"An Illustrated history of Baker, Grant, Malheur and Harney Counties : with a
brief outline of the early history of the state of Oregon." Chicago?: Western
Historical Pub. Co., 1902.  Page 311.  Baker County.

JAMES M. DEAN

     This prosperous farmer and stock raiser of the lower Powder river valley is
a native of the great commonwealth in which he now lives, having been born in
Washington county, near Oregon City, on April 6, 1857.  His parents , Francis M.
and Mary J. (Roberts) Dean, natives respectively of Tennessee and Missouri, were
both pioneers of 1852.  Our subject resided in the county of his nativity until
1870, then accompanied his parents to the Grande Ronde valley whence, in 1871,
he moved to a point not far distant from his present place of abode.  His
parents took the quarter section of land now known as the Turner place.  Though
he had attended school in Washington county, he had not finished his education
at the time of his arrival here, so for some time he was a pupil in the Big
Creek school, though it is situated six miles away.
     As soon as our subject reached man's estate he engaged in the lumber
business on Coos Bay, and to that his energies were devoted for a couple of
years, at the end of which time he returned to Baker county and engaged in
farming and the stock business, purchasing for the purpose the quarter section
on which we find him at present.  He now owns a beautiful farm of two hundred
acres, all good, rich land under irrigation, and he formerly kept as high as
four hundred head of cattle in partnership with one N. C. Love, but during
recent years he has reduced his herd to about eighty.  In 1899 he purchased a
part interest in the saw mill of Jameson & Company, situated about eight miles
northeast of his place, but he has since sold out the same, deeming it best to
give his undivided attention to farming.
     Mr. Dean is vitally interested in the cause of education, a fact which is
manifested by his having served faithfully for twelve consecutive years as
director of his district.  Fraternally he is a member of the Modern Woodmen of
America, Baker City Camp, No. 5326.  On September 9, 1891, in the Powder river
valley, he married Miss Estella I., a daughter of W. David and Elizabeth
(Bowman) Emele, pioneers of this county.  They have three children:  Oval A.,
Marvin V. and Burl D.

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in September 2005 by Diana Smith.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.