This VDP is an excellent idea. My desire for an ancestral dinner party would be invite my paternal grandfather, John Frank Decker, and see for myself if he is the rascal that his history makes him out to be. I would ask him who were his parents and siblings and where did he come from. Since he passed away before I was born, all I know of him is from his photos and what dad had told me, which unfortunately was not much. He was born in Madison, IN February 4th, 1848 from his own word although I cannot find any trace of him in Madison. He went to live with his grandmother (who?) in 1862 then in 1865 took up the harness making trade. Dad said that he lived for awhile in Kansas City then went to Stark County, IL to work in the coal mines. He joined the US 2rd Calvary, Company G in 1865 at age 17 and traveled with his unit which guarded the laying of tracks for the Union Pacific Railroad from Omaha to Laramie, WY. Dad said that John Frank was present at the driving of the golden spike when the two railroads met, completing the East to West railroad. He finished his tour and was released at Ft Ellis, Montana. In 1870, he lived in Helena, MT and by 1876 he took up farming at the same time doing freight hauling from Fort Benton to Deer Lodge and other points. In August of 1877 he married Eva Wickman at Helena, MT. April 1878, his first daughter Emma A Decker was born then in 1880, Elle E Decker was born, both in Helena. (Elle married Edward Cole). This is the family that is listed in the 1880 Lewis & Clark Co, MT Census and the first time that I could find him in any census. August 1883, Elizabeth Decker was born. In the Fall of 1884, John divorced Eva and in February 1885, Susie Decker was born. She died of the flu in December of 1918. Around this time, John homesteaded 160 acres located on the Nez Perce Indian Reservation in Idaho and still hauled freight. September of 1897, John married Ida Anna Boysen, age 17, and the following February, 1898, John's first son was born, Clarence Decker. December, 1899, Frederick Frank Decker was born and this was the family listed in the 1900 Idaho Census. January 1902, Elmer Edwin Decker was born. This was my dad. John sold the homestead and bought property in Lewiston, ID which he sold in 1906. He 1907, he moved to Baker, OR and bought a home there. July 1909 he separated from Ida, sold the house in Baker and took his boys and belongings and traveled by covered wagon to Irish Bend, OR which is near the coast and probably does not exist today except in name. July 1909 Edwin Decker was born and in July 1910, Ida divorced Frank, which was the name he had used in Idaho. Frank J Decker died at Salem, OR January 1, 1925 and is buried there. So you see, I have loads of questions to ask besides his ancestry. Ida Ann Boysen was listed as Brown in a short biography in 1902 but mom insists her name was Kooken. Boysen was listed on her marriage license. I have no idea where his daughters went except for the information on his pension application. He pension was denied as they could not find his records.