Henry Decker was an American success story who built many houses in Montgomery, starting before the borough was officially founded. Over the course of his long life, he would build much more than houses. He would forge a legacy of kindness and compassion for his fellow man that would forever shape the community.

He was a civic-minded man, and his sons eventually became community leaders that would open thriving businesses that were major driving forces in Montgomery’s early economy. The various Decker factories would provide employment to hundreds and hundreds of people for nearly a century. Henry Decker’s children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren would also go on to make long-lasting contributions to the community.

The details of Henry Decker’s early life were reported in “The History of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania” by John F. Meginnes. On April 11, 1833, Henry Decker was born in Wittemburg, Germany. The next year, his parents, Alexander and Elizabeth (Herman) Decker, crossed the Atlantic and came to Pennsylvania. They made their home in Armstrong Township in Lycoming County, some of the earliest settlers in the Mosquito Valley area. The couple would have a total of eight children.

Meginnes recorded that Henry was a pupil in “the common schools.” At the age of 22, he married Mary Herr on May 3, 1855. In 1856, the young couple moved to Clinton Township where Henry established a farm that was described as “large and well kept.” The couple became parents of twelve children: Henry, Rosanna, Catherine, Alexander, William, George, Mary, John, Frank, Edward, Albert, and Issac.

Although he may have began life as a farmer, he would go on to establish a reputation for building houses in Montgomery. In 1892, Meginnes wrote of the Clinton Township farmer, “He is very largely identified with the business interests of Montgomery. He is a noted builder, and has invested more in local improvements than any other man, except Levi Houston. He owns more dwelling houses than any other person in the town, and leases them at nominal rent in order to enable the occupants to aquire a home by purchase on easy terms.”

Although Montgomery wasn’t officially incorporated as a borough until 1887, the area was known as Montgomery Station from 1860 until the name was changed to Montgomery in 1894, according to Joan Wheal-Blank’s book, “Around Montgomery.”

The Montgomery area grew rapidly before the borough was founded, largely because of the Levi Houston Company and the Henderson, Hull, and Menges planing mill. On May 18, 1885, the Williamsport newspaper Daily Gazette and Bulletin wrote about the two industries, and stated that “Henry Decker is finishing two frame dwelling houses on North street, where he has built four others. He intends to build five more this summer. There is a great scarcity of houses at Montgomery . . .”

His building projects continued the following year. The Aug. 27, 1886, issue of the Muncy Luminary and Lycoming County Advertiser published the following piece, “Henry Decker who is noted for his building propensities, having covered all the ground he owned at Montgomery Station, has bought the land once owned by G.S. Weller and later by R. Johnson, of Northumberland. He has torn out the old mill dam and intends to make building lots of it.”