My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in Portrait and Biographical Album of Greene and Clark Counties, Ohio published by Chapman Bros., in 1890.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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JOSEPH N. DEAN. The Dean family has been one of note in Greene County since its early settlement, and the subject of this biographical outline is one of the worthiest representatives of an honorable race. Xenia does not contain a more reliable citizen or one who is held in more general respect. He was born in the southeastern part of this county, August 22, 1844, and is the son of Joseph and Hannah (Boggs) Dean, who were natives of Kentucky and Ohio. His early years were spent in a comparatively uneventful manner on a farm, where he attended the district school. Later, before the war, he was a student of Xenia College and attended the same institution afterward. He afterward took a course in the Commercial College at Pittsburg, Pa., from which he was graduated in 1869. He then commenced the study of law in the office of Thomas Scroggy. Later he was with R. F. Howard, and in 1878, he entered the law school at Cincinnati from which he was graduated in 1879.

Mr. Dean began the practice of his chosen profession at Mt. Sterling, Ky., but only remained there a short time, locating in Xenia. His career thenceforward was marked by success and in 1882 he was elected Prosecuting Attorney, holding the position two terms. He has been quite prominent in the affairs of the Republican party, serving as Chairman of the Senatorial Convention which was held at Wilmington, Ohio, and holding other positions of trust and responsibility.

After the outbreak of the Civil War Mr. Dean enlisted as a Union soldier September 17, 1861, at Wilmington in Company B, Fortieth Ohio Infantry, and first saw the smoke of battle at Prestonburg, Ky. Later he fought at Franklin, Tenn., Chickamauga, Shelbyville, Lookout Mountain, Mission Ridge, Buzzard’s Roost, Ringgold, Resaca, Kenesaw Mountain and Atlanta. At Chickamauga he was struck in the right check with a ball, but further than this he escaped injury. Mr. Dean had thirty-six relatives in the service, all of whom returned home and thirty-four are yet living. Mr. Dean received his honorable discharge at Kingston and returning to his home in this county, lived there until 1878. He took up his residence in Xenia in 1879.

Joseph Dean, the father of our subject, was born near Mt. Sterling, Ky., December 30, 1804. In 1812 his parents removed to a point five miles southeast of the present site of Xenia and there spent the remainder of his days. The paternal grandfather, Daniel Dean, was born in County Down, in Londonderry, Ireland, and crossed the Atlantic during the Colonial days, locating in Pennsylvania. Later he removed to Virginia where he married Jenny Steele, and thence to Mt. Sterling, Ky. There were born to them five sons and five daughters, all of whom lived to marry and rear large families — an average of eleven children each, making in all one hundred and ten children. On the maternal side, Grandfather Anthony Boggs, came from the North of Ireland and settled in Virginia. After the Revolutionary War he removed to Jackson County, Ohio, where he lived until 1818, and thence removed to Blackford County, Ind., where he became a prominent citizen and a Judge.

Joseph N. Dean was first married in Wilmington, Ohio, in 1867, to Miss Lydia, daughter of James and Mary Cleaver, who spent their last years in Greene County, Ohio. One child was born of this union, a son, Walter P. Mrs. Lydia Dean departed this life at Wilmington, Ohio, in 1874. His present wife, to whom he was married at Adamsville, Ohio, in 1887, was Miss Mary, daughter of Jonathan and Mabala Gaumer. Of this union there have been born no children. Mr. Dean votes. the straight Republican ticket and is quite prominent in politics.

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This family biography is one of the many biographies included in Portrait and Biographical Album of Greene and Clark Counties, Ohio published by Chapman Bros., in 1890. 

View additional Greene County, Ohio family biographies here: Greene County, Ohio Biographies

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