WILLIAM S. DEAN is meeting with more than ordinary success as one of the industrious and wide-awake farmers and fruitgrowers in Marion County. Besides having sixty acres of farming land he owns twenty acres which are devoted entirely to fruit-raising, Mr. Dean making a specialty of strawberries. His property is favorably located on section 5, Odin Township, and is one of the best equipped and most intelligently cultivated in the township.
Our subject is the son of G. L. and Irena (Wheeler) Dean, the former of whom was the son of Nathan and Mary (Thayer) Dean, natives of Massachusetts, where also the father of our subject was born. The grandfather was a farmer by occupation and emigrated to Ohio in 1813, making the journey overland, his destination being Athens County. There he purchased and improved a valuable farm. He was a patriot in the Revolutionary War, during which time lie formed one of the famous Boston tea party.
The father of our subject was born in 1799, and although too young to engage in the War of 1812, he had a brother who participated in that conflict. He was reared to mature years on his father's farm, and after his marriage made civil engineering a study and later aided in the survey of the National pike road in Ohio. He also followed the trade of a carpenter to some extent, and in 1850 removed with his family to Iowa, where his decease occurred in 1855, his good wife surviving him until February, 1890, when she too passed away.
In the parental family there were twelve children, three of whom died young. Those who grew to mature years but are now deceased are,
Those who survive beside our subject are,
The parents were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in bis political relations the father was a Whig.
W. S. Dean, of this sketch, remained under the parental roof until reaching mature years, in the meantime being educated, first in the district school's near his home, and later in the Denmark Academy, at Denmark, Iowa. He began for himself at the bottom of the ladder and for man}- years followed the trade of a carpenter, which he had mastered. He came to Marion County in 1861 and that year he purchased forty acres of land. Later he added a like amount to his tract and is now carrying on a very profitable business as a fruit-grower.
October 19, 1864, Mr. Dean and Miss Ermina H. Watts were united in marriage. Mrs. Dean is the daughter of Mitchell V. and Sarah L. (Lewellen) Watts, natives of Virginia. She was born in Louisville, Ky., and by her union with our subject became the mother of three children,
Mr. Watts, the father of Mrs. Dean, owned a large livery stable in Louisville, and departed this life when she was twelve years of age. Her mother passed away when she was very young.
In his political relations our subject is a trueblue Republican. He has always been prominent in local affairs and for two terms served as Supervisor.
Source: "Portrait and Biographical Record Clinton, Washington, Marion and Jefferson Counties, Illinois"
Chapman Publishing Co, Chicago, 1894
Pages 402
Submitted by Sandy (Whalen) Bauer