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Here Lies a Revolutionary War Soldier: John Deck

John Deck headstone, Shrum Cemetery, Bollinger County, Missouri
John Deck headstone, Shrum Cemetery, Bollinger County, Missouri

In celebration of the 250th Anniversary of our country, local members of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution will highlight the patriots buried in Southeast Missouri.

John Deck was born on March 15, 1765, in Lincoln, North Carolina, to Mathias Adam Deck and Susannah Dubbs.

John married Sarah Cook in 1785 in North Carolina. They had five sons and eight daughters: John Deck married first Mary Willims, second Elenor Garrett; Catherine Deck married Henry Baker; Abraham Deck married Mary Baker, Isaac Deck married Sarah Rhodes; Mary Ann “Polly” Deck married Nicholas Shrum; Thomas Washington Deck married Sarah Barks; Fanny Deck married Philip Wise; Joseph Deck married Unknown; and Sarah Deck married Jacob Barks II. Nancy Deck did not marry and may have died young, as well as three daughters that did not survive infancy.

In his 1832 Pension application (R 2826V), he stated that he entered the Army in October of 1781 under Captain James Little and Colonel Frances Lock. He was part of a unit guarding British Prisoners from the Battle of Eutaw Spring and was discharged December 15, 1781. John continued to live in North Carolina until 1809 when he moved to Missouri. He settled near Glen Allen in Bollinger County, Missouri. He remained on that property until he died in December of 1841 at the age of 76. John is buried in the Shrum Cemetery in Bollinger County.

Several of his descendants have joined the Daughters of the American Revolution through three of his children. In the January 9, 2025, Southeast Missourian, the Allen Laws Oliver Chapter was asking descendants to contact them so that a new commemorative headstone could be placed.

Sources:

U.S. General Land Office Records, 1776-2015 for John Deck https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1246
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/28770550/john-deck
https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/48141/images/RejectedAppsRevWar-005962-432
U.S. Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, 1800-1900 https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1995

In addition to being a member of the John Guild Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Johnson retired as adjunct faculty at SEMO in May of 2022. She taught Forensic Science classes for the Chemistry Department for many years.