Person:Benjamin Dean (9)

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Information on Benjamin Franklin Dean

Benjamin Franklin Dean, was born in Greenville, Darke County, Ohio, on April 8th, 1840, on a farm where Greenville is now located. When he was 10 years old, his family moved on a wagon train pulled by oxen from Ohio to Kansas. On the way, they met a family named Armstrong. Ben was very impressed with a little girl in that party.

"The following is concerning America City, in Nehaha County, Kansas. Among the very earliest settlements made near here was that at America city. The 25th of May 1856, there arrived at that place eight families, who drove through from Iowa with oxen. These families were as follows;

"....Hiram Dean, his wife and three sons, John, Frank, and Oscar, and a daughter, Margaret."

On April 8, 1861, when he was 21, Ben enlisted in Company A, Fifth Kansas Cavalry, also known as the "Jayhawkers" at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. This was the outbreak of the Civil War and worked as the bodyguard of General James Lane. He also served as a recruiting officer and scouted with 'Buffalo' Bill Cody. After several engagements, he was wounded and discharged for disability. His discharge papers stated "Said soldier was injured while moving his horse on march from Jacksonport to Helena, Arizona in July 1862 causing hernia." He recieved a disability discharge on October 4, 1863. He moved to the Western plains and for a time drove ox and mule teams carrying supplies to army posts in the West. The Indians were hostile, killing teamsters and looting cargoes, but by luck and taking the precaution of camping without fires and traveling well of the trails at night, he made many trips from Atchison to Denver and back with out being attacked.

In 1866, he returned to American City, Kansas, and on February 26th, Nancy Marie Armstrong, the girl he had met and loved at 10, became his wife.

They moved to Los Angeles, California in 1873, where they remained for three years. Taking passage on the old lumber bark Oregon, they reached Puget Sound after a voyage of 16 days. The Dean family landed in Seabeck in September 1876. On a small steamer they made their way to Freeport (now West Seattle), where Ben got work in Marshall's sawmill.

In 1877 the family moved to Cannery Point near Sequim Bay, south of Washington Harbor, in Clallam County.

Clallam County is located in northwest Washington, bounded on the north by the Strait of Juan de Fuca; on the east and south by Jefferson county; and on the west by Pacific Ocean. On April 26, 1854, it was created as Clalm County from part of Jefferson county by the Territorial Legislature. Clallam was named by Captain Henry Kellet, who attempted to reproduce the tribal name, which was S'klah-lam, and means "big, strong nation".

The Dean family lived on a homestead on Palo Alto Road. One cannery was built by four partners; Mr. Albright, Sam Fernie, A.H. Manning, and Charles O'Donnell. The partners had a difficult time working together and hired Ben to run the cannery for them. The partners eventually dropped out leaving just Manning as the owner. Manning also opened a makeshift post office to serve the many Indians who were employed by the cannery. After a few years, Ben bought a clam cannery from Captain Manning and moved it, the post office, and a store to Cannery Spit. He employed many Indians in the cannery where clams were processed.

The post office was 16 miles away at Dungeness and that long walk over a trail through the woods was tiresome. In 1879, Ben opened a post office for his neighborhood calling it Sequim.

Sequim is now a small town located 3 miles west of Sequim Bay. The name "Sequim" comes from the Clallam Indian dialects and means "quiet waters". The climate in Sequim is different from the rest of rainy western Washington, as it falls in a 'rain shadow' due to the surrounding mountains. It has a rather day, sunny climate, with low precipitation, and requires irrigation for watering the farmland. In fact, the towns yearly festival is called "The Irrigation Festival".

Seqium Bay sits in the Strait of Juan de Fuca in northest Clallam County.

In the 1886/87 Seattle "Washington Gazetteer" Directory, "Seguin, a settlement on the Dungeness river, in Clallam county, 258 miles northwest of Portland, Oregon, 12 miles southeast of New Dungeness, the county seat, and 30 miles southwest of Port Townsend, the shipping and nearest banking point. Seattle in 1853. Ships grain and produce. Population of vacinity, 100. Mail, weekly. B.F. Dean, justice of peace.

The May 8th, 1889 Washington Territory Census listed B.F. Dean as age 49, a farmer from Ohio.

In 1891, Ben moved from Johnson Creek, or Cannery Point, to the property he purchased from James Whitcomb,for the price of $150 and then erected a log cabin in which to live. This property became the Dean homestead at the head of the bay.

Two years later he bought 160 acres at the head of Sequim Bay (Washington Harbor) and moved his store to the new place. The Sequim post office was moved out onto the prairie of the name and soon afterwards, Ben opened another post office at his new store. At the time no name had been chosen for the location. A man known as Romo, who could not pronounce Orville Dean's first name, called him "Oblyn". As a tribute to his son, Ben shortened the nickname to "Blyn" and that was what the new town was named. Although other records indicate that the town was named after a mill operator, named Marshall Blinn, who founded Seabeck (Washington State Place Names by James W. Phillips) or "It was named for Captain Blyn, who lived here in early days, and about whom little is known." (Place Names of Washington by Robert Hitchman).

The Deans continued to live at the cannery but two of the boys, Jessie and Curtis, went down to the new claim and lived and worked there in the summertime. When school started they had to go back home and left the claim unattended. A man named Professor Kerr who boarded with the Deans and taught at Burrows school in Sequim, told Nancy that a stranger who had come to the door might try to "jump their Blyn claim". Nancy and Curtis got in their rowboat and towed to Blyn while the stranger was going overland. They got there first and by the time the stranger arrived, Nancy had a fire going in the kitechn stove and was cooking while Curtis was busy out in the yard. The stranger looked around and left, and that is how the Deans saved the Blyn claim.

Quite a village has grown up there with a railway station, a hotel and several stores. In his pioneering experiences, Ben remembered that after he had rolled a barrel of sugar over a skid road, he decided to get a wagon. He was the proud possessor of the first wagon in Clallam County.

In 1891/92 Ben is listed in the directory as postmaster and general store in Blyn. The directory lists Blyn as "a recently establised post office in Clallam County, on Washington Harbor, 20 miles southest of Port Angeles, the county seat. Farm produceis raised in vicinity. Tri-weekly mail from Port Williams, distant 5 miles. B. F. Dean, postmaster."

Ben became the postmaster at Blyn on January 18, 1890, and served until November 22, 1896. Ben and his two sons, Fred and Orville, were personally in charge of carrying the post office papers and records to Sequim. Orville, at age 14, was the youngest mailman in the United States. James (Curt) carried the mail between Blyn and Port Williams along Route Two in 1898.

According to Robert Hitchman in "Place Names of Wshington", "Dean Creek: The stream of the creek rises in hills southeast of Blyn, extreme east Clallam County; flows 4-1/2 miles northeasr to Sequim Bay. It was named for a family of early homesteaders who lived near, or upon, the creek. A member of the family once was postmaster at Blyn."

In 1899, Ben and his sons installed the first telephone in the county. The wire was half a mile long, extending from the old home to that of his eldest son, Curtis. Mary Priest Stone was the first telephone operator for the Independent Telephone Company in Sequim in 1903. It started with five lines on the switchboard and 15 customers. A call from Blyn to Sequim cost 10 cents and from Sequim to Dungeness cost 25 cents.

First, James Curtis met and married Jennie Whittingslow in San Francisco in 1889 and moved to Hoquiam. They had one child, Chester Iris Dean, who married Myrtle Mary Williamson, but didn't have any children.

Secondly, James Curtis married Isabel Correia 1918, whose parents, Manuel and Christina Correia had purchased property from Jesse and Fred Dean, which was just south of Ben and Nancy's home.

In the earliest days, gatherings in neighbors' homes was the main form of recreation and socialization for the community. There were house-warmings, taffy pulls, corn huskings, dances, and general get-togethers. In the early 1900's the Blyn Hall was built and was the center of recreational activities.

By 1902, the family had moved back to Seattle, where Ben conducted a real estate business until 1919.

Ben was a inspector of customs for five years and taught a Bible class at the Christian Church, of which he was a member for 60 years. {1860-1920?}

On February 26th of 1916, Ben and Nancy celebrated their golden wedding anniversary. Besides many friends, all of their children were present. Sixteen of their 20 grandchildren were also present, plus one great-grandchild, Mary Evelyn Price, who acted as ring bearer for the ceremonies. The program was in the hands of the grandchildren. Two poems were recited, written by Nancy's sisters. Ben and Nancy's children, Fred, Orville Jesse, Alma (Johnston), Daisy (Purvis) and Lottie (Hickman) all lived in Seattle at the time, while James lived in Hoquim.

Nancy died in Seattle in 1917.

In 1919, Ben moved to the Soldier's Home in Los Angeles and lived there for 3 years before he died of Intastital Nephritis on February 2, 1922, at the age of 82.

He was buried in Seattle, at Washelli Cemetery. His seven children, Jesse, James, Fred, Orville, and Lottie of Seattle, Alma of Los Angeles, and Daisy of Findlay, Ohio survived him.

The Daily News, Port Angeles Washington, Sunday August 15, 1976:

"Memories Abound As the Dean Clan Gathers"

If Benjamin Franklin Dean and his wife Nancy's spirits were looking over the family picnic of their descendants, they must have been proud. It was a gathering of 75 members of the clan, held July 18th in the waterfront picnic eare at the Ernie Dean home in Blyn. In the 100 years since they homesteaded in this area, six generations have been born, have grown, moved away, and four living generations returned for this timely celebration. It was in 1876 when B.F. and Nancy Dean came to this area, stopping at Port Townsend, Dungeness, Palo Alto, and Blyn, one after the other. They had met in their early lives, remet and married in Kansas in 1866, traveled west to California by covered wagon, and ame from there to Seabeck, Washington, on the bark Oregon. The further trek north to the ports of Port Townsend and Dungeness were probably also by water for, during those days, it was the best used "highway system". The Deans first home here was at the Fernie Place at Palo Alto. From there, they moved in 1891 to Johnson Creek on the west side of Sequim Bay where Ben ran the cannery and operated an early post office. during this period they acquired the Whitcomb homestead at the head of the bay and lived part-time at both locations to hold their patents. Here they also operated a store and post office during the early 1890's, while Ben still ran the cannery. There were seven children born to this couple carrying the names: Jesse, Fred, Curtis, Orville, Daisy, Lottie, and Elma. Fred was the son who became Ernie Dean's ancestor but there were also descendants of several of the other children at the picnic, once being Daisy. These flok-worn labels shaped liek the petalled flower with a printed motto: "I'm a Daisy". There was a spread of 80 years from oldest and youngest picnickers and they came from many spots in the State of Washington. One branch traveled from Ontario, California. Represented were many walks of life, three of the generations having been connected with the customs service. And, it was obvious from the conversations, they did not all recognize each other. Each family had brought possessions of great sentiment for study, display and enjoyment. Among then were the family Bible, a few old letters, picture albums and a huge box of loose photos for a senior descendent to identify. he was working fast and furiously and hardly found time to eat... Photos, typical of the periods pictured such scenes as family gatherings, buggies and farm equipment of the 1909 era, lumber mills and other buildings. Many of them were of individuals in high collars, tiny waists and even in their coffins. Typical of all periods of snapshots and photos very few of them were dated or indentified, and so Orville, the Oracle, was not always sure just who it wa sin the picture. And, several times, he commented, "This was taken back in Drake County, Ohio". The food was voluminous, with one aroma suppressing all others...steamed clams. How appropriate. At six generations later, claims are still a relished "Dean Food". The Blyn Deans live across the bay from the original homestead site and have two sons, one of whom was present with hsi wife and two grandsons. The youngest of the latter appropriately carries the name of "Benjamin". The second Dean son, a minister, whone home has a new baby, was unable to come that Sunday. It is natural that there should be a minister in Ben and Nancy's descendents for they were deeply religious. Ben and Nancy lived to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary at which 16 of the 20 grandchildren were present. She died in 1917 and Ben in 1922 The family Bible lists Ernie's descendency from Ben, through son Fred, then Morris, who became Ernie's father. His mother is living at Sunbelt Nursing center, and celebrated her 87th birthday the same day. One of the best stories of the whole day cane just as I was leaving. Genny Dean, (Mrs. Ernie) was a Curry whose grandparents settled on Chicken Coop Road. When this couple came west, they stayed for a short time with the Dean family in Port Townsend. Loosing track of each other for some years, it took Ernie and Genny, when they met and fell in love to bring the families back together.

Washington Pioneer with Washington Genealogy Society Centennial Pioneer Certificates were issued to applicants prior to 31 December 1987, who could prove their ancestors were in the Washington Territory prior to 11 November 1889. These descendants' names, almost 18,000, are printed in a two volume edition entitled WASHINGTON PIONEERS.

I have the following hand-written obituary for Benjamin Franklin Dean, and it appears to be written in my grandmother's (Isabell Correia Dean) handwriting:

Benjamin F Dean aged eighty-two pioneer of Puget Sound & resident of Seattle for twenty years who died in Santa Monica Calif. Thursday will arrive here for burial tomorrow morning. Mr. Dean was formerly inspector of customs for five years & taught a Bible class for fifty years at the Christian Church of which he was a member for sixty years. Mr. Dean was born in Ohio in 1840 & when six years old moved to eastern Kansas with his parents in a train of wagons drawn by oxen.

He enlisted in Company A, Fifth Kansas Cavalry at the outbreak of the Civil War. After several engagements he was wounded & discharged for disability. He moved to the Western Plains & for a time drove ox & mule teams carrying supplies to Army posts in the West. The Indians were hostile, killing teamsters & looting cargoes, but by good luck & the precaution of camping without fires, well off the trails at night, he made many trips from Atchison to Denver & return without being attacked.

He was married in 1866 & seven years later immigrated to Los Angeles, later coming to Puget Sound in the old lumber bark Oregon, landing in Seabeck in September 1876. He settled at Freeport, now West Seattle, but a short time later moved to a homestead in Clallam County, where he engaged in farming & canning. The last twenty years he lived in Seattle, conducing a real estate business most of the time. His wife died in 1917. He retired from active business three years ago. Seven children survive him: James C., Jesse M., Frederick C., Orville V., Mrs. Lottie Hickman, Mrs. Alma Johnston, & Mrs. Daisy Purvis.

The body will be taken to the Home Undertaking Company until funeral arrangments are completed. Was buried in Washelli - February 1922. (end of handwritten obituary)

Here are some other notes from the photo display, created by my mother, Priscilla Dean Devin:

Benjamin Franklin Dean

b April 8, 1840, Dark Co. Ohio

m 1866 Nancy M Armstrong

d Feb 2, 1922, Santa Monica, Calif.

buried Washelli - Seattle

Records of Benjamin Dean

I also have a photocopy of "Bill of Sale" of a cannery in Blyn, WA to Benjamin F Dean, May 28, 1879. Clallam County records, page 413.

Did Benjamin Franklin Dean have a namesake grandson? 1948 Seattle Directory shows a Benjamin F. Dean living at 1734 Alki Ave and wife Eldas. Benjamin worked as a guard

TWELFTH DISTRICT List of voters in the twelfth election district of the Territory of Kansas, according to the census taken by B. H. Twombley in the months of January and February, 1855.

Dean, Benjamin N Y

Dean, Charles N Y

Dean, Lydia N Y

Dean, Oscar B. N Y

8602-A32 Washington Harbor, WA, after 1911. The six buildings from left to right are the Clam Cannery, the store building, the Bugge Canning Co. creamery, the butter maker’s house, a bungalow, and the Hans Bugge house. These buildings were destroyed by fire in 1929. The property is now owned by Battelle NW.

http://www.historicphotoarchive.com/herrick/herrickinfo.htm

BLYN The Herald, 1891 Blyn is a small town at the head of Sequim bay, in the northeast corner of Clallam County. The bay is four miles long by one mile wide, bounded on the east, south and west by extensive farming and timber lands; and on the north by a long sand spit with a channel 1,000 feet wide and from 40 to 50 feet deep, sufficient to admit any size vessel. It is a perfect harbor in itself, having every natural advantage it is sure to come to the front and be one of the most distinguished points on the Sound. It's vast agricultural lands, unexhaustible timer and prospects of mineral, especially coal, which have been found in abundance, also cooper and iron, all go to show that wealth is in store. We are proud we live in Clallam county.

It is a common remark with the great number of people who annually visit Blyn, people from all parts of the country, that there is no other place in US where people have so many surroundings that afford them pleasure as the citizens of Blyn. Well this is true. Most of our citizens are intelligent, industrious, temperate and have good comfortable homes and many of them live like nabobs, their families dress well, go in the best society, command the highest respect and enjoy their hunting, fishing and sailing on the bay. The young folks have parties, spelling matches, singing schools and all the games in common. Why shouldn't they?

Polk Gazetteer of Oregon, Washington and Alaska 1901-02 A post office on Seguin [thus] Bay 25 miles SE of Port Angeles, the the county seat and banking point and 5.5 miles S of Port Williams, its nearest steamboat landing. Mail tri-weekly. J T Whitaker PM

Census Records

1850 Census

Name: Benjamin Dean

Age: 12

Estimated birth year: abt 1838

Birth place: Ohio

Gender: Male

Home in 1850

(City,County,State): Ward, Randolph, Indiana

1860 Census

Name: Benjamin Dean

Age in 1860: 21

Birth Year: abt 1839

Birthplace: Ohio

Home in 1860: Township 26 N Range 3 E, McLean, Illinois

Gender: Male

Post Office: Lexington

Household Members: Name Age

Eliza Dean 52

Nancy Dean 42

Nancy J Dean 22

Benjamin Dean 21

David Cornell 20

Solomon Dean 17

Sarah Conwell 18

Stephen Conwell 17

Martha A Conwell 14

Albert A Dean 14

Permelia J Dean 11

Homer Dean 8

Julia A Dean 6

Alwilda G Dean 4

Laura B Dean 5.12

1870 Census

Name: Benjamin F Dean

Estimated Birth Year: abt 1840

Age in 1870: 30

Birthplace: Ohio

Home in 1870: Vienna, Pottawatomie, Kansas

Race: White

Gender: Male

Benjamin age 30

Nancy M age 20

James C age 3

Charles F. age 1

1900 Census

Name: Benjamin Dean

Home in 1900: Seattle Ward 6, King, Washington

Age: 60

Estimated birth year: abt 1840

Birthplace: Ohio

Relationship to head-of-house: Head

Spouse's name: Nancy R

Race: White

Household Members: Name Age

Benjamin Dean 60

Nancy R Dean 50

Orville V Dean 28

Lottie C E Dean 15

1920 Census

Benjamin Dean

Home in 1920: Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California

Age: 80 years

Estimated birth year: abt 1840

Birthplace: Ohio

Relation to Head of House: Inmate

Father's Birth Place: Ohio

Mother's Birth Place: Ohio

Marital status: Widow

Race: White

Sex: Male

Able to read: Yes

Able to Write: Yes

Other Information

Family Data Collection - Births Record about Benjamin Franklin Dean Name: Dean, Benjamin Franklin Father: Dean , Hiram Mother: Wintermute , Eliza Birth Date: 8 April 1840 City: Greenville County: Darke State: OH Country: USA

Family Data Collection - Deaths Record about Benjamin Franklin Dean Name: Benjamin Franklin Dean Death Date: 2 February 1922 City: Santa Monica County: Los Angeles State: CA Country: USA

American Civil War Soldiers Record about Benjamin T Dean Name: Benjamin T Dean , Residence: America, Kansas Occupation: Farmer Enlistment Date: 04 August 1861 Distinguished Service: DISTINGUISHED SERVICE Side Served: Union State Served: Kansas Unit Numbers: 695 695 Service Record: Enlisted as a Private on 04 August 1861 at the age of 21 Enlisted in Company A, 5th Cavalry Regiment Kansas on 04 August 1861. Received a disability discharge Company A, 5th Cavalry Regiment Kansas on 10 April 1863 in Helena, AR Height: 5'8 " Eye Color: blue Hair Color: dark Complexion: fair

1860 Kansas Census Name: Frank Dean Age in 1860: 19 Birth Year: abt 1841 BirthPlace: Ohio Home in 1860: Vienna, Pottawatomie, Kansas Territory Gender: Male Post Office: Louisville Value of real estate: View image Household Members: Name Age Hiram Dean 65 Mary Dean 42 Frank Dean 19 Oscar Dean 14 Aaron Dean 11 Susan Dean 6 Hellen Dean 4

1880 United States Federal Census Record about B. F. Dean Name: B. F. Dean Home in 1880: Sequim, Clallam, Washington Age: 40 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1840 BirthPlace: Ohio Relation to head-of-household: Self Spouses's Name: Nancy M. Father's birthplace: NY Mother's birthplace: PA Neighbors: View others on page Occupation: Farmer Marital status: Married Race: White Gender: Male B. F. Dean 40 Nancy M. Dean 30 James C. Dean 13 Chas. F. Dean 11 Orvile Dean 8 Mertie Dean 6 Jessy M. Dean 4 Daisey Dean 2

1900 United States Federal Census Record about Benjamin Dean Name: Benjamin Dean Home in 1900: Seattle Ward 6, King, Washington Age: 60 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1840 BirthPlace: Ohio Relationship to head-of-house: Head Spouses's Name: Nancy R Race: White Occupation: View Image Neighbors: View others on page Household Members: Name Age Benjamin Dean 60 Nancy R Dean 50 Orville V Dean 28 Lottie C E Dean 15

Civil War Service Records Record about Benjamin F. Dean Name: Benjamin F. Dean Company: A Unit: 5 Kansas Cavalry. Rank - Induction: Private Rank - Discharge: Private Allegiance: Union

1910 United States Federal Census Record about Benjamine F Dean Name: Benjamine F Dean Age in 1910: 70 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1840 BirthPlace: Ohio Relation to Head of House: Father-in-law Father's Birth Place: New York Mother's Birth Place: Kentucky Spouses's Name: Nancy M Home in 1910: Seattle Ward 9, King, Washington Marital Status: Married Race: White Gender: Male Neighbors: View others on page Household Members: Name Age James Frank Purvis 38 Daiseghlean Purvis 32 Mary E Purvis 3 Lottie Purvis 6 Thaddens C Purvis 10 Margaret D Purvis 13 Nancy M Dean 60 Benjamine F Dean 70

1920 United States Federal Census Record about Banjamin F Dean Name: Banjamin F Dean [Benjamin F Dean] Home in 1920: Malibu, Los Angeles, California Age: 80 years Estimated Birth Year: abt 1840 BirthPlace: Ohio Relation to Head of House: Inmate Father's Birth Place: United States of America Mother's Birth Place: United States of America Marital status: Widow Race: White Sex: Male Able to read: Yes Able to Write: Yes