Not unlike many other families, we trace the record of the Deans through trials, vicissitudes and poverty back across the sea to the Province of Ulster, Ireland and to the wilds of the Highlands of Scotland, a country rich in the production of liberty loving men and women. Many such dared to leave their native country, crossed the story Atlantic and cast their lot in the wilds of America, infested by hostile enemies and accompanied by privation and discouragements of almost every description. Only the bold spirits, like Daniel Dean, who had the courage to fight for their rights, as a rule survived the ordeal.

To such we owe the credit of having made America a safe place in which to live. Amid the pioneer work of conquering and surmounting difficulties of seeming impossibilities, Daniel Dean began his career in this country.

The ancestors of the Dean family were strictly of the Coventer faith. Daniel Dean, one with whose history we are familiar and who resided and died not more than a mile from this place, was born in the village of Tubermore in the Province of Ulster, Ireland, October 20, 1766. He immigrated to America in the year 1784 at the age of 18 years. His father, G. R. Dean and his two uncles, James and David, were soldiers in the Revolutionary War. He sent back to Ireland for his mother in the year 1790. He was a weaver by trade, prospering well in his trade. He resided for a time in Pennsylvania, then immigrated to Virginia where he was married to Miss Jannett Steele, a Scotch-Irish girl, of Augusta County, Virginia. The young couple immigrated to Kentucky near Mount Sterling where he was engaged in milling for many years, becoming quite well off in that business. He had a family of eleven children, but falling out with the institution of slavery, he determined to immigrate to Ohio, locating in Greene County in the year 1812 on Caesar's Creek where he purchased 2,000 acres of land -- this farm being a part of the same tract.

The names of his eleven children are as follows: Robert Dean, who was a soldier in the war of 1812 and who married Elizabeth Campbell; Mary C. married James Moore; Jannett S. married Hugh Campbell; Elizabeth married James Campbell; Margaret married John Bickett; William married Catherine Shook and was a soldier in the Mexican War; James married Elizabeth Pendray; Joseph married Hannah Boggs; Anna married Walter Parry; Daniel married Jane Campbell; and Julia married James Hopping. All settled down and lived in Greene County, except two -- James and Elizabeth -- who immigrated to Indiana and resided near Muncie, that state. Of these eleven children, they averaged eleven children each. They have since grown into a great multitude.

During the Civil War, 36 enlisted in the Union Army, most of them serving three years and over and out of the 36 who enlisted, 35 returned alive. Dean Perry lost a leg at the battle of Perrysville, Ky. Three of the others were slightly wounded, and James Moore died with disease at Wartrall, Tennessee and of the 36, ten are yet alive.

Of this large family of near 500, more than three-fourths are members of the Christian Church, and 90 percent are total abstainers from the use of intoxicating drink.

This reunion is the centennial anniversary of the immigration of the ancestor Daniel Dean and his family from Kentucky to Ohio. They landed in this county in September, 1812, and camped on the banks of a small stream near the site which afterward became the Dean Cemetery. Eating their first breakfast on a large flat rock, about 20 feet in circumference and perhaps two feet in thickness, which served very well for a table. This rock still remains as a relic and a monument to the memory of our ancestors.

The early history of the immigration of Daniel Dean to Ohio is so intimately associated with his brother-in-law Henry Barnes, who also immigrated from Kentucky near the same time, that we thought it would be well to give a part of his history which is so closely connected with Daniel as to make this sketch more interesting when taken together.

Daniel Dean first came to Ohio in 1808 with Henry Barnes, as did Joshua and Caleb, spying out the land. It was upon this visit that Daniel purchased this 2,000 acres of land, but soon became involved in a suit over the title which cost him $1,500 to perfect his title, which he did not succeed in doing for about three years thereafter, which delayed his removal to this County.

Henry Barnes, being an excellent mechanic, and so became a useful associate and friend of Daniel and their mutual friendship was never betrayed by either, but continued a strong support to each other during life. Barnes came to this County in 1808 with Daniel and located in Xenia, which then had only a few houses. He owned about one-fourth of the present site of the City. He built many houses in Xenia assisted by Daniel Dean, Dean furnishing the timber while Barnes did the work. Parts of some of the buildings yet remain that they built. Barnes was a strong man in other respects - he was a man of some education - was a surveyor. He was a man of General Jackson's type. He was a member of a company of Indian Hunters in Kentucky, and had been engaged in many Indian hunts in Kentucky. On his immigrating to Ohio his military character was soon recognized, and he was placed as Captain over a company of militia at his new home, and this State being full of treacherous Indians one can well see that such a man as Captain Barnes would be considered a very valuable citizen. Barnes continued to reside in Xenia until his death. He was a member of the M. E. Church, and a Christian man. He had seven children. Henry, who was during the Civil War Sheriff of Greene County and also the Treasurer of Greene County two terms; Dean, John, Andrew, Mrs. Hannah Buckles and Mrs. Eliza J. Clemans and Mrs. Elizabeth Davis, all of which families married and had large families -- valuable members of society.

To show the determination of the mother, wife of Captain Barnes, there was an emergency which required her presence back in Kentucky. She mounted her horse with her little child less than a year old, and rode back to Kentucky alone, a distance of 150 miles, back to her old home.

When Daniel Dean came to Ohio he brought with him four wagons - two four-horse teams and two two-horse teams. One of these teams belonged to Captain Barnes. On their way to Cincinnati a stray dog came to them, and as they had no dog he was encouraged to remain, which turned out to be a very valuable asset to the family. Many interesting stories were told of the value of this dog and one of Daniel's horses whose name was Jolly. They gave the name of Range to the dog. A story was told of the dog that after they had passed through Cincinnati, which was a very small village, and took the trail or road toward Greene County, and after they had gone about 15 miles, night came on and they were compelled to camp in the wood. Much fear was entertained of the Indians. At about midnight Range began to raise the alarm of the approach of an enemy. There were four men who had guns. All arose and remained up until daylight. It was supposed that the dog had in fact discovered Indians approaching attempting to steal their horses. After the arrival of the family, and for two or three days thereafter, Range was heard baying something a few hundred yards from camp not far from what is now the family cemetery. James and William took their rifles and went to see what Range had found. On reaching the point, they saw Range baying a bear. It was up on its hind feet challenging Range to a fisticuff which Range declined to accept and while in this posture, William shot him and this bear meat was relished by the family much to the credit of Range.

Another story is told of Captain Barnes and Daniel. A month or so after reaching Ohio they started out to find some friends who settled near the present site of Clifton, both riding horseback; Daniel riding Jolly a noble horse, and the dog Range following after them. On finding this settlement they were cordially received, and their company being genial and entertaining they were induced to remain with them a little too long. On starting home they had not gone far when a cloud came up and they were enveloped in darkness, and soon became bewildered and lost. Not knowing what direction to take, they finally decided to let Jolly have the reins, trusting to his instinct to take them to the camp, Range still following behind. As soon as Jolly was given the reins, he turned about and Captain Barnes objected saying he knew Jolly was going in the wrong direction. But Daniel insisted that Jolly's judgment had been good on other occasions and he could trust him. Jolly set out in a fast walk. It began to storm and thunder furiously. After they had gone quite a distance at about midnight they missed Range, and after a while they heard him barking. He did not like a storm, and during such times he would come to the door of the camp and bark until he was admitted. As soon as Jolly heard the dog bark he started out in a lope and soon reached camp. Grandma, fearing that they were lost, would not let Range in so that he would continue to bark and thereby assist the lost men to find the camp. Jolly went direct to camp and did not betray the trust placed in him.

Daniel Dean was a member of the Associate Presbyterian Church from early life. His wife Mrs. Jannett Dean was a member of the first Missionary Society organized in Greene County. Daniel Dean was an ardent abolitionist; he hated the institution of slavery and enjoyed the distinction of being the first member of that church who was ever arraigned before the session of the church for denouncing his minister for praying for the institution of slavery in which he gained a signal victory, and that same church still exists and prospers and is to be congratulated on being the first church in Greene County to hold a temperance meeting, all members attending, which resulted in a resolution that all members of that church thereafter refrain from the use of intoxicating liquor except in sheep washing and harvest time. This is amusing now, but the great benefit to the temperance cause as a result of that meeting cannot be estimated.

Daniel Dean died in 1842 at the age of 77 years. He was a man of worth, a respected citizen of his community and an upright Christian gentleman. His remains rest in the Dean Cemetery, by the side of his wife Jannett. A suitable monument marks the spot. He was a very liberal man in his dealings with his neighbors, exacting but what was right and just. In his will, which is on record in the Probate Court of this county, he requested that no suit should ever be brought against any person indebted to his estate, and this was fully carried out by his executors, John Bickett and Walter Parry, his two sons-in-law.

"Dene of Dene in the forest of Dene" and "Dene of Deneland" are family designations centuries old.

The Denes pride themselves upon their Saxon descent, and accordingly, the prefix "at" is frequently used in conjunction with the name, in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. De Dene, de Dyne, and de Deyne are also found in the records up to the reign of Henry VIII.

Den or dene is the Saxon word for valley, a word still in use.

Robert de Den was "pincerna", or Butler to Edward the Confessor. Ralph de la Dene, Hampshire, was living at the end of the twelfth century. Five of the family had the honor of knighthood during the reign of Edward I, and are named in the "Roll of Knight" in that era.

Henry Dene was Lord Chancellor under Henry VII, Sir Richard Deane was mayor of London at the end of the seventeenth century, and Sir Anthony Deane was high in naval affairs.

At Springfield Castle, in Ireland, may be seen portraits of Moses Deane and his wife, dressed in the style of Covenanters. They were the parents of Matthew Deane who purchased large estates in Ireland. ... given a baronetage by Queen ...?

Two of the first settlers in Taunton, Mass. were John and Walter Deane, from _____ near Taunton or Taunton Deane, Somersetshire, England, a stronghold of the Deanes. Before their arrival, however, Stephen Deane had reached these shores, a passenger on the Fortune, 1621. He built the first cornmill in Plymouth Colony. In 1627 he bought one acre of land of Philip Delanoy, and built a house for himself and his newly made wife, Elizabeth. About six years later he purchased for 20 lbs. of William Bradford, "Gent", a house in the center of Plymouth village. His wife survived him and was married in 1635 to Josiah Cooke.

The children of Elizabeth and Stephen were Elizabeth, who married William Twining, and Susanna, who married first Joseph Rogers and second Stephen Snow.

The American family of colonial days always spelled the name with a final "e".

The land which the two colonists purchased at Taunton is still owned by descendants.

Walter Deane was a Deputy to the Plymouth Court in 1648, and Selectman of Taunton for nearly two years. His wife was Eleanor, sister of Elder John Strong of Northampton.

John Deane, Walter's brother, also held public office. His son, born about 1639, is said to have been the first white child born in Taunton. He married Sarah, daughter of Deacon Samuel Edson. Thomas, another son of John, married Katherine Stephens.

Silas Deane, Commissioner of the Court of France during the American Revolution, was a great-grandson of James Deane, of Stonington, Conn., who is thought to have been a nephew of John and Walter. Silas Deane was one of the Connecticut delegates to the first Congress in 1774. He was so active in fitting out the naval forces that he was called the "Father of the Revolutionary Marine".

A roster of officers of the Continental Army includes the following names: From Massachusetts, Captains Walter and Thomas Dean, and Lieutenant Ebenezer; From Connecticut, Ensign Jonathan; From Pennsylvania, Lieutenant Samuel; From Maryland, Major John Dean, Jedediah Dean whose wife was Margaret Bristol, was also a Revolutionary soldier.

The Coat of Arms ascribed to John and Walter Deane is blazoned; Gules, a lion, couchant, guardant, or on a chief argent, three crescents of the field.

Crest: a demi-lion rampant, or in his dexter paw a crescent gules.
Motto: Forti et fideli nihil difficile.
This coat of armor belonging to the family founded by Richard de Dene, time of Edward III, but without the motto, which is used by Baron Muskerry of Deane of Ireland. He, however, has different arms, with angels winged and bearing palm branches for supporters.

There are a number of coats of arms belonging to different branches of the family blazoned for the name spelled Dean, Deane, and Deans.