The 1880 Census found Dean single and teaching school (and misreporting Lake City and spending enough time in Southern Those wandering years Dean was suffering from depression triggered by His susceptibility to "the blues," I'm tempted to speculate that during Reported it accurately on the 1870 Census). Apparently it was during the next three years that the Dean doesn't mention her, or even suggest her existence, in Surprisingly, the next year's 1870 Census finds Dean farming in CloudĪn Emma E. In 1869, perhaps one of the two occasions on which he crossed the Your conclusion is correct, but there is an institutionĭown in Washington County that should have part of the blame."Īfter college, Dean remained in the Forest Grove area You will conclude that I am not proficient Took up botany in the winter-an excellent time to study flowers and Later reported of his instruction there, "The class to which I belonged Preparatory Program that year, though he didn't receive a degree. Dement, who was attending the Portland Academy. "batched it" the winter of 1865-66 in Portland,Ī Russell C. Reported to have taught school sometime in the early 1860s somewhereīy the fall of 1864 Dean had decided to himself return to school. When he began his career as a schoolteacher. Year, found Dean out West (possibly to avoid Civil War service) in the gold mines of easternĭean became "Mr. Possibly one of those voyages took place before the 1860 Census enumeration. Stories he soon left Vermont to go to sea, making two voyages Seventeen influenced by nautical adventure The 1860 Census finds Dean still at home at Would have considered it almost an insult were they told that itĬould not be found in the Bible, yet such is the fact." Spoil the child,' was thought to be good Scripture doctrine and they The stern old Puritan idea of bringing up a boy. Hickory sprout" at school, duplicated by his father at home. His exuberance earned him "frequent and vigorous applications of the Somewhere, of course school was found to be the most fitting place." I had a keen appreciation of everything ridiculousĪnd funny, and as my superabundance of devilment had to break loose Orneriest kid in the school," earning "more lickin's than allīalance combined. Prominent in the activities of the local Baptist church.Ĭhap was considered delicate, but somehow he grew up." Dean "was extraįull of mischief when a lad" and soon became "the Dean was born near Bristol, Vermont on July 9, 1843, His Rogue Valley years have been fleshed out by frequent mentions in valley newspapers. What we know of the early years of Willis John Dean,Ĭomes from clues gleaned from this diary he started on New Year'sĭay 1912 and maintained into 1919. Dean's house would have been about a mile behind the Dean's wicked humor throughout, and here and here Dean was an eyewitness.įor any Deans who stumble across this page. He allowed half the neighborhood to visit.Ĭanyon City, Oregon, in 1863. Movement of the "stand" or planchette was controlled by spirits-butĬouldn't come up with an alternate explanation. ConfirmedĪtheists but pre-Freudians, the Deans initially tried to be skeptical Of years, the Deans held seances a few times a week. "Greys" hadn't been invented yet, though, so Mr.ĭean interpreted the disturbing phenomenon in Spiritualist terms. Transported weightlessly outdoors, communicating telepathically with The hallmarks of a typical alien abduction waking dream: Waking up If you can't read the whole diary, be sure not to Used by permission.Ĭomments? E-mail me at: Ĭlick here for much more on W. Discovered, pursued, rescued and transcribed by
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |