Yuma County, Colorado Photographs

Yuma County Pioneer Photographs:

Read R. and Anna Decker, Friend

In 1880 Saline County, Nebraska, Reed R. is a wagon-maker, with Anna 25, Arthur 4, and Grace 2.

In 1885 Saline County Nebraska, Reed R. runs a saloon, with Anna M., Arthur 9, Grace 7, Nora 5, and Guy 2.

Anna is probably the Anna M. Wilson in the 1870 Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania census, 15,

Read cash-claimed a quarter in 23, 4S 45W in 1890.  That was three years after the post office was established, and he was named the postmaster in June 1887, serving until July 1890.

Friend was the name of a boom town that was founded in the southwest part of the county by Reed R. Decker, James Dudgeon, Sylvester Andrews and Frank Elliott, in 1886. They named it after the Nebraska town from which they hailed and in a short time it boasted of about twenty or more buildings, among them being a bank, two general stores, a printing office from which a newspaper was issued, two hotels, one restaurant, a drug store, a saloon, two livery barns and two blacksmith shops. The town maintained a precarious existence until 1892, when it began to decay, and in 1897 all vestige of it had disappeared, with the exception of the cellars which belonged to the vanished town. The buildings had been sold to the farmers and ranchers in that section of the county and so ended another "boom" dream of greatness.

Read R. Decker recorded a deed conveying land to Harrington Emerson of Denver for a note of $275 due July 1, 1905, and Harrington defaulted.

In 1900 Reed R. Decker, born April 1853 in Pennsylvania, is a house carpenter in Denver, with Anna M. Nov 1854 Pennsylvania, Nora E. Sep 1880 Nebraska, Guy C. Sep 1883 Nebraska, Alfaretta May 1886 Nebraska, and Flora B. Feb 1890 Colorado.

1901 "Art Decker and Harley Neikirk are fixing up a ranch about 28 miles south of Yuma."

1909 Wray "Art Decker was in from the sand hills yesterday."

In 1910 Read R. Decker, 57, is living with son Arthur in Magee precinct - by the neighbors it's very near Wages.

He's also listed in the Denver census of 1910, with Anna M. 56 and Flora B. 20.

Alpharatta Decker married Charles B. Elliott August 21, 1916, registered in Denver.

Read R. Decker - 1853-1924 has a FindAGrave record in Crown Hill, Wheat Ridge 47575635

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FLORA

Flora married a Henderson and was in California - death records Flora Beatrice Henderson born Feb 9, 1890 in COlorado, dying April 25, 1955 in Los Angeles - mother's maiden name Wilson, father Decker.

ARTHUR

1911 Wray "W.M. Goodhue has purchased the Art Decker ranch twenty-five miles northwest of town and will return from Buhl, Idaho and take possession of his new home the first of the year."

1912 Wray  "Art Decker, who sold his ranch here to Wm. Goodhue, is here this week looking after business matters.  Mr. Decker lives at New Castle, Colo., where he purchased a ranch after selling out here."

Arthur Decker married Bertha Huff April 16, 1914 - recorded in Yuma County.

Arthur Livingston Decker registered in Yuma County, born March 31, 1876.

In 1920 Arthur L. Decker is in Weld precinct, with Bertha G. 34, A. Paul 4, and Mary C. 3.  They're in Archuleta County in 1930 and 1940, ranching.

Arthur L. Decker -1876-1958 and Bertha G. Decker 1885-1957 are buried in Crestview Garden, La Plata County.

Paul Arthur Decker - Jan 21, 1915-May 12, 1982 is buried in Pagosa Springs.

Bertha might be the "Versia" Huff living in Phillips County in 1910 with her sister Effy D. Colglazier and her husband Cecil.

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