Dean, William L.

DEAN

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 9/16/2019 at 17:21:10

William L. Dean

(From the 1891 Biographical History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, p.254)
WILLIAM L. DEAN came to Wright Township, Pottawattamie County, Iowa, in 1856, and has since made this place his home. He was born in Rhode Island, December 18, 1848, son of EDWARD and MARY A. (WEST) DEAN, prominent and early citizens of this township. A further account of them will be found in another page of this work, in the sketch of WARREN DEAN. The subject of this sketch is the youngest of the family and was only 7 years of age when his parents came West and located in this township, being among the pioneer settlers here. He attended the public schools and grew to manhood on the frontier. To the rudiments of an education thus obtained he added a larger knowledge by private study and reading at home.

He was married November 2, 1868, in Cass Co, Iowa to Miss EMILY WRIGHT, daughter of SIMEON and EMELINE (ARNOLD) WRIGHT, the former a native of Massachusetts and the latter of New York. Her father is a prominent pioneer of this township, it having been named in his honor. For several years he was a member of the County Board of Supervisors. Mr. DEAN remained on the home farm for five years after his marriage and then came to his present farm, which he had partly improved before removing to it. He first purchased 80 acres and from time to time as fortune favored him, he bought more land until he is now the owner of 500 acres, one of the best farms in the eastern part of the county. His residence, a modern frame house with bay windows and porches, was built in 1881, at a cost of $2,100. It is surrounded by a beautiful lawn, dotted over with evergreens and shrubs and makes a cozy and attractive home. Mr. DEAN has a good barn with a rock foundation, other farm buildings and conveniences, and a supply of water near the surface of the ground. His farm is divided into ten different fields, separated by good fences. Twenty acres of river bottom are in timber, and he also has a ten-acre grove of thrifty young trees.

Mr. and Mrs. DEAN have five children, namely: Augusta M., who has been a teacher and is now attending Simpson College at Indianola; Charlotte B., Edward A., Georgia May, and Alice Effie, all at home. Mr. Dean was a member of the Christian Church when that society had an organization in this vicinity, but more recently he has taken an active interest in the Methodist Episcopal Church of Whipple, of which his wife and two daughters are members. He is a Republican and is the present Trustee of Wright Township. He has also served several years on the School Board.