Perl D. Decker (September 10, 1875 – August 22, 1934) was a

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

from

Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...

. Born on a farm near

Coolville, Ohio Coolville is a village located in Troy Township, Athens County, Ohio, United States, in the southeast area of the state. The population was 452 at the 2020 census. History In 1818 Coolville was platted (laid out by) by Simeon W. Cooley, for w ...

, Decker moved with his parents to a farm near Hollis, Kansas, in 1879. He attended the public schools of Cloud County, and Park College,

Parkville, Missouri Parkville is a city in Platte County, Missouri, Platte County, Missouri, United States and is a part of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. The population was 7,177 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. According to the 2022 census, the ...

, from which he graduated in 1897. He graduated in law from the

University of Kansas at Lawrence The University of Kansas (KU) is a public research university with its main campus in Lawrence, Kansas, United States. Two branch campuses are in the Kansas City metropolitan area on the Kansas side: the university's medical school and hospital ...

in 1899. He was admitted to the bar in 1900 and commenced practice at

Joplin, Missouri Joplin is a city in Jasper County, Missouri, Jasper and Newton County, Missouri, Newton counties in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Missouri. The bulk of the city is in Jasper County, while the southern portion is in Newton County. J ...

. He served as city attorney from 1900 to 1902. Decker was elected as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...

to the Sixty-third, Sixty-fourth, and Sixty-fifth Congresses (March 4, 1913 – March 3, 1919). On April 5, 1917, he was one of 50 representatives who voted against declaring war on Germany. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1918 to the Sixty-sixth Congress. He resumed the practice of law in

. He served as delegate to the

Democratic National Convention The Democratic National Convention (DNC) is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 18 ...

1932 Events January * January 4 – The British authorities in India arrest and intern Mahatma Gandhi and Vallabhbhai Patel. * January 9 – Sakuradamon Incident (1932), Sakuradamon Incident: Korean nationalist Lee Bong-chang fails in his effort ...

. He died in

Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City, Missouri, abbreviated KC or KCMO, is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri by List of cities in Missouri, population and area. The city lies within Jackson County, Missouri, Jackson, Clay County, Missouri, Clay, and Pl ...

, August 22, 1934. He was interred in Mount Hope Cemetery,

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Decker, Perl D. 1875 births 1934 deaths University of Kansas School of Law alumni Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Missouri Politicians from Joplin, Missouri People from Athens County, Ohio 20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives