GENERAL CHARLES DECKER

Charles was born in Missisippi, the fourth of 5 kids to Jacob and Mary Decker.  The earliest photos of "Little Charlie" Decker give his age as 19 indicating his career began in 1874.    In 1883 Charles had a part in the comedy-drama "Karl" staged by Charles A. Gardner. Gardner was known as the "funniest German dialect comedian" indicating that little Charlie was of German heritage and was fluent in the language of his parents.    Charles was known as "Major Decker" or "General Decker" but on most of his cartes de visite he is simply identified as "Mr. Charles Decker".     Authors Roth and Cromie in their book "Little People" say Charlie "was a regular performer in museums from coast to coast".  The author's go on to say that Charles ran a newstand during the Civil War years "in his native Nashville , Tennessee" but that couldn't be true as Charles would have been under 9 years old then!     If his publicity  info is to be believed, Charlie was "rather a mechanical genius, the organ of constructiveness

Probably dressed up here for his role in "Karl", note date of death given in lower right corner

predominating.  He is benevolent, generous and courteous, socially but shrewd and witty in business transactions.  Since the death of his father his avocation has been that of a newsdealer, his pleasing and agreeable manners and modest reserve, winning for him many admirers and warm-hearted friends."

If he truly was 19 here, the year would be 1874

When Charlie died in Chicago in 1893 at the age of 44 all his accomplishments were forgotten, however, and the only thing his brief  obituary cared to mention was that he "was drunk half his life" and died of chronic alcoholism.