This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/hgR.2ACIB/11.89.1 Message Board Post: Hi In reply to the following letter, I also found your queries, am posting the entire GLOB here; you can sort it, but thisis YOUR Conrad and MIKE also Hi there is another woman looking for Mike and Conrad; Elaine Bingham posted on DECKER board, 2001; antylane@aol.com Marriage licenses were not required til later here; Did you ask Loraine Smith about Conrads family? she may have more info ; did you see the Bemus Pt cemetery data? where is CONRAD buried? I see your MIKE is buried in S Ripley cemetery; this is just outside the Findley Lake town line, I'll be reading it again this summer to update the records, looked interesting; , SCOTT, James H. James H Scott , Enlistment Date: 15 September 1862 Distinguished Service: Side Served: Union State Served: New York Unit Numbers: 1423 1423 Service Record: Enlisted as a Private on 15 September 1862 at the age of 38 Enlisted in Company F, 154th Infantry Regiment New York on 25 September 1862. Mustered out Company F, 154th Infantry Regiment New York on 11 June 1865 in Bladensburg, MD Scott, James H. (F) --ca. 1824; Chatham, New York; June 24, 1890; ;Quincy Cemetery, Ripley, New York there is one soldier, James M SCOTT in E Ripley cemetery I could not ID but I met his Granddaughter there, an old woman, told me a bit about him and her family, rather mixed up too; QUINCY Ripley Cemetery SCOTT B 80 James 1/4/1880 D 23 James H. b 6/2/1825 died 6/18/1890 Civil War James W. 1863-1907 Betsey Wife of James died 10/30/1893 E 64 Infant Anna L 3/12/1917 G 57 Oscar W. 1878-1960 This sounds like a fascinating family, there is not much found on Conrad, he was b ca 1784 and Betsey 1820, quite a gap; this from the 1850 census' Conrad Decker Charlotte, Chautauqua, NYabt 1784New York Betsey Decker Charlotte, Chautauqua, NYabt 1820New York David Decker Charlotte, Chautauqua, NYabt 1834New York Mariah Decker Charlotte, Chautauqua, NYabt 1840New York Viola Decker Charlotte, Chautauqua, NYabt 1844New York If Betsey were a prostitute, probably her kids were starving, OR she may have been a "loose woman" to begin with, but Conrad a lot older than she is there is something here does not work, I have not got a finger on it yet, am using an old and slow puter, but will poke around CONRAD is here in Stockton in 1830 AND 1840 also; ----- Original Message ----- From: Penny Spacht To: Dee Davidson Sent: Sunday, December 12, 2004 3:34 PM Subject: Town of Mina/ Findley Lake Dee, Thanks for responding to my query. You made a good choice heading south. I live in Harborcreek and we’re currently getting snow, with a possibility of 4 to 7 inches by tomorrow. Yuck. First of all let me tell you how much everyone appreciate all the time you, Lorraine Smith and Kathy Sloan put into the Chautauqua County rootsweb site. It seems to be by far the best site when it comes to finding information. Every day is like Christmas because you know there is always something new that is going to be posted. Since you are so involved in the history of Chautauqua County let me give you a brief run down of what/ whom I will be looking for. My G-G-G-Grandfather was Conrad Decker who was allegedly involved in the burning of the Holland Land Company office in 1836. His first wife was Eva Stomm, daughter of Lawrence and Charity (Pickard) Stomm of Ellery. They had 8 children. Good old Conrad doesn’t seem to be what you would call the pillar of the community and really likes to drink. He is sued in 1841 for huge sum of $2000 by Abel Brunson (who by all accounts is an upstanding and generous person) for failure to deliver a load of wood, by river, to either Pittsburgh or Cincinnati. Eva dies. Conrad then marries an Elizabeth “Betsey”, last name unknown but could be Smith or Bartlett. Conrad and Betsey have two children, Isaac and Mike. In February 1860 there is a note in the Almshouse/ Asylum book that Betsey, Isaac and Mike were there, reason, intemp of father & prostitution of mother. She is once again an inmate there in August 1860. In April of 1860 while cutting wood, Conrad is struck in the head by a falling limb and dies. I think he was drunk at the time. In fact there are a variety of alcohol related incidence that various family members are involved in throughout the years. In August 1861 Betsey is married to James H. Scott. The marriage takes place in Findley Lake and is conducted by a George Windsor, JP. James then goes off to fight the Civil War 1862. James is honorably discharged after taking ill in 1865. Prior to James leaving for the war, they have a son also named James. In 1888 James applies for a Civil War pension and is denied. He later dies. Betsey, then applies for a widow’s pension and is denied because they are having trouble sorting out her first marriage to Conrad, whether or not James was married before and whether or not there is proof that Betsey and James was ever really married. It seems that George Windsor died and couldn’t testify. They were having trouble tracking down records. Then in the midst of all this, Betsey’s lawyer, Frank Lewis of Findley Lake, dies. (I was able to find mention of his death in a newspaper gleaning). It is several months before she finds this all out and is able to get a new lawyer. This is all taking place 1892-1893. In October 1893, Betsey dies. We’re not sure if her suit is ever settled before her death. I am Betsey’s g-g-g-grand-daughter through he son Mike. Mike married Mary Jones the daughter of Thomas Jones and Maria Perdue of Ripley. I am finding that the rouges and black sheep of the family lead interesting lives. There also seems to be more documentation than those who were never in trouble. I am trying to track down the marriage license for Betsey and James. I find it interesting that both Betsey and James lived in Westfield, but were married in Findley Lake. Why travel so far? I know Ripley becomes the marriage capital, but was Findley Lake too? Eventually they moved to Ripley, but again go to Findley Lake to find a lawyer. Why? It may not make a difference, but I want to explore all aspects. Let’s just say I am beginning to question motives. Depending on the records kept at Mina, I may also look for information on the Ashton and Perdue families that also resided there at one time. I have off the week between Christmas and New Year and hope to go to the Fenton, Patterson and Ripley Free libraries. I am in the process of planning my “attack” for each place so I can maximize what little time I have. Thanks for your assistance, Penny (Cyranowski) Spacht