Decker, Cornelius Isaac and Elizabeth Morris

Cornelius was born Feb. 11, 1855. Cornelius was the son of Zechariah Bruyn Decker, Sr. He married Elizabeth Morris of Parowan in 1875. Initially he went to Snowflake, AZ and established title to land where he built a house and prepared to make his home. However, upon returning to Parowan, he met Silas S. Smith's company of explorers headed to San Juan. Two of his brothers: James and Zechariah Jr., were members of that company; thus his attention turns towards San Juan. (See rest of his journal in Hole in the Rock p. 191-196.) Quotes from his journal

Children on the trek: Cornelius William and Eugene Morris

Cornelius is mentioned often in Miller's Hole in the Rock: pp. 59, 61, 68,73,74,101, 104, 127, 132, 162, 174, 191-196
Elizabeth is also mentioned on pp. 76, 79, 80, 116, 119, 128, 196-200 of Miller's book.

A letter to her parents: Dear Father and Mother, we received yours of the 23 of Jan. and Feb 2nd and was more than glad to hear from you. I got yours of the 23 about a week ago but did not have a chance to answer it. Some men start from here tomorrow for Escalante and we thought maybe it would be the last chance we would get to write. We crossed the river on the 1st of Feb. all safe; was not half as scared as we thought we'd be, it was the easiest part of our journey. Coming down the hole in the rock to get to the river was ten times as bad. If you ever come this way it will scare you to death to look down it. It is about a mile from the top down to the river and it is almost straight down, the cliffs on each side are five hundred ft. high and there is just room enough for a wagon to go down. It nearly scared me to death. The first wagon I saw go down the put the brake on and rough locked the hind wheels and had a big rope fastened to the wagon and about ten men holding back on it and then they went down like they would smash everything. I'll never forget that day. When we was walking down Willie looked back and cried and asked me how we would get back home. Willie wants me to tell George that him and his pa had a more than a good ride on the river, him and Genie got their valentines just two days too soon and was nearly tickled to death. They have got them yet and show them to everybody in camp. Cornelius has gone back after stock and will be gone for 10 days while the rest of the men work. We have go to another big rock, it will take about 10 days to fix it so we can go on. . . .(additional sections not included.) Letters are signed "Lizzie Decker")