Deans of Iowa

On our recent family trip, I spent most of genealogical energy on the Cunninghams of Columbus, Wisconsin (see the seven posts on that family). However, since we were driving through Des Moines, I did take the opportunity to stop in at Sims Cemetery, where a number of the Deans are buried.

John Stewart Dean, my great-great-great-great-grandfather was one of the founders of East Des Moines (or Desmoines, as he preferred to write it). He led a group of families (mostly his children) to the area in 1847. The first Presbyterian church in the city met in his house. The state capital building sits on part of his farm. Both a "Dean Street" and a "Dean Lake" are still on the map.

Also buried there (among others) are John Stewart Dean's second and third wives (I'm a descendant of his first wife, who died while they still lived in Ohio), and my great-great-great-grandfather, John Stewart's oldest son, Abram Dean, and his wife, my great-great-great-grandmother, Anne Welsheimer Dean.

A few notes for anyone inclined to visit Sims Cemetery:

1) The cemetery is located at E. 36th St. and University. You may be tempted to follow University (which is a major road through East Des Moines) until you reach 36th. Don't. It turns out that University intersects a road named E. 36th St. at least three freaking times. (It may be more, but we found the intersection we needed on the third try.)

2) If you are heading east on University, you will pass the entrance to the cemetery. It doesn't look like much, so you'll just blow right by. You will then have to drive for, seriously, a mile before you can turn around again. The entrance looks like a pull-out for RVs visiting the State Fair (see #3).

3) Never, ever try to visit the cemetery during the State Fair. Just trust me on this one.

4) The cemetery is fully fenced. It is clearly being mowed, but they must beam the damn mower in using advanced teleport technology, because I couldn't find a gate.

5) Watch out for the edges of the fence when you climb over.

6) Bring candy to reward the kids for putting up with an hour-long detour trying to find the damn cemetery, and the wounds from entering it.

The red badge of genealogy

And now, on to the cemetery pictures:

There is a monument in the family plot to our illustrious ancestors.
Under the name it says "Pioneers of Des Moines, November 1, 1847" 

The oldest monument is to John Stewart Dean and his second and third wives:

A close-up of the inscription. It reads:
"John S. Dean Aug 9, 1797-Dec 21, 1872
Nancy Taylor, 2nd wife Feb 27, 1805-Nov 16, 1851
Rachel Scroggs, 3rd wife Dec 2?, 1812-March 3, 1906"

Also in the cemetery are John's son Abram Stewart Dean and his wife Anne Welsheimer Dean:

"Father
Abram S.
Jan. 9, 1820
Jan 25, 1859"

Note that he's designated as "father". I believe these headstones may have been put up by David Philip Dean. All except John Stewart's appear to be identical in stone and style. I believe they may have been replacements for earlier, less durable, monuments. I hadn't heard of anyone in the family replacing the stones, but the family designations suggests David was the person who did so.

"Mother
Ann R.
Feb 16, 1819
Dec 29, 1905"

Some of the tombstones belong to children of Abram and Ann. These include Hannah Catherine Dean and Nancy Elizabeth Dean Barnes. Nancy was the wife of Marion L. Barnes.

"Hannah C.
Dau.
Dec. 9, 1844
Dec. 21, 1969"

"Nancy E.
Dau. - Wife of
M.L. Barnes
May 1, 1848
Jan. 5, 1873"

One of the children of Marion and Nancy Dean Barnes was also buried at the cemetery. Really, the number of young children in cemeteries from this time is heartbreaking.

"Charles F.
Son of M.L. and N.E.
Barnes
Dec. 29, 1872
June 2, 1873"

Most of the children memorialized in the cemetery were children of David Philip Dean and Sarah Jennie Brattain Dean. David and Jennie moved to Washington later in their marriage, but a number of infants and young children were left behind in the graveyard. I can't imagine how they handled such loss.

"James
son of
D.P. and S.J. Dean
Feb 16, 1889
Feb 9, 1890"

"Edna
Dau. of
D.P. and S.J. Dean
Oct. 10, 1887
Feb. 5, 1890"

"Havey E.
Son of
D.P. and S.J. Dean
April 18, 1883
Feb. 7, 1885"

"Daisy
Dau. of
D.P. and S.J. Dean
May 8, 1881
Feb 8, 1885"

About the last headstone: my parents like to tell the story of how, when I was five years old, I wanted to name my unborn sibling "Daisy Dean". (Alas, I suspect this was an homage to Dukes of Hazzard, although daisies are my favorite flower) Well, apparently my great-great-grandparents didn't think the name was quite so laughable! Granted, I suspect my brother prefers Philip over Daisy. Still, I did name my first-born Margaret, a name which means "daisy" in its French, Spanish, and Portuguese versions.