Robert Dean was born in Little Creek Hundred, Kent Co., DE on his family's farm along the old Dover to Smyrna Rd. on 24 April, 1830. He was the son of Jesse Dean Jr. and Hester (possibly a Carney).

Sometime before 1852 he married Catherine Morgan , daughter of John Morgan.

Robert and Catherine appeared in the 1860 and 1870 census records with Robert's occupation listed as "farmer". When his father died intestate in 1868, Robert, who was then living in Mispillion Hundred bought the remains of the Dean family farm for $450.00 and added those seven acres to his own property. Robert died intestate on 30 September, 1874 and was buried at Immanuel Union (Manship) Church in Cheswold, DE.

After Robert's death, his daughter Mary Ann Dean and her husband, Moses Coker, supervised the sale of the Robert's lands. Portions were sold to John H. Morgan , married to Moses Coker's sister, Mary Ann Coker, and to John's father, William H. Morgan.

Robert and Catherine had the following children: Mary Ann Dean (1852-1923) married Moses Coker John T. Dean (1856- ) Lucinda Dean (1857-1876) married William C. Johnson Jesse Dean (1858-1931) married Sarah A.SEENEY and Susan SAMMONS Robert B. Dean (1861-1940) married Almira Wilson William Frank Dean (1864- ) married Elizabeth MOSLEY Hester Dean (28 January,1868- 31 October,1948) married Frederick H. Seeney Anna Elizabeth Dean (1870-1963) married Charles Henry MOSLEY Ullysses Dean

Hester Dean & Frederick Seeney photo curtesy of Matt Sammons

After the death of her husband in 1874, Catherine Morgan Dean married William Carney. Catherine died on 23 May, 1891 and is buried next to her first husband, Robert, at Immanuel Union (Manship) Church, Cheswold ,DE.