Jesse Dean, Jr.

Based on the probate records, Jesse Dean Jr. was the son of Jesse Dean and Rebecca (maiden name unknown) Dean. He was born sometime around 1801 in Kent Co. It is not clear where he was born. If illegitimate as stated in his father's will, he would probably not have lived on his father's farm along the great Dover to Smyrna Rd. until after his mother and father married.

The 1820 census shows a young Jesse Dean living in Murderkill Hundred which may or may not be this Jesse. By 1830, however, according to the census records, Jesse was living with his wife and four children next door to his father (actually probably across the road).

The 1830 Kent Co., DE Census Records list: Males Females
pg. # Name Residence Race 0-
10		 10-
24		 24-
36		 36
-55		 55
-100		 0-
10		 10-
24		 24-
36		 36
-55
253 Jesse Dean Little Creek Hd. Free colored 2 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1
253 Jesse Dean Little Creek Hd. Free colored 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 1

Jesse was mentioned in his father's will in 1839 when he received 15 acres on the west side of the main road. This was the site of James Dean's original homesite, the land left to Sarah Hewes Dean and her daughter, Rebecca, for use during their lifetime before reverting to Jesse Sr.

The 1840 Kent Co., DE Census Records list: Males Females
pg. # Name Residence Race 0-
10		 10-
24		 24-
36		 36
-55		 55
-100		 0-
10		 10-
24		 24-
36		 36
-55
253 Jesse Dean Little Creek Hd. Free colored 1 2 0 1 0 3 1 1 0

By 1840 Jesse and his wife had 7 children and by 1850 his occupation had changed from farmer to laborer and several of his children were farmed out with the Jefferson family nearby indicating that the family fortunes had begun to decline.

The 1850 Kent County DE Census
Page Dwelling
# 		Family
# 		Names Age Sex Color Occupation Birthplace
66/67 179 181 Jesse Dean 49 M M Laborer DE
66/67 179 181 Hester 44 F M DE
66/67 179 181 Rebecca 17 F M DE
66/67 179 181 Martha 15 F M DE
66/67 179 181 Enoch 13 M M DE
66/67 179 181 Caroline 10 F M DE
66/67 179 181 Lydia 7 F M DE
66/67 179 181 Lettetia 1 F M DE

Jesse was married sometime prior to 1827 to Hester, who is believed to have been the daughter of Thomas and Sarah Carney. They had, at least 9 children:

  1. Robert Dean (1830-1874) married Catherine Morgan
  2. Mary Dean (1832- ) married William Cambridge
  3. Rebecca Dean (1833- ) married John KIMMEY
  4. Martha Dean (1835- ) married John SAUNDERS
  5. William Dean (1828- bef.1868) married Lavinnia
  6. Enoch M. Dean (1833-1914) married Angelina MUNCE
  7. Caroline Dean (1840- ) married Josiah Munce
  8. Lydia A. Dean (1844-1929) married John Wesley Cott
  9. Letitia Dean (1849- ) married Slayton Ridgeway
By 1860 Jesse and his wife had only two children still living at home.

The 1860 Kent County DE Census
Page Dwelling
# 		Family
# 		Names Age Sex Color Occupation Birthplace
654 1100 1091 Jesse Dean 37 M M Laborer DE
654 1100 1091 Hester 28 F M DE
654 1100 1091 Lydia 13 F M DE
654 1100 1091 Letitia 11 F M DE

On 16 October 1868, Jesse died intestate. He was buried in the graveyard at Immanuel Union (Manship) Church in Cheswold, DE. His burial probably predates the creation of the church and suggests that the land (near the intersection of present day Rts. 13 & 42) might originally have been the Dean family graveyard.

The seven acres of land along the "main Dover to Smyrna Road" that Jesse Jr. inherited from his father as part of Jame's Deans original homestead were sold at auction to Jesse's son, Robert Dean