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.

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