. Weller, organized the Montgomery Table Works. At the expiration of one year Messrs. Weller and Decker purchased the interest of Mr. Fehr, and in 1903 Mr. Decker purchased Mr. Weller's interest in the business and has since conducted the same on his own account. The first year's output of the plant being $10,00o, has increased from year to year, until the present time (1905) it is over $200,000, this wonderful increase being attributable to the energy, ambition and perseverance displayed by Mr. Decker in the management thereof. In the fall of 1905 Mr. Decker intends to remove his plant to his new brick building, which is now in course of construction, two stories in height and more than twice the floor space of his old factory, and which will have a capacity for $400,000 of business per year. The factory is the largest in -Montgomery, and is equipped with a three hundred horsepower steam plant and the most modern and latest improved machinery, such as is not surpassed by any other company in his line in Lycoming county, and also gives constant employment to a large number of people, thus making it the leading enterprise in Montgomery. This was the only plant that ran ten hours per day during the panic of 1893, and Mr. Decker enjoys the proud distinction of never having missed a pay day in his works. The principle which he has carried out throughout his active business career has been to please the old customer as well as the new one, and by strictly adhering to this rule he has secured a foremost place among the business men of the county, and is in possession of a handsome competence.

Mr. Decker is president and the largest stockholder of the Montgomery Electric Light & Power Company, which was organized in 1896, at which time he was elected to this responsible position. Montgomery was the only town in Pennsylvania of its size that had electric lights, this fact attesting to the aggressive and progressive spirit of its prominent citizens. He is also president of the Montgomery Furniture Company, which was incorporated during the year 1905 with a capital stock of $30,o00, and of the H. Hughs Store Company, which is conducting a department store, the largest establishment of its kind in Montgomery. He is vice-president and general manager of the Penn Furniture Manufacturing Company, which gives employment to seventy-five men, and vice-president and a leading director of the First National Bank of Montgomery, which institution was organized chiefly through his instrumentality, he being chairman of the organization committee. Although not yet in the prime of life, Mr. Decker is undoubtedly the most prominent and influential citizen in Montgomery, is regarded highly by all who have the honor of his acquaintance, and takes a very live interest in public affairs, especially along the lines of religion and education. He is a director of the Susquehanna University, and was recently chosen secretary and treasurer of the County Sunday School Association, a very prominent factor in the religious life of the county, and has continually held official positions in the Evangelical Lutheran church, of which lie has been a member since the age of eighteen. Mr. Decker, being of a very unassuming and retiring disposition, claims that his success is partly due to the characteristics inherited from his father, and to the influence of his wife, who has been a worthy helpmate in every sense of the word.

Mr. Decker married, September 27, 1894, Adaline U. Bubb, of Fredericksburg, Virginia, who was born near Montoursville, Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, daughter of Thomas L. and Sarah (Scott) Bubb, and of this union five children were born : Vivian Bubb, Bernice Virginia, Sterling Randolph, William Thomas and Maxinea Inez. Mrs. Decker being formerly a Methodist, has since marriage joined the Evangelical Lutheran church. Mr. Decker is a Republican in politics and has adhered strongly to the principles of that party since the silver campaign, although all the other members of the Decker family are strong adherents of the Democratic party.


Source: Genealogical and Personal History of Lycoming County, John W. Jordan, Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1906.










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