Robert Lee Dean Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1085-1086 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				ROBERT LEE DEAN. 

	Robert Lee Dean, living at Faulkton, was born at Millersburn, 
Illinois, December 2, 1877, his parents being James O. and Elida J. 
(Goddard) Dean. The father was born on the Ohio river, between Virginia 
and Ohio, but claims the latter state as that of his nativity, the year 
of his birth being 1846. In early life he followed farming and in 1882 
he removed from Illinois to South Dakota, settling at Burdette, 
seventeen miles east of St. Lawrence, where he built a store and 
engaged in general merchandising, conducting that business successfully 
for about twenty years. He then disposed of his stock of goods and 
afterward turned his attention to farming and stock-raising until 1912, 
when he took up his abode in Rockham, Faulk county, where he is now 
engaged in the implement business. He still owns farm lands and his 
property returns to him a good income. About 1895 he was elected a 
member of the state legislature, in which position he served for two 
years. He also came within eight votes of being elected register of 
deeds on the peoples party ticket notwithstanding the fact that Hand is 
a strong republican county. His wife, who was born at Millersburg, 
Illinois, May 14, 1853, also survives and they became the parents of 
eight children, of whom Robert Lee is the third in order of birth and 
is the eldest of the five yet living. 

	Robert L. Dean was but five years of age when he accompanied his 
parents to Burdette, where he pursued a public-school education, 
completing the work of the eighth grade. He afterward took an 
examination and secured a teacher's certificate although he did not 
expect to teach. When about eighteen years of age he took charge of his 
father's store and on attaining his majority became the owner of that 
property, which he continued to conduct for about two years and then 
sold it. He went to Redfield, where he assumed the management of the 
grocery department in a department store, which he conducted for three 
years. He then went to Rockham, where he engaged in the hardware and 
implement business, developing an extensive trade, his annual sales 
reaching over seventy thousand dollars annually. He continued there 
from 1905 until 1912, when he was elected to the office of county 
treasurer. He then sold out an eighteen thousand dollar stock of goods 
and removed to Faulkton, where he assumed the duties of his present 
position on the 1st of January, 1913. He is still the owner of two 
valuable farms in Hand county together with business property at Zell 
and residence property at Rockham. He now devotes his entire time to 
the duties of his office although he is still heavily interested in 
machinery, handling threshers, plow outfits, etc. 

	On the 24th of October, 1900, Mr. Dean was married to Miss Agnes 
M. Roach, who was born in or near Ripon, Wisconsin, a daughter of John 
and Mary (Joyce) Roach, natives of New York and Wisconsin respectively. 
The father at one time engaged in the livery business and in 1885 came 
to Dakota territory, settling near Burdette, where he still makes his 
home. To Mr. and Mrs. Dean have been born two sons: Robert James, born 
November 20, 1901; and William Louis, whose birth occurred on March 22, 
1908. The wife and mother passed away November 5, 1913, at Battle 
Creek, Michigan, where she had gone for treatment. 

	Mr. Dean is a Mason, belonging to both the lodge and chapter at 
Faulkton, and he also has membership with the United Workmen. In 
politics he is a democrat and while at Rockham served as a member of 
the city council and also as chairman of the board of education. He has 
exerted considerable influence in local political circles and his 
opinions carry weight in the councils of his party.