U. G. Deck, b. 1868
U. G. Deck, a retired farmer, now filling the
office of county recorder- which came to him
unsolicited- has a record which many might
be proud to possess, characterized as it is by
fidelity to duty and by persistent purpose that
exerted along well defined lines of labor has
led to success. Starting out empty-handed and
with the care of several younger children devolving upon him, he has
steadily worked his
way upward and his labors have at length won
reward in a very desirable competence and the
respect and esteem of his fellowmen. He was
born February 28, 1868, in Carroll county,
Ohio. His father, Martin T. Deck, born in
Germany, came to the United States with his
parents, Mr. and Mrs. John W. Deck, when
three years of age. Having attained his majority he entered a claim of
eighty acres in Carroll
county, located thereon and made the place his
home until 1878, when he came to Iowa and
settled on what was known as the Rothell farm,
five and a half miles northwest of Oskaloosa.
About six months before his death he removed
to another farm which he had purchased about
six miles southeast of Oskaloosa, and there died
soon afterward. He was an industrious, energetic and progressive
farmer, who by earnest and well directed efforts accumulated a
handsome competency leaving his family well
provided for. In politics he was a stanch republican, eager for the
success of his party and
ever lending a helping hand to further its inwrests. He never sought
office for himself
but gave unfaltering support to the party candidates. Before his
marriage he had spent about
five years engaged successfully in merchandising in Colorado, and for a
short time was in
the gold mines, but his attention through life
was chiefly given to his farming interests. He
stood high in the regard of friends and neighbors and was uniformly
respected. He was
conservative in his opinions, never bitterly aggressive and through his
devotion to principles of right and duty made an honored name.
He wedded Maggie J. Harper, who was born
near New Cumberland, Ohio, and was of Irish
parentage. She held membership in the Presbyterian church and died
October 7, 1881, at
the age of forty-six years. Unto Mr. and Mrs.
Deck were born nine children: Allison F.,
a farmer of Spring Creek township, this
county; Ira E., of Atkinson, Nebraska; U. G.,
of this review; Corn L., the wife of Worth
McWhinney, a merchant of Clay county, In-
diana; William L., a farmer of Bussey, Marion
county; Maggie L., living in Sedalia, Missouri;
Clara D., deceased; Burchard H., who has
served in the United States regular army, and
is now in Ottumwa, Iowa; and Maud B., who
died at the age of four years. To a limited extent U. G. Deck attended
the
common schools of Madison township, but is
largely self-educated and has had to depend
upon the school of experience for the instruction which has fitted him
for life's practical
and responsible duties. After the death of his
mother he did the work of the household, cooking, etc. He was reared to
the occupation of
farming, which has been his life work save
for a brief period devoted to the operation of
a mine upon a farm which he purchased in
1897, in Garfield township about a half mile
west of Beacon. As the years went by his
earnest and indefatigable labor brought to him
capital sufficient to justify his purchase of land
and beginning farming on his own account he
has prospered in his undertakings, becoming
the owner of good land which he brought under
a high state of cultivation. He now lives upon
a tract of land of ten acres which he purchased
when removing to Oskaloosa in 1903, on which
he has built one of the modern residences of
the city. On the 10th of September, 1890, Mr. Deck
was married to Miss Minnie H. Tullis, who
was born in Mahaska county in 1871, a daughter of William H. and Anna
Tullis. Her father
was one of the pioneer farmers of the county
and a veteran of the Civil war. Unto Mr. and
Mrs. Deck have been born four children:
Harry E., May M., Ralph M. and Helen G.
The parents are members of the Methodist
Episcopal church and Mr. Deck belongs to the
Masonic fraternity and the Independent Order
of Odd Fellows. In politics he is an earnest
republican. He has held several township offices and in 1904 was
elected to the office of
county recorder, which position he is now ably
and satisfactorily filling and which came to him
unsolicited. Free from ostentation and display
he is nevertheless a progressive citizen.
-------------------------------
from Past and Present of Mahaska County, Iowa by Manoah Hedge
The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co. 1906
IMPORTANT NOTE: This article is filled with errors
This is a good example showing that you should always try to double check facts.
Please read parts of this e-mail that I appreciated receiving from Patrick Deck.
Dear Sirs;
The article on U.G. Deck of Mahaska, Iowa written years ago is chock full of errors. I just now found out after the
original copy was emailed to me by my stepsister. U.G. Deck was the brother of my late Grandfather William Martin
Deck (1871-1956). The article has got two different Martin Deck's intertwined with one another. Martin Theodore
Deck (U.G.'s father) was not born in Germany, but was born in Ohio in 1833. The other Martin Deck was born in
France in 1829. Martin T. Deck's parents were no German but French.
Martin T Deck was married to Margaret J Cochrane whose father was from Ireland, the article states that his wife
was Maggie J Harper, there were so many errors that I almost lost track. The most bizarre fact that I was able to
find was that Martin Deck of France ended up being buried in Mahaska, Iowa, the same place where the father of
Martin T Deck finally settled down before his death.
Like I stated earlier, Martin Deck was born in France in 1829 while Martin T Deck was born in Ohio in 1833. The 1880
Census bares out all the facts on both individuals. The original article on my Great Uncle was written some time
around the turn of the century and it is beyond me, how he could have gotten it all wrong.
Sorry if I gave you my Headache.
Past and Present of Mahaska
County, Iowa
Mahaska County, Iowa
Genealogy
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