DECKER

     JOHN DECKER was born about 1646. His birthplace and parents are unknown. His death is given in The Rowley Vital Records as 28 Oct 1694. [1/1:458] It has been suggested that his death actually occurred in Haverhill, Essex Co., MA. where he and his wife had resided for many years but it doesn't appear in the Haverhill V.R.'s. In fact the only Decker death recorded in the Haverhill V.R.'s is that of Benjamin, his son. [2/2:384] His wife Mary's death is also recorded in the Rowley Vital records.[1/2:11] Only four children are known and all of their births are recorded in Haverhill.[2/1:91] Only two marriages for the children have been found and both were recorded in Rowley.

   John Decker first appears in Haverrhill  when he purchased land from Nathaniel Smith in 1672, at this time he would have been about 25 or 26 years of age. He was in Newbury, Essex Co., MA. when he took the Oath of Allegience in 1678.[3]

     John Decker married on 18 Jun 1680 in Rowley, Essex Co., MA. to MARY SCOTT [1/1:280, 393] [2/2:89] the daughter of BENJAMIN SCOTT and MARGARET STEVENSON of Rowley. She was born on 16 Apr 1651 in Rowley, Essex Co., MA.[1/1:191] and died on 25 Dec 1700 in Rowley.[1/2:11] they settled in Haverhill where all of their known children were born, but I suspect that John and Mary Decker removed to Rowley from Haverhill at some point prior to John's death in 1694.

CHILDREN:

1. Elizabeth Decker, b. 01 Apr 1681, Haverhill, Essex Co., MA[2/1:91], She might be that Elizabeth Decker who married Nathaniel Perkins in Rowley on 25 July 1717.[1/1:280]
2. JOHN DECKER JR.
3. Joseph Decker, b. 24 Nov 1684, Haverhill, Essex Co., MA[2/1:91],
4. Benjamin Decker, b. 20 Mar 1687/88 Haverhill, Essex Co., MA[2/1:91], d. 14 Jan 1689/90 Haverhill, Essex Co., MA.[2/2:384]

     JOHN DECKER JR. was b. 20 Nov 1683 in Haverhill, Essex Co., MA.[2/1:91]  His will was dated 30 Oct 1754 in Wiscassett, ME.[3]

     He married SARAH BENNETT on  21 Jan 1705/06 in Rowley, Essex Co., MA.[1/1:280] She was the daughter of DR. DANIEL BENNETT and MARY PLUMMER of Rowley. Sarah was born on 15 Dec 1682 in Rowley and baptized on 16 Sep. 1682.[1/1:21]

     John and Mary removed to Kittery, York Co., ME. where they resided until they removed to Newington, Rockingham Co., NH. They were of Newington by 1716 when six of their children were baptized there.[3]

CHILDREN:

1. John Decker  III, b. 29 March 1707 Kittery, York Co., ME., bpt. Newington, Rockingham Co., NH. 30 Sep 1716. He died in September of 1789. He Married Lydia Eastman.[3]
2. SARAH DECKER
3. Mary Decker, b. 1 Mar 1710/11 Kittery, York Co., ME. bpt. Newington, Rockingham Co., NH 30 Sep. 1716. m. John Hodsdon, Jr.[3]
4. Hannah Decker, bpt. 30 Sep. 1716 Newington, Rockingham Co., NH. m. m. 7 Feb or Apr 1731 Hatevil Nutter, III.[3][4] b. abt. 1710, son of Hatevil and Sarah _____ Nutter. A cordwainer, he was a proprietor of Barnstead, Belknap Co., NH. old. Ten children.[4]
5. Elizabeth Decker, bpt. 30 Sep 1716 Newington, Rockingham Co., ME.. m. Joseph Moody of Scarborough, Cumberland Co., ME.[3]
6. Joseph Decker, bpt. 30 Sep. 1716, Newington, Rockingham Co., NH. m. Rachel Boynton.[3]
7. David Decker, bpt. 4 Oct 1719 Newington, Rockingham Co., NH. m. 9 Apr. 1741 Eunice Place. resided in Portsmouth, NH.[3]
8. Abigail Decker, bpt 3 Feb. 1722/23 in Newington, NH. She m. Lohn Looe/Low.[3]

   SARAH DECKER, born on 10 May 1709 in  Kittery, York Co., ME. She was baptized with five of her siblings on 30 Sep 1716 in Newington, Rockingham Co., NH She married  CLEMENT MESERVE, III on 13 Oct 1726 in Newington.. Hed was the son of CLEMENT MESERVE,  II and ELIZABETH JONES.

SOURCES:

1. Vital Records of Rowley, Essex Co., MA., to the year 1849
2. Vital Records of Haverhill, Essex Co., MA.,  to the year 1849
3. Website of James D. True, jtrue@compuserve.com
4. "Descendants of Hatevil Nutter", by Jan Nutter Alpert, Midlothian, VA 23112., Writer & publisher of the Hatevil Nutter Book, a short list  pub. online at the Nutter Homepage, http://members.aol.com/NutterWV1/contents.htm,