This county is named after naval hero Stephen Decatur, Jr., who gained national recognition in the First Barbary War,the Second Barbary War,and the War of 1812 by his leadership and achievements at sea.
In 2015, the Decatur County clerk of court and the entire staff of that office resigned, to express conscientious objection to the United States Supreme Court's ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, which would oblige the office to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples [REF].