New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-15

In October iso5 He attended school only few
years for like many other sef-made men, ms
IN Their died when he lad OF ten years ana
n was compelled 10 go TO work IN kei HOOK
Some time AFTER his fathers death his mother went
to Pcekskll/ and Jacob followed her In lsi'' when
ne was fourteen years OLD For the first few years
O, his residence there he worked at different trades
and Jobs for merchants and men about the village
which was small then. and offered few opportuhi-
Ties FOR employment OF a lucrative nature
Finally he secured cierksh!p In the general Dry
! goods and provision store Ok Captain Dan" Hyatt
noy dead Young Decatur remained there a year
| and then went to the foundry OF Gilbert u sey-
mour where no learned tho trade OF moulder.
After he had mastered that trade he went into tho
grocery business on small scale. With James
Clinton as partner. They soon separated ana
MFR Decatur came to New-York and engaged In the
al business His metropolitan venture did not
provo a success. and he returned 10 Peekskll.
with Seth H. Mead he embarked again In The
general store business. Mr. Mead was clerk IN
John Huhbel's store. and. Mr. Hubbell being dead.
Mrs Hubbell did not care to continue the bust
ness The new firm became Decatur & Mead. and
Tor three years di a small yet profitable business
When Mr. Royce OF the firm OF Royce Clark,
died they moved into Mr.. Royce's store This was
a larger and finer building and business rapidly
increased This came to the OF Edmund Hal
lock who formerly had been In business In Pee<s-
XII but had sold out and moved to Maryland. Mr..
Uallock returned 70 Pcekskll and offered Decatur
& Mead a good price Tor their stock and goodwill
Mr. Mead was not IN the best Of health. so q
bargain was promptly struck. and Edmund Hal
lock became a Peekskill merchant again. He re-
tanned Mr.. Decatur clerk paying to him the
highest wages paid TO n Peekskill clerk for many
years.
After n year he left Mr. Haock and purchased
the bus ness OF James b. Clinton. the father or
Morris f. Clinton Mr.. Decatur became the owner
OF the property as we'll the stock and goodwill,
hc huf lrygOOIS
and provisions This is whore the Union Rescue
Mission now stands. Colonel Rikeman had n hard
ware store next door TO Mr.. Decatur. After Mr.
Decatur had been In tho place two years. Colonel
Rkcman died. Mr.. Decatur at once removed his
business in;o the R.keman store. and had the old
Clinton building torn down. Mr.. Richards Editor
Of The Republican" the pioneer paper Of Peeks-
KILL now out OF existence bought and removed the
old building. Mr. Dccatur's store. which was built
In ls6l was the finest building in the town at that
tine When the broke out he sold his busl-
ness Joseph Mason. IN" jeweller. who was at one
time president OF the village. For the next two
years no travelled FOR the Peekskil Plough Works
IN 1856 no made another attempt In New otk
in agricultural implements. He thus engaged
ana later on a farm at Westned. n j., continuing
his New-York business at the same time,
York b "snss disposed Of his wessid farm and
went to tho place OF his youth In. 1875 he pnr-
few years later went into partnership with him
This firm exists the present time. and j. H.
Decatur II Son have OF the best known boot
Mr. Decatur organized the Peeksklll Kelley Re-
lief Association November 10. 1852 He WAS
made the president of that organ zation and is sn
at It's head He has worked hard In the interests
OF It's charitable work. and the society has sent
nearly two hundred drunkards to the Kelley cure
and has done much practical temperance work in
Its four years career.
Mr. Decatur is member OF the Second Presby-
society. For many years he was the superintendent
OF the Sunday school. In Dotics he is UNI
swerving Republican Though always ready TO
sist by his counsel and advice. he has declined TO
for public Office, though often importuncd 10
do
He Is fond OF real estate dealings, and Is probably
to-day the largest owner OF real estate In Peeks-
kill He has more tenants than any other Peeks-
XII landlord II Is said.
Mr.. Decatur is as hale and hearty to-day as ne
was twenty-five years ago He attends TO his
store business. as well as all his other diversified
interests, in addition 10 the Board OF Trade He
lives In Smith-st. and has wife and one SON
Tho principal workers In the Board OF Trade at
this time william Lawson. ex-Mayor c. c.
Lent Edwin b. Lent, DIR. f.. DE Motto Lyon, DIR.
l.. H. Mason. Thomas J. Maxwell James Miller,
". Bagley. J. s. Baker Water Commissioner Oscar
Y. Barger. George f. Briggs. Alderman William
BrOtherton w. J. Charlton. Charles H. Chase. John
McGovern, Cornelius A. Pugsley. ex-senator George
w. Robertson. Alonzo Seymour ex-Mayor William
u. Southland County Clerk I.everett +. Crumb. Harry
i. Dain. eXWater Commissioner Frank NJ Daln,
Chauncey ". Depew. J. X. Decatur George w.
Denkc, Alderman William Dunphy. Albert w.
Durrin. ex-W Water Commissioner II. r. Finch. Mel
son c. Foshay. ex-Mayor Arienus r. Free. r ".
Stewart. ex-Postmasier John Smith. .Jr, James T.
Sutton. Egbert Is. Travis. John Il. Westbrook. Ed
ward G. Wilson. Herbert Grifen, ex-Supervsor
James II. Halght Mayor Stephen ID. Horton, Pat
rick King and ex-Alderman Ebert Kipp