The statue on this monument is known as 'Weeping Mary'.∼Johannes Decker was the son of Josiah and Mary (Elma) Decker, both of Holland ancestry. They moved to Michigan when Johannes was a boy. Quite early in life he began his career as a dry goods man by accepting a clerkship. Later he was engaged as a clerk in the silk department of A.T. Stewart, a prominent dry goods merchant of New York city. In 1866 he returned to Battle Creek and accepted a clerkship here. The year following, he made his first independent business venture, engagin in a partnership with S.M. Ashby. In the year 1899, he gave is undivided attention to the real estate business. He was known for one of the most reliable and trustworthy men in his line of business in the city.
Mr. Decker married Miss Ruth A. Whitmore, the daughter of Giddings and Susan (Houston) Whitmore of Fredonia township, Calhoun County, and the marriage occurred on September 4, 1867.
Johannes and Ruth had two children. Lila died when she as age three in 1872. She died of Scarlet Fever which was prevalent in those days. They had another child that was born premature and was delivered as a stillborn in 1875.
Johannes was seventy years old at the time of his death and Ruth was eighty-five at the time of her death.
In April of 1911, the sorrowing widow of Mr. Decker caused to be erected at his burial place a handsome memorial. The solid granite square, about six feet in height, was shipped to Battle Creek in its rough state from Barre, Vermont, and was cut by A.O. McNaughton.
Nellie V. Walker, a Chicago sculptor, designed the bronze figure of a woman which is on the granite base. A working model of the figure was awarded first prize at the Art Institute in Chicago.
The figure in the monument is known in the local area as Crying Mary. Urban legend says that the figure cries at midnight on Sundays. The figure is neither Mary nor does she cry. As she is made of bronze, patina developed on her over the ages and streaks formed as the rain fell down her face. She has since been sandblasted back to her original beauty.
Mr. Decker married Miss Ruth A. Whitmore, the daughter of Giddings and Susan (Houston) Whitmore of Fredonia township, Calhoun County, and the marriage occurred on September 4, 1867.
Johannes and Ruth had two children. Lila died when she as age three in 1872. She died of Scarlet Fever which was prevalent in those days. They had another child that was born premature and was delivered as a stillborn in 1875.
Johannes was seventy years old at the time of his death and Ruth was eighty-five at the time of her death.
In April of 1911, the sorrowing widow of Mr. Decker caused to be erected at his burial place a handsome memorial. The solid granite square, about six feet in height, was shipped to Battle Creek in its rough state from Barre, Vermont, and was cut by A.O. McNaughton.
Nellie V. Walker, a Chicago sculptor, designed the bronze figure of a woman which is on the granite base. A working model of the figure was awarded first prize at the Art Institute in Chicago.
The figure in the monument is known in the local area as Crying Mary. Urban legend says that the figure cries at midnight on Sundays. The figure is neither Mary nor does she cry. As she is made of bronze, patina developed on her over the ages and streaks formed as the rain fell down her face. She has since been sandblasted back to her original beauty.
The statue on this monument is known as 'Weeping Mary'.∼Johannes Decker was the son of Josiah and Mary (Elma) Decker, both of Holland ancestry. They moved to Michigan when Johannes was a boy. Quite early in life he began his career as a dry goods man by accepting a clerkship. Later he was engaged as a clerk in the silk department of A.T. Stewart, a prominent dry goods merchant of New York city. In 1866 he returned to Battle Creek and accepted a clerkship here. The year following, he made his first independent business venture, engagin in a partnership with S.M. Ashby. In the year 1899, he gave is undivided attention to the real estate business. He was known for one of the most reliable and trustworthy men in his line of business in the city.
Mr. Decker married Miss Ruth A. Whitmore, the daughter of Giddings and Susan (Houston) Whitmore of Fredonia township, Calhoun County, and the marriage occurred on September 4, 1867.
Johannes and Ruth had two children. Lila died when she as age three in 1872. She died of Scarlet Fever which was prevalent in those days. They had another child that was born premature and was delivered as a stillborn in 1875.
Johannes was seventy years old at the time of his death and Ruth was eighty-five at the time of her death.
In April of 1911, the sorrowing widow of Mr. Decker caused to be erected at his burial place a handsome memorial. The solid granite square, about six feet in height, was shipped to Battle Creek in its rough state from Barre, Vermont, and was cut by A.O. McNaughton.
Nellie V. Walker, a Chicago sculptor, designed the bronze figure of a woman which is on the granite base. A working model of the figure was awarded first prize at the Art Institute in Chicago.
The figure in the monument is known in the local area as Crying Mary. Urban legend says that the figure cries at midnight on Sundays. The figure is neither Mary nor does she cry. As she is made of bronze, patina developed on her over the ages and streaks formed as the rain fell down her face. She has since been sandblasted back to her original beauty.
Mr. Decker married Miss Ruth A. Whitmore, the daughter of Giddings and Susan (Houston) Whitmore of Fredonia township, Calhoun County, and the marriage occurred on September 4, 1867.
Johannes and Ruth had two children. Lila died when she as age three in 1872. She died of Scarlet Fever which was prevalent in those days. They had another child that was born premature and was delivered as a stillborn in 1875.
Johannes was seventy years old at the time of his death and Ruth was eighty-five at the time of her death.
In April of 1911, the sorrowing widow of Mr. Decker caused to be erected at his burial place a handsome memorial. The solid granite square, about six feet in height, was shipped to Battle Creek in its rough state from Barre, Vermont, and was cut by A.O. McNaughton.
Nellie V. Walker, a Chicago sculptor, designed the bronze figure of a woman which is on the granite base. A working model of the figure was awarded first prize at the Art Institute in Chicago.
The figure in the monument is known in the local area as Crying Mary. Urban legend says that the figure cries at midnight on Sundays. The figure is neither Mary nor does she cry. As she is made of bronze, patina developed on her over the ages and streaks formed as the rain fell down her face. She has since been sandblasted back to her original beauty.
Gravesite Details
Burial date 1/21/1910
