Dean, John
OLD FOLKS INTERVIEW OF JOHN DEAN
IN 1872 - PIKE COUNTY NEWSPAPER
John Dean,
I was born in Loudoun County, Virginia, on the waters of Goose Creek. My father's name was Samuel. He was born in Virginia. His father's name was Samuel also. My grandfather was born in Ireland and was of English descent. My grandmother was Sarah Dunkin. She was born in Virginia. My mother's name was Sarah Russell. She was born in Virginia. Her father, Stephen Russell was born in England. My grandfather, father and myself were brought up to the business of farming. Grandfather raised a large family of children. My father's family consisted of thirteen children -- three boys and ten girls.
I am the oldest of my father's family, and was born May 17, 1779. Consequently, am now nearly 93 years of age. My life has been one of evenness, comparatively speaking. I have never lived an excited life, but like the generality of Americans who were born, bred, and all their lives farmers.
All my father's children were afforded a moderate education, and I have always been able to read and write, and to do business requiring those accomplishments.
On the 5th of August, 1804 (actually July 19, 1802) I married Lucy Mays in Amherst County, VA, to which county I had previously removed. She was only about seventeen years old. We had born to us there three or four children, when we removed to Rockbridge County, VA, where we resided several years, and then removed to Greenbriar County, thence to Fayette County on the Kanawha River. In 1837, we left Virginia and came to Ohio, and farmed on Alexander Renick's farm near Chillicothe, where we abode eight years. On account of continued ill-health in my family I was induced to seek a settlement on an elevated position away from the Scioto bottoms, and came into Pike County. I settled on the farm now owned by Daniel Chestnut, in Newton Township, near Jasper, and from thence to the farm owned by the late Thomas McLellan, where he died. When we removed on to that farm it was owned by Alexander, my youngest son, who lately deceased, and with whom I continued to live till he died. I am now living with my son, William on an elevated and healthy location in NewtonTownship.
My wife and I raised eleven children, and one died in infancy. Their names were Samuel, Joshua, Rachel, who died in infancy, John, Jordon, Permilia Parks, Elizabeth, James, Sarah, Ellis, William and Alexander. Permilia married Richard Starforth in Virginia and moved subsequently into Highland County, Ohio, where he now resides. Permelia died seven or eight years ago, leaving a large family.
Elizabeth married Peter Boyer in Virginia. They remained there. She died, leaving a large family of children. Sarah married Daniel Chestnut, aforesaid, and died some eleven or twelve years ago, leaving eight children. All my sons married, and have raised, or are raising, families.
Samuel resides in Virginia, Joshua in Illinois, John in Pee Pee Township, Pike County, Ohio; Jordon died in Marion County, Ohio, four or five years ago; James died in Newton Township in 1863, where Alexander deceased the other day. Ellis resides in Newton Township, and so does William with whom I now make my home, having buried Alexander on the 29th of December 1871.
Sarah , my wife, died in 1852, age about 65 years. We lived together about 48 years.
I was called out to rendezvous three different times during the War of 1812, between the United States and Great Britian, but was not required to enter active service.
I was elected Justice of the Peace by the voters of Newton Township, and served in that capacity in 1847, 1848 and 1849. I have never been called upon by my fellow citizens to fill any other office, civil or military.
I believe I am the oldest person living in Pike County at the present time. I belong to the Methodist Church, to which three of my sons in Newton Township connected themselves.
Having closed my career as a laborer during the forepart of the late war between the United States and the late Confederacy, I am laid up in ordinary, as they say of a ship no longer seaworthy, and am calmly and patiently biding that period of time when I shall be called to go "over the river" to the shores of the eternal world.
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Pike Co. Genealogy Society a Chapter of O.G.S.
P. O. Box 224,
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