MAJOR J. DEAN AND FAMILY, Smith County, TX ***************************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm Submitted by Debbie Brown - cottagehill@altavista.com 23 May 2001 ***************************************************************** MAJOR J. DEAN AND FAMILY "Some Biographies of Old Settlers." Historical, Personal and Reminiscent. Volume I By Sid S. Johnson, 1900: Sid S. Johnson, Publisher, Tyler, Texas Chapter LXXVI. - Pages 309-313 - Picture M. J. Dean was born in Anderson district, South Carolina, March 20th, 1831. Came to Texas in the fall of 1851, landing at Galveston Nov. 1st, of that year, and traveled over the greater part of Eastern Texas. He thought more of “the girl he had left behind him” than of penetrating the great West Texas, hence he returned to South Carolina in 1852 and married Miss Fannie Rice, an accomplished young woman of the Palmetto state, remaining there until 1859 before returning to Texas-–first to Dallas county, and in 1860, he settled two miles south of Tyler, and soon after the war, moved to his present home in the Indian Creek community. Mrs. Dean was born in the city of Anderson, May the 3rd, 1833, in the state of her marriage. Major and Mrs. Dean had born to them seven children-–J. Y., I. R., O. W., Walter E., Lou J., R. A., and Bettie N. In June, 1861, M. J. Dean enlisted in Capt. Wm. H. Smith’s company, 7th Texas (Gregg’s) infantry. He was made 2nd Lieut. of the company. The regiment was made prisoners at the surrender of Fort Donaldson. Lieut. Dean was detailed to bring home the remains of ____ Jones and Judson Epperson, of the same company, who had died at Hopkinsville, Ky., thus escaping the prisoned fate of that heroic garrison. Another fact worthy to preserve here, is, that these two gallant Smith county boys were the first Confederate dead consigned to the mother earth in the Tyler cemetery. After performing this sad duty to his dead comrades, he returned east of the Mississippi river, reported in person to Gen. Beauregard, resigned his position, returned to this department, joined the 15th Texas infantry, remaining with that command until the end of the civil war. He is a Southerner of firm convictions, loyal to her institutions, hence, he made a loyal, gallant Confederate soldier. J. Y. Dean married Miss Nettie Chambliss. They had twelve children-– Fannie M., Ann L., Walter W., Thomas, Claud F., Nettie, Clara, Bettie E., Lucy, Ruth, Cecil and Jessie M. I. R. Dean married Miss Jennie B. Soword, of Weatherford, Texas. Have seven children—-Asa, Paul, Roy, Charles M., Frank A., Horace and Lizzie M. Walter Dean married Miss Mary Shelton. They had five children—-Fannie M., Edna, Walter E., Merchison and Trigg—-the last two are twins. Walter E. Dean died at Clover Bend, Ark., in 1895. Robert A. Dean married Miss Sallie E. Ponder. They had seven children—-Rosa, Robert, Roy P., Fannie M., Winnie, Jetter and Wayne F. Bettie N. Dean married James S. Swann. They have five children—- Fannie M., Sam D., Alice I., Willie Louis and James L. One grandchild married-–daughter of O. W. Dean–-who married G. A. Greer, of Bosque county, Texas. They have two children-—Pearle and Gilbert. The Dean family are intelligent, good progressive people who stand well at home and abroad. Three of the boys are eminent preachers. I. R. Dean taught school in Tyler; afterwards a professor in the Sam Houston Normal Institute at Huntsville, Texas. M. J. Dean has performed his part well in life, setting a good example. He built the Dean church house at his own expense, a monument to his Christian liberality. He and his excellent wife have given their children good educational advantages, and the children improved the opportunity by diligent study. The parents of the Dean family are worthy representatives of the people who came here before the civil war—-loyal to God, country and home. M. J. Dean is a well informed and practical farmer, deriving profit from advanced and intelligent farming. He was the pioneer in raising the ribbon cane and making syrup in Smith county. It has grown to be a large and profitable industry, since the planting made by Major Dean back in the early 70’s. Rev. J. Y. Dean was licensed as a Baptist minister by Dean church, in Smith county, in 1872; was ordained a few years later by Edom Baptist church. His ministerial duties were mostly in Western Texas, where he was appreciated. He has since become a preacher of the Gathered Brethren. Rev. I. R. Dean graduated at Nashville, Tennessee. He was made a licensed Baptist preacher by the Huntsville Baptist church, and filled the pulpits, as pastor, at Huntsville, Waxahachie and other churches with great ability. He changed to the Gathered Brethren and is doing work as a preacher of that faith and order. Rev. O. W. Dean resides in Bosque county, and about 1890, felt impressed to preach. He is a talented Baptist preacher, and has filled some very important charges. He is a successful revivalist; succeeds wherever he preached[sic]. He interests the people, wakes up the church and accomplishes great good. He is at present in charge of Mansfield and Pleasant Point churches, of Tarrant county, Texas. As preachers and citizens, the Dean brothers are brilliant, talented and popular, and work with an honest zeal for the Christian cause they have espoused. The grandfather of M. J. Dean was born in Virginia, 1754; his grandmother was born in Hagerstown, Maryland, a few years later. They moved to South Carolina just after the close of the war of 1776. His grandfather died in that state August 14th, 1826; his grandmother died in April, 1836. His mother’s father, Major Lewis, was born in London county, Va., in 1773, and emigrated to South Carolina, near the close of the eighteenth hundreth [sic] century. In 1803, he married Elizabeth Morehead, of Union county, South Carolina. His grandfather died in Anderson county, that state, August 15th, 1837. His grandmother died in the same county, in 1862.