The first steps I took in learning about the Dean line, came with hands on experience. I had to learn how to use FamilySearch, census research, newspaper research, locality research, etc. It did not come overnight, but rather line upon line. It was through concerted, often unfruitful efforts that I learned what worked and what didn’t work. Piece by piece, the story of the Deans began to unravel.
In learning to do genealogy research, I found LDS family history centers as helpful resources. The missionaries were experienced in doing research and participating in finding temple ordinances. Also, the LDS Church had subscriptions to the big research websites, like Ancestry. These were in the days before LDS church members could get partner access through their FamilySearch accounts, so I made lots of library trips to use Ancestry.
Within a few weeks, and then what became a few months, the Dean genealogy was coming together. All of the sudden, Harry and Ida Dean’s boys took on more than names and vital information; they took on careers, personalities, family members, and stories that came to life through Google searches and newspapers. The two brothers of B. G.’s that assumed the greatest personalities were Doc and Frankie. I learned that having one prominent individual in the family helps to round out the stories and involvements of others when they talk about their own backgrounds and experiences. Soon, Harry Fenton Dean and Ida Jane (Pepperdine) Dean had their own narratives come to light.
From there, it was time to move backward in the tree.
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