Lydecker Family.

Charles Edward Lydecker was born in New York City on 26 May 1851. He received his primary and secondary education in both public and private schools in New York City, before entering the City College of New York, where he graduated with honor in 1871. He received a scholarship to study law at Columbia College, graduating in 1873. He was admitted to the bar in 1873, but did not become engaged in law practice immediately, choosing instead an appointment as tutor, then in 1875 as instructor at the City University of New York. There he remained until resigning in 1881, whence he began his legal career. His specialty was estate administration which, in some cases, involved contesting wills. In addition, he handled cases involving matters of marital separation and divorce; and commercial and corporate law. Besides his law practice, he devoted much time to service as an officer of Company H, Seventh Regiment of the New York State National Guard. He enlisted in 1874, beginning as a private, then gradually moving up the ranks: corporal (1881); sergeant (1882); lieutenant (1884); captain (1888), and finally as major (1901). He was honorably discharged from duty in 1909. Thereafter, he was active in the 7th regiment veterans organization.

Other prominent positons held by Charles Lydecker were: the presidencies of the National Guard Association (1906) and National Security League (1916). Both organizations advocated a strong national militia and defense policy for the United States, which was the subject of periodicals, articles and pamphlets authored by Charles Lydecker. He was first married in 1882 to Ella Voorhis, who died in 1889, leaving three children: Leigh Kent (1884-1969), Kenneth (1886-1954) and Nathalie (1888-1963). He was again married in 1907 to Josephine B. Pond. The family resided at "Howcroft" Farm in Maywood, New Jersey.

Leigh Kent Lydecker was born 31 October 1882 in Greenwich, Connecticut. His early life was spent in Maywood, New Jersey, where he was educated at public and private schools. He graduated from the Stevens Institute of Technology, (Hoboken, NJ) with an M.E. in 1902. He then entered New York University School of Law, from which he graduated with the degree of L.L.B. in 1904. He was admitted to the bar of New York in 1904, and then actively practiced law in New York City until his retirement in 1965. Like his father, whose practice he assumed in 1920, Leigh specialized in estate administration and trust work.

Like his father, Leigh Lydecker also served in Company H of the Seventh Regiment in the New York State National Guard. He attained the rank of corporal while on active duty from 1904 - 1908. He returned to active duty in 1916, serving in the Depot Battalion until the following year when the United States entered the first World War, he was transferred to the First Officers Training Camp at Fort Monroe, Virginia. There, he was commissioned First Lieutenant, Field Artillery Officers Reserve Corps. in August 1917, and assigned to the 149th Field Artillery, 42nd Rainbow Division which fought in the battles along the Lorraine and Champagne Fronts in France. In July 1918, he was promoted to the rank of captain, and then reassigned to the Field Artillery Brigade Filing Center in Anniston, Alabama, where he was in charge of training and instruction. In November, he was transferred to Fayetteville, North Carolina, where he assited in the layout and design of Fort Bragg. He was honorably discharged from full-time active duty on 23 December 1918, then promoted to major on 19 February 1919, and assigned to the 153rd Field Artillery Brigade. In 1928, he was commissioned Lieutenant Colonel and assigned to the 307th Reigment Field Artillery which drilled many summers as Pine Camp, New York.

Leigh Lydecker was trustee of the Maywood Christian Association, that later became the First Presbyterian Church, Maywood, New Jersey. He was a member of Christ (Episcopal) Church of Hackensack, New Jersey serving many times as vestryman and warden. In addition, a regular participant in Newark Diocesan conventions and committees. He was also a trustee for the Hackensack YMCA/YWCA for thirty-five years. He was actively involved in Phi Delta Phi, and Phi Gamma Delta legal fraterities, Holland Society, Army Navy Club, and New York County Lawyers Association. Other notable positions held by Leigh Lydecker were the presidency of the Alox Corporation and several times major of Maywood, New Jersey. Regularly on the fourth of July, he mounted a large white horse and, wearing his military uniform, led the celebratory town parade. He passed away on 11 February 1969.

Dorothy Fisher Lydecker was born on Hackensack, New Jersey on 24 March 1893. She graduated from the Hackensack High School with the class of 1912. After two years of study at the Art Student's League in New York, she went to Goucher College, Baltimore, Maryland, graduating in 1918. Some of her activites at college included service on the staff of the "Goucher Weekly", art editor of "Donnybrook Fair", designer of costumes for the senior play, and membership on the class swimming team. After graduation, she enlisted as a canteen worker for the American Expeditionary Forces, YMCA, working in the Lederle Antitoxin Laboratory until called upon for service in December. She sailed for England 31 December 1918, and worked in canteens at Knotly Ash Camp, Liverpool, and at Gievres, France. She was discharged from service September 1919. For some time following the war she served in the Navy Club of New York City.

On 21 October 1922 she married Leigh Kent Lydecker, bearing five children. Though as a wife and mother she continued to be active in church and numerous social clubs and chritable organizations, the Save the Children Federation was of special interest to her. During World War II, she was a nurse's aid at the Hackensack Medical Center. She passed away 24 January 1982.