The Dean Family
Edward Dean and Rebecca Abney
Edward Dean my sixth great grandfather was born about 1720 probably in Henrico County, Virginia. He married Rebecca Abney about 1740 probably in Henrico County. General Abney consensus is that Rebecca was the daughter of Abraham Abney and Cassandra Meredith (see the discussion about two paragraphs down in italics).
Edward must have been a wonderful person. In the pension application of Joshua Dean, C. B. Turner talks about how "Joshua Dean's father raised his father (an orphan) and that his father died and left him and his mother in the care of the Deans". It must have been difficult to take in another mouth with at least six children of your own to feed. Then Joshua continued to look out after the family during the war. Ironic that Edward Dean's children, including Julius would be bound out after he died.
In addition Edward must have been quite a patriot. At least two of his sons Julius and Joshua joined the Continental Line of the Army when they were in their thirties. His grandson John who was his oldest son John's oldest son also joined the Continental Line of the Army. This was very unusual on the frontier where the majority of frontiersmen join militia units and didn't want the restrictions of the regular army. In addition, both Julius and Joshua joined militia units after their tour of duty.
Link to all the Land, Court and Tax Records for Edward Dean Senior and Rebecca Abney Dean
The first official record I have of Edward is in February 1743 from the
St. Johns Vestry Book, Henrico County, Virginia p. 71 "Whereas, by order present Lands, John Pheris, Thomas Elmore, William Gathrit, one line joining Elmore; Capt. James Cocke not done; Processional Joseph Childers, Charles Winfrey, Anthony Matthews, Edward Allen, Arobiria Elmore, Martin Martin, Joseph Watson, Richard Williamson, William Ives, William Sprague, John Leason, Edward Dean...."
Then in November of 1745 Edward appears in a document where Abraham Abney sells a plantation in Hanover County on which Edward Dean was living. This has led to speculation that Rebecca Abney's father was Dr. Abraham Abney. It is interesting to note that George Abney bought property on Gillies Creek in 1728. I wonder what the connection is between the two land holdings.
"Hanover Co., Va. of Dr. Abraham ABNEY to Isaac BREEDING dated 04 Oct 1745 and recorded 1st Mon. Nov 1745. as follows: Abraham ABNEY of Hanover Co. to Isaac BREEDING of Blissland Par., New Kent Co., for £27/10, all that plantation which Edward DEAN now lives on, part of a greater tract formerly belonging to said ABNEY, 172 a. bounded by Gilleys Creek. /s/ Abra. ABNEY, Casan ABNEY. /w/ William BRUCE, Edward (his + mark) DEAN, William (his g mark) GADBRY. Casana, wife of Abraham, relinquished her dower right."
See following discussion written by R. R. Abney about whether Rebecca Abney's
father was Dr. Abraham Abney or George Abney.
"It is well known that George owned land in Hanover Co., Va.
However, in 1745, George lived in Henrico Co., Va., having had removed from
Hanover by 1735.
So here we have Edward DEAN living on Dr. Abraham ABNEY's land, and witnessing
the deed to sell that land, as well. So where would Edward DEAN live after this
land was sold? Simple answer: Lunenburg Co., Va. That’s right! At this time, he
migrated with Dr. Abraham ABNEY to Lunenburg Co., Va. Also going to Lunenburg
around this time was George ABNEY and shortly thereafter, William SPRAGGINS,
brother-in-law of Dr. Abraham & George.
So, although these ABNEY's migrated to the same area around the same time,
Edward DEAN, who was living on Dr. Abraham's land, seems to have migrated "with"
Dr. Abraham (as we can assume that since Edward DEAN's home was being sold, he
must also need a new place to live). These ABNEY's & Edward DEAN are proved to
have migrated to Lunenburg Co.
Okay, suppose we think there could be some credence given to this theory. If
Edward DEAN was son-in-law to Dr. Abraham ABNEY, then Rebecca ABNEY was Dannett
ABNEY's first cousin. How then did Edward DEAN refer to him as "brother-in-law".
There is circumstantial evidence pointing toward a simple answer to this
question.
Dannett ABNEY (s/o George) m. Cassandra. Her surname is not known. However, is
it purely coincidental that Dr. Abraham's wife was also named Cassandra? Suppose
Dr. Abraham and his wife, Cassandra named a daughter Cassandra. Further suppose
that she married her cousin, Dannett ABNEY. Since this Cassandra ABNEY would be
a daughter of Dr. Abraham ABNEY, she would also be a sister of Rebecca ABNEY,
hence a sister-in-law to Edward DEAN. Therefore, her husband (Dannett ABNEY, s/o
George) would also be a brother-in-law to Rebecca ABNEY and to Rebecca's
husband, Edward DEAN! Here, we have the pieces to the puzzle fitting perfectly
into place!
If we use the great weight or preponderance of the evidence, we have to go with
this theory, as opposed to the theory that Rebecca was a daughter of George.
Why? Here’s the greater weight of the evidence:
Edward DEAN as a son-in-law of: Dr. Abraham living on his land - wife not in
George’s will - called Dannett bro-in-law - ditto migrated with him. The only
evidence we have that Rebecca was a daughter of George was that Edward DEAN
called Dannett ABNEY his brother-in-law! However, that statement still holds
true in the author’s theory!
Is there additional evidence? Perhaps. In his book "ABNEY Supplement" by Cousin
John R. HENSELL 1988, Cousin John writes (on page 109) "Edward DEAN...In a deed
he mentions Nathaniel ABNEY as his brother-in-law". Does such a deed really
exist or is this a typographical error? Perhaps Cousin John can shed some light
on this subject.
Nevertheless, without this deed, the greater weight or preponderance of the
evidence is very much in favor of accepting this theory above the older theory.
The author believes, therefore, that our research should be geared toward
proving the children of Dr. Abraham ABNEY, of whom it now appears that Rebecca
and Cassandra are in that category!"
Source R.R. Abney
October 1, 1756
John Dyer 400 Beginning at Edward Deans upper corner thence to the Head of
Terrible & out westerly for Complt.
Source: Entry Record Book 1737-1770 (Land entries in the present Virginia
Counties of Halifax, Pittsylvania, Henry, Franklin, and Patrick) p. 244
Then in 1760 Edward Deans began to run into financial trouble and by April
1761 he died.
May Court 1760
p.84
James Hunt, Plt, vs Edward Dean, Deft, In Debt. This day came the Plt by his (P.
85) atty, and the Deft failing to answer the Plt’s plea, judgment for Plt for 38
pounds 2 shillings and 11 pence, but to be discharged by the payment of half of
the afd sum and interest from May 10, 1758.
Halifax County Plea Book 3, 1760
Then from the Vestry Book of Antrim Parish, Halifax County, Virginia, 1752-1817.
It appearing to his Vestry that Edward Dean is Infirm Ordered that he be exempt
from paying Parish Levys until he shall have recovered his Infirmity.
April 2, 1761
135 Edward Dean - Will
"...sick & weak of body.."
To Rebecca Dean my wife my plantation with all land from 2nd branch upwards.
Also my household goods, chattels & all debts due by account during her life
except one mare & colt value about five pounds sterling, I give to John Dean my
eldest son. My plantation, etc. which I lend to my wife as aforesaid I give to
Edward Dean my son. What remains of the moveables at wifes decease I give &
bequeath to Chiles Dean & Joshua Dean my sons and the child my wife is now
pregnant with. The remainder of my land I dispose of as followeth: to Julius
Dean & his heirs I give the lower part up to the second branch before mentioned.
To William Dean the land on the e.s. of Spider Creek from Juliuses line except
20 acres I give to my son John Dean & heirs which is on the s.s. at head of sd
Spider Creek.
Exr: Dennit Abney & Charles Dean, my brother-in-law & brother and my wife
Rebeckah Dean
Dated: 2 April 1761 /s/ Edward Dean
Wit: Joseph Collins, Stephen Collins, John Rowden
WP 18 June 1761 Presented by Rebecca Dean, Exrs. & proved by witnesses.
Security: John Dean
Source Will Book 0
1752 – 1773, Halifax County, Virginia. P. 18
Edward had a modest estate and beyond the land on Spider Creek had few assets which could have been attributable to the fact he died about 41 years old.
In the
June Court 1763
Page 101
For reasons appearing to the Court, it is now ordered that the former order of
this Court for binding the orphans of Edward Dean, decd, be reversed and
annulled.
Halifax County, Virginia, Court Orders, 1763 – 1764 (Plea Book 4)
Then in the October Court they reversed themselves and bound his younger children out. John and Julius must have been of age. Why Thomas Tunstall wanted Charles is unknown. Tunstall was a wealthy landowner and merchant in Halifax County.
Ordered that the Church Wardens of Antrim Parish bind out Charles Dean, a poor
orphan of Edward Dean, decd, to Thomas Tunstall. And that they also bind out
Joshua, Edward & William, other orphans of the sd Edward [Dean].
Halifax County, Virginia, Court Orders, 1763 – 1764 (Plea Book 4)
Edward Dean and Rebecca Abney's Children
John Dean born about 1740 - 42 was the oldest son. He married Keziah Smith in Halifax County in 1764. See more detail in the next section.
We know that Julius was also a Revolutionary War soldier as a Private in the Georgia Continental Line and that he was born about 1755 in Halifax County, Virginia. In his brother Joshua's pension application it talks about how Joshua was captured by the British and Julius broke him out of jail.
Also we know that he sold his inheritance in 1869 to John Chisum.
183. p. 408 7 June 1769
Julius Dean of Bartlet County., South Carolina, to John Chisum of Halifax
County., for 17 pounds 10 shillings, 125 acres, +/-, on b.s. of Spider Cr., part
of a larger patent granted first to Edward Dean 10 June 1760, being the lower
end, and extending up the creek to the second branch from the lower line on w.s.
sd creek…a straight line from west line to the east line. All houses, orchards,
gardens, woods.
Signed: Julius (x) Dean
Witnesses: Peter (x) Royster, Stephen Collins, Joes Collins, Tabitha (x) Collins
Recorded 17 Aug. 1769
Deed Book 7 1767 – 1770 Halifax County, Virginia
By that time he was living in South Carolina. Although we don't know where Bartlet County is. More than likely that was a transcription error. Most of the Abney, Deans and Echols settled in Edgefield and Saluda Counties. Did he move south with some of his cousins? We know that Julius lived in the Edgefield District in South Carolina in 1835 when he was 80 years old. Julius started receiving his pension in 1819 in Edgefield District, South Carolina. You can see Julius' pension application. From his pension application we know that he had six adult children in 1820. I suspect his wife died before 1820 since she is not mentioned in the pension application or is there a widow's application.
It is not known when Julius
died.
Edward Jr. was to
inherit the home plantation after the death of his mother but according to John
W. Pritchett he died two months after his father died. "On 20 August 1761 the
same three individuals who would later inventory his father’s estate took
inventory of his estate. His mother was the administrator".
The next oldest son was Joshua who was born about 1750. He was bound out shortly after his Father died when he was 11. We don't know who he was bound out to.
He married his cousin Tabitha Mays whose mother was Dorcus Abney, daughter of George and Unity Abney. He and Tabitha had six children of which only two Sarah and Smallwood were alive in 1853. He died in 1801 in Edgefield County, South Carolina. He was in the Revolutionary War as a private in the Virginia Line and as a member of a Virginia militia. His heirs applied for a Revolutionary War Pension. and a transcription of the application. Somewhere I read his pension had been denied. I suspect it was because both Joshua and Tabitha were dead by the time it got through the bureaucracy and children only got pension if they were minors.
"Personally came before me C. B. Turner and sayeth on oath that he was born in the year on thousand seven hundred and sixty four the 10th day August at Halifax North Carolina and has been acquainted with Joshua Dean ever since he was born or ever since he could recollect and that Joshua Dean’s father raised his father (an orphan) and that his father died and left him and his mother in the care of the Deans and was three or four brothers Joshua, John, and William, the name of the other not recollected. When the war broke out Joshua Dean and William Dean and Julius Dean all went into the Army and did not see them in a year. Afterwards during that time my Mother moved to Sandsbury or Salisbury. The enemy had taken Julius Dean and put him jail at Salisbury. Joshua Dean came there to lay some plan to get Julius Dean out of jail. Joshua Dean succeeded in get him out. The enemy ordered every house to be set on fire. Among all the rest my mothers house was set ?? fire. Joshua Dean took me and my mother an put us in a bush until he could get a place for us. He carried us to a little place called Guilford. There he saw Joshua Dean and many others under Arms and recollects the name of the General was Smallwood. The general was very much ?? to me as small a boy in camps and noticed him a grate deal which make him recollect him. They was stationed at Guilford a while and had a battle there. Before the battle orders was give for woman and children to leave until after the battle. By the time Americans gain the fight and we all went back and saw Joshua Dean and several others in scouting parties after the Tories. Recollects at one time there was a scout and there was a very noted Tory by the name of Stuart. He was riding a very fine note horse. They took Stuart and his horse. The company caste lots for the horse. The lot fell to Joshua Dean and has seen the horse a grate many times after the war. Joshua Dean had the horse when he was married to Tabitha Mays. "
Joshua died May 20, 1801 or in 1799 in Edgefield District, South Carolina. He must have been a very interesting person.
Charles Dean was born in 1753 in Lunenburg County, Virginia. All we know about him is that he was bound out after his Father died. From other sources we know that he married a woman named Elizabeth and died in 1780 in Georgia.
We know that William Dean also served in the Revolutionary War. We don't know where or for how long since he didn't apply for a pension. He also inherited 100 acres on the east side of Spider Creek when his Father died. He sold his inheritance to Travis Guthrey in 1779 after the war. We learn from other sources that he, his wife, Ruth, and five sons were in Edgefield District, South Carolina, until 1802 when they moved to Pickens County, Alabama.
According to Edward Dean's will his wife Rebecca was pregnant at the time of his death. We have no idea whether the child was a boy or a girl and what the name of the child was.
John Dean and Keziah Smith
John Dean was born between 1740 and 1742 in Henrico County, Virginia. When he was a child his parents moved south to Halifax County, Virginia. In 1764 he married Keziah Smith, daughter of Gideon Smith and Elizabeth Eleanor Echols. The Echols Family had traveled from Henrico County, Virginia to Halifax County with the Dean and the Abney families. These families were intertwined for generations as many of the Echols, Abney and Dean descendants later moved to Edgefield District (County) South Carolina and continued to intermarry.
Eleanor's Father Gideon Smith and his brother Daniel were the first recorded pioneers in the Pittsylvania - Halifax County Virginia area in 1741. They came from Pennsylvania and were Quakers. Smith Mountain, Smith Lake, Smith River all take their name from Daniel and Gideon Smith who owned thousands of acres in the area. Eleanor's first husband was William Murphy and he must have died between 1736 when their youngest son was born and the time Keziah was born abt 1743. They were not married too long when Gideon died in 1752 and his two daughters Keziah (abt 1743) and Peninah (abt 1745) were bound out to their step-brother William Murphy. It is thought Eleanor died shortly thereafter, but not proven.
About the time Keziah turned 17 in 1761 she married John Dean in Halifax County, Virginia. During this period John showed up on many legal and court documents with other Abney and Echols family members. John's Mother was an Abney and Keziah's Mother was an Echols. Although there is some confusion regarding which land documents belong to this John Dean and his uncle John who also lived in Halifax County at the same time I have tried to straighten them out the best I can guess.
The first time
John and Keziah show up in legal documents is in November 1761 when John Bean
[Dean] and Keziah, his wife, plts, vs Nathaniel Terry, Deft, In Case. Plts
failing to prosecute, on the motion of Deft by Clement Read Jr, his atty,
ordered that Plts be nonsuit and that they pay Deft 5 shillings damages.
Halifax County Plea Book 1761
John and Keziah continue to have many dealings with Nathaniel Terry over the years.
During this period John and Keziah had five children that we know of: John born between1764 - 1765, Thomas 1766, Job 1768, Keziah 1772 and Amasa (Amos) 1774.
Right after Amasa was born the Deans must have moved to Surry County, North Carolina because in future census records Amasa lists his birth state as Virginia and John Dean died in Surry County in February 1775. Either that or he assumed he was born in Virginia, or maybe Keziah went back to Halifax County to give birth to Amasa. I tend to think it was the latter. John and Keziah started selling al lot of their property in Halifax County shortly after John's Father died in 1761. The last legal record I have of them in Halifax County is in April 1766. It would have made sense that they moved to Surry County, North Carolina just across the boarder from Halifax County a short time later.
Above are pictures of Surry County from the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Deans lived below this picture and the valley.
We know John died in Surry County before February 1775.
Feb. Court 1775
North Carolina Surry County Feb Court 1775
An Inventory of the Estate of John Deane Deceased. To wit: one Cow & yearling,
One Man's saddle, One bed & furniture, one woman's saddle. One pot, 3 plates, 1
Bayons dish, 5 deer skins, 1 pair pothooks, 1 washing tub.
/s/ Kezia X Dane
(her mark)
Surry County Court Records Feb 1775
Keziah must have gotten some money from John's death because in 1783 and 1784 she buys 100 acres on Mitchells River in Surry County.
1783 - Kezia Dean
enters fifty acres of land, Surry County, on the West side of Mitchells River
beginning at ? Wallnut Bottingford running up for ?
1784 - Kezia Dean enters fifty acres of land, Surry County, on the West side of
Mitchells River beginning at the south of the Purdy Fork & running down.
These are pictures of the area around Mitchells River where the Deans lived.
John Dean their oldest son was born between 1764 and 1765 in Halifax County, Virginia. He was a Revolutionary War Soldier in the North Carolina Continental Line. Read more about him in the next section.
Thomas was born in 1766 also in Halifax County. From other Dean researchers I have learned that Thomas married a woman named Sarah and moved to Washington County, Kentucky where he died in 1832. He and Sarah had seven children: Matilda, Mary, Ann, Jane, Sarah Jane, Alfred and Henry.
Job was born in 1768 in Halifax County. In 1784 when he was sixteen it was "Ordered by the Court that Job Dean Orphan of Jno Dean Dec. aged now sixteen years be Bound to Zadock Riggs until he arrange to the age of twenty one years to learn the art & mintry of a blacksmith. The said Zadock doth agree to learn said Job to read, wright ?. To give him ten pounds ? at his freedom. Later Job's niece Hannah Dean married Redden Riggs so the Deans must have been close to the Riggs family.
Job married a woman by the name of Susannah and they had at least one child, a daughter named Anna Elizabeth Dean born about 1793 in North Carolina. She married Jonas Sykes born 3 Jul1793 in Georgia. He died in Bedford County, Tennessee. They had seven children: Mahala H. -1815, who married William Berry Jones, James Sykes - abt 1820, Thomas A. -1822, Nichol -1824, Manerva -1825, Grimm Sykes - 1826 and Raleigh.
Keziah was born in 1772. Supposedly she died about 1841 in Lawrence County, Kentucky close Floyd County, Kentucky and Wayne County, West Virginia where her brothers John and Amos lived. Nothing else is known about her.
Amasa or Amos Dean the youngest child was born in 1774. He married Abigail Wheeler in 1804 in Washington County, Kentucky. His children were Jonathan, Amelia, Stephen, Darcus, and William Marshall Dean. Amasa also lived in the part of Virginia that became West Virginia during the Civil War. He died in Wayne County, West Virginia between 1860 and 1870. His children and grandchildren continued to live in Wayne County, West Virginia.
In 1780 Keziah must have became ill as she made a last will and testament signed
in the presence of her half-brother Richard Murphy.
May 22, 1780
By the will of God I being of a perfect mind and of a sound memory, that is to
say I bequath my soul to God and my temporal Estate that is to say I give and
bequath to my son John all my lands & tenements, and to my son Thomas the young
gray mare and colt and a heffer called Tom and the rest of my movable Estate to
be equally divided between Job, Keziah and Amasa and I so hereby bequath and
appoint William Hodges and Samuel Riggs to act as Executor to Divide my Estate
between the above named children and this I one acknowledge and form to be my
last will and testament.
Sealed Signed and Stamped in the presence of
Richard Murphy /s/ Kezia Dean
Godfrey Isaacs
Amos Hedges
A true return of the estate of Kezia Dean as I have received it out of the hands
of Joseph Gentry & Welcomb William Hodges. To wit of
Welcomb William Hodges 7..10..0
Of Joseph Gentry 6..18..0
To sundrys found on the premises
3 grown cows which ws appraised by Samuel Riggs & Drewry Hodges to 10..10..0
To 1 pot 301 and one s tear 50/. 2..0..0
To 3 barrels of corn 30/. 1..10..0
To 1 mattock & Iron wedge 10/ 0..10..0
To cash from Joe Gentry .0..17..0
To one Linen wheel 25/. 1..5..0
To one bed & furniture 7..0..0
Total sum is 40..0..0
/s/ John Deen
State of North Carolina Surry County May Term 1790
The within Inventory & accompt of sale of the Estate of Keziah Dean deceased was
return by John Dean the administrator and ordered to be recorded.
Surry County Court Records May 1790
Additional Inventory of the Estate of Keziah Dean, decd of one hundred acres of
land and the tenements thereof. s/s John Dean
North Carolina Surry County May term 1791
The within Inventory of the Estate of Keziah Dean deceased as returned by the
administrator and ordered to be recorded.