James A. Proctor was born in 1829 in Kentucky . He and his wife, the former Mary Hunt, were both from Rock Castle County , Kentucky . Both came to Texas in 1853 and to Wise County in 1854. They were the first couple to be married in Wise County . His original land pre-emption was for 160 acres.  Most of this acreage was where Decatur now stands. He donated property to Wise County for the County seat. The Proctors moved from Decatur to Sweetwater Creek. Several years later they moved to Old Bridgeport, which became their permanent home. And so it was because of the generosity of a Bridgeport citizen that Decatur grew atop its hill.