Richard and his wife Sarah had at least nine children: Richard, Elizabeth, Samuel, Edward, Charles M., John, William, Thomas, and Daniel.

When Richard Sr. died in 1748 his children along with the Abney and Echols families had already started moving to Halifax County, Virginia which is just south and slightly west of Henrico County on the North Carolina boarder.   It was typical with most families where the older son’s inherited the farm and the younger sons moved on. However Richard moved to Buckingham County, Samuel moved to Rhode Island, the remainder of the boys moved to Halifax County.  It doesn’t appear that any of the children stayed in Henrico County.

Richard – I know very little about Richard.  Luckily Otis Fuller is a wonderful reseacher and found where Richard Dean, in Henrico Co., Virginia, acted as Samuel Dean’s attorney in the transactions where Samuel sells Richard Sr. “French land” . From one of Otis’ posts ” I recently came across a book; “Turff & Twigg,” Vol I, – The French Lands, written and published by Priscilla Harriss Cabell (1988), P.O. Box 17091, Richmond, VA 23226.- A study of 10,000 acres donated by King William, III to the French Refugees who settled at Manakintowne on the Southern bank of the James River in the colony of Virginia in 1700…  The book contains detailed information on many, many French Protestant refugees, and their families, who took land patents in “The French Lands” along the James. It tells something of their family histories, marriages-allied families, etc., has a plat map, as well as a lot of general historical information.  Richard Dean (my ancestor) first took a patent in 1725, in Powhatan, (Henrico Parish) VA, where he is listed in the tithables as Richard Dine -(must be pronounced like Deen; in French?) He took out 2nd patent, #1047, in Henrico, but before then, he was listed as Deane, in Henrico deeds.

 

This last land patent was awarded posthumously, shortly after his death in 1748, and passed to his son, Samuel. Samuel sold most of it to Benjamin Harris (English, not French) who lived just outside the bounds of the French Lands. Samuel (Deane) later moved to Newberry, Rhode Island, where there was another Huguenot Colony, and sold the remaining property to James Harriss, through his (Samuel’s attorney), Richard Deane, of Buckingham Co., VA. It is proven that (the older) Richard had sons; Samuel, Edward, and William, (my ancestor) and that William was bound to churchwardens of the court, in 1753, as Sarah, Richard’s wife, died in 1752. – Her will was made in 1751, but read in 1752. I am going to assume that the Richard Deane of Buckingham was the brother of Samuel, until/unless I find otherwise. This Richard could explain for the gap in the ages of his sons, (haven’t actually factored in daughters, either) which can only be estimated, anyway.

Just guessing here: Edward 1726, Samuel 1728, Richard 1731, William 1734.

The Deans of Henrico were also associated with the Foure, Chastain, Bondurant, Bryant, Dillard, and other familes in the area, as well as being intermarried with the Abney (formerly D’Aubigney) family. Deans, Abneys, Bryants, Dillards, etc. moved to Halifax VA, then to Edgefield, SC.

How Samuel ended up witht the farm and not Richard who I would assume to be the oldest son, I don’t know.”  Again from Otis, Richard Dean (Jr.) also appears on 2 more documents in Henrico, in the late 1760’s and early 1770’s, with a George Cox. (One says, “George Cow” – an egregious transcription error, and he’s obviously the same person, as some other names are also seen on both documents.)

Colonial Wills of Henrico County, Virginia 1737-1781.  p. 584 May Court 1762 Will of Thomas Perkins presented by Lucy Perkins, the excutrix, and proved by George Cox and Richard Deans, witnesses.  John Redford, William Parker, and Henry Sharp to appraise.

 

Elizabeth – It is not known what happened to Elizabeth or who she married. She may have stayed in Henrico County.

 

 

Samuel – Son Samuel Dean inherited Richard’s “French lands”, which he sold to Benjamin Harris(s) in 2 separate transactions, and moved to Newberry Plantation, in Newport, RI, in 1763.

 

From an Otis Fuller post
“I. RICHARD DEAN, estate to son SAMUEL DEAN 224 acres – by July 1748
II. A. SAMUEL DEAN to BENJAMIN HARRIS 54 acres – before 7 July 1763
II. B. SAMUEL DEANE of New Berry in the Province of New England* and  RICHARD DEANE of Buckingham Co., his attorney, to JAMES HARRISS of Chesterfield Co. 170 acres – 22 May 1771.
Ms. Harriss’ (Turff and Twigg) footnotes: * This was probably Newberry Plantation in Rhode Island where some of the French settled. Also This deed was mistakenly made for 224 acres.  It should have been for 170 acres.  The fact that 54 acres had already been sold to Benjamin Harris eight years earlier was overlooked. (Chest. DB 6/397 22 May 1771.

His descendants moved to Massachusetts, N.H., VT, and on… This is our DNA matching cousin’s, Babs Dean’s line. Samuel’s brother, Richard Dean, in Henrico Co., Virginia, acted as Samuel’s attorney in these transactions. *See: Turff and Twigg, Vol. I, by Priscilla Harris(s) Cabell. Richard Dean (Jr.) also appears on 2 more documents in Henrico, in the late 1760’s and early 1770’s, with a George Cox. (One says, “George Cow” – an egregious transcription error, and he’s obviously the same person, as some other names are also seen on both documents.)”

I am thinking that maybe Samuel married a French Huguenot since they lived close to the French lands in Henrico County and they then moved to Rhode Island to another Huguenot settlement – Newberry Plantation.

 

Edward – Edward was my eight great grandfather.  He was born about 1718 and married Rebecca Abney about 1754 (see more details on the next page). We know from Edward’s will that he and Rebecca had at least seven sons: John (abt. 21), Edward (14) , Joshua (11), Charles (7), Julius (6), William(3), and an unborn child when Edward died in 1761. It is not known if they had daughters. None were listed in Edward’s will.

 

Charles M.  – born abt. 1722 married Ursula Marchbanks about 1752. [Note: I have been blessed to have Linda Eddy a Charles M. Dean descendant contact me with wonderful information about this line.] After Charles died in Rockingham County, North Carolina in 1798 Ursula and some of their children moved to Spartanburg County, South Carolina in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Information about Charles’ land transactions is found at Charles M. Dean Documents. Ursula’s maiden name was Marchbanks. Her Mother was Anne Echols who married George Marchbanks. Anne was Elizabeth Eleanor Echols’ sister and aunt to Keziah Dean who married Edward’s oldest son John Dean my 5th great grandfather. The Deans, Echols, and Abneys all lived together and intermarried for many years. Many of the Deans, Abneys and Echols also moved to the Edgefield County, South Carolina area.

A Charles Dean and Charles Dean, Jr. were listed on the tax rental rolls of King George County, Virginia in 1769 and 1773. Charles and Ursula (Marchbanks) Dean’s oldest child, Joel, was born in the Blue Ridge section of Albermarle County, Virginia, on Feb. 15, 1755. He was a Revolutionary Soldier from North Carolina. In the 1790 Federal Census, there was a Charles Dean, Jr., Charles Dean, Sr. and Elisha Dean, in Rockingham County, N. C. Joel Dean was living in Spartanburg District, South Carolina at this time. There was an Elisha and John Dean living in Laurens County, S. C. Source: Linda Eddy

 

John – I think John may have been born about 1755 and moved to Halifax County, Virginia with his brothers. This gets confusing because Edward Dean also has a son John who also shows up in Halifax County land records. I believe this John is too old to be Edward’s son. This John seemed to have trouble paying his bills and he died in 1765. John’s legal and land records can be seen here.

 

William – Until recently I didn’t have any information about William. Otis Fuller points out that William must have been born no earlier than 1734-1735. I have connected with two William Dean descendants: Vallie Terrell and Matthew Dean. Hopefully they will help me fill in the blanks. I know that William married Elizabeth Unknown and that he must have joined the Dean-Abney-Echols contingency that moved to South Carolina because his son William was born in Edgefield, South Carolina in 1789. I have no land records for him in Halifax County, Virginia.

 

Thomas – We know that Thomas had lived in Halifax County but was gone by July 1761 when he was sued by Thomas Burnley and the sheriff reported he was gone. I have no idea where he went.
Halifax County Plea Book 1761 July Court 1761, Page 296,
William McDaniel, assignee of Daniel Hogan, who was assignee of Zechariah Burnley, Plt, vs Thomas Dean, Deft. The Sheriff having returned sd Deft no inhabitant, this suit abates.

 

 

 

 

Daniel (1730 – ?) – Daniel was a substantial landowner in Halifax County. I have some of his legal and land records. There were too many for me to copy and transcribe. I don’t know who Daniel married or when he died.