Evening star., 1936-11-22
By John CLagen Proctor.

DV OEW NtHSOSk IVCSU''
A FEW days ago the writer saw
~ in the home of Maj. Gist
~ Blair, the certificate Of mem
a bership in the Society OF the
Cincinnati, presented to Commodore
Stephen Decatur in. 18l3-undoubtedly
the Stephen Decatur who, during the
war with the Barbary States, per-
formed the well-known valiant exploit
in the harbor of Tripoli, on February
is, 1904. by boarding and burning the
U. s. frigate Philadelphia, which had
become grounded, and consequently
captured by the Tripolitan pirates.
Maybe it is not necessary, but, new
ertheless, few people in writing about
this particular Commodore Decatur,
ever attempt to separate him from his
father, who was also named Stephen
Decatur, and who, likewise. served as
q commodore in the United States
Navy. Indeed, if the. history of the
Navy, compiled by Lieut.. George F.
Emmons, U. S. N, and published IN
1889 is authentic, the father was
commodore of the squadron OF IS YES
sells that was cruising in the West
indies in 1900, and the same vessel
the Philadelphia, which made the
younger Decatur famous-was MS
flagship.
This vessel was built in 1893 and
ran on q reef of rocks of Tripoli In
1903. Her captain was william Balm
bridge, and we are told that the Of
ficers and crew were taken prisoners,
the frigate afterward gotten of the
rocks by the Tripolitans, but was
shortly afterward recaptured and de-
stroyed by Stephen Decatur, jr.. then
lieutenant Of the Intrepid. In pre-
pairing for this act of bravery he con-
cealed his men below and entered the
harbor with q small vessel, which ne
warped alongside the Philadelphia in
the character of a ship in distress. AS
the two vessels struck, the pirates first
suspected his design. Instantly he
leaped aboard with his men, swept the
affrlghted crew into the sea, set the
ship on FIRE, and, amid tremendous
cannonade from the shore, escaped
without losing q man.
DUT, as to Stephen Decatur, the
elder. He was the son of French
immigrant to this country, who was
born in La Rochelle and came to
America some time prior to 1751. He
settled in Newport, r. J., and there
married Priscilla Hill. and 1t was
here that the senior Stephen Decatur
was born in 1881.
Before coming to this country, the
pioneer Decatur had served in the
French Navy with the rank OF neu-
tenant, but, as q result Of disease con-
tracted in the West Indies, left the
French service there and settled in
Rhode Island for his health, which
apparently did not improve very
much, since he lived only few years
after his marriage and the birth OF
his son.
Though the naval service Of Ste
phen Decatur, 1st, was not as spec
tacular in spots as was that of his
more noted son, yet his service to his
country came at a time when. prob
ably, it was more greatly needed, and
at least it was just as cheerfully given
and just as ably rendered.
=, He married Miss Pine, whose par
ents were of Irish extraction and by
whom he had one daughter and three
sons. The sons were Stephen, James
and John p. The daughter married
Capt James Mcknight Of the Marine
Corps, who was in the losing end Of
q duel at Leghorn, Tuscany, Italy.
The widow Mcknight later married
DR.. Hurst of Philadelphia. She had
issue by both marriages, and follow
ing the duel between her brother.
Stephen Decatur, I'd, and Comdr. Bar
ron we find the widow of the former
and the Misses Mcknight residing for
a time in the west wing Of Kalorama
Mansion, located In section now
known as Washington Heights, where
they were the guests Of Col. George
Bomford.
James Decatur, before mentioned,
fell before Tripoli. John P. Decatur
married and had three sons and three
daughters.
COMDR. STEPHEN DECATUR. lst,
was captain Of the sloop Royal
Louis and subsequently of the Comet
and of the Fair America during the
Revolutionary War. The Comet was
employed as an express vessel and the
Fair America was a brig of 16 guns
and 100 men. After the close Of the
first war with Great Britain he re-
turned to peaceful pursuits and re-
sumed his voyages in the merchant
service In the employment of Messrs.
Gurney and Smith, extensive ship
pers, said to have been distinguished
then, and long after, for their intel
ligence. enterprise and probity.
In this connection the senior De-
catur became joint owner with this
firm Of the ship Pennsylvania and
later of the Ariel. which he COM
manded himself, and during one of
his many voyages he took along with
him, for his health, his son Stephen,
then 8 years of age, who was just
recovering from the whooping cough.
The father died at Frankford, Pa,
November 4, 1908. and is buried with
his wife close to the Church Of st.
Peter In Philadelphia.
OF ESPECIAL interest. of course, Is
~ the life Of the junior Decatur to
the people Of the District of Columbia,
since he resided here, where he was
also . property owner, fought his
famous duel Just outside the District,
and after his death was buried in old
Kalorama vault, where his body re-
mained for more than quarter Of
century.
BY birth he was . Marylander, his
mother having moved to Worcester
County when Philadelphia was occu-
pied BY the British Army under Sir
William Howe. and It was here, in
sinepuxent, on the eastern shore Of
Maryland, that the younger Decatur
first saw the light Of day, on january