Major Robert Aaron Dean
The following is a
write-up on him. His birth
Lewis Shell,
Major Dean was educated
in the public schools of his native county and engaged in farming during his
long public life. He enlisted as Sergeant, in 1861, with the
After the war he settled
in the north western section of
He became a member of
the Senate in 1886 where he remained until 1896. He served as a member of
the Constitutional Convention of 1890 and was the chairman of the committee of
the penitentiary which recommended the abolition of the convict leasing system
and authorized the legislature to purchase farms, which soon lead to our
present penal farm system. Major Dean also served on the Franchise,
Apportionment, and Election Committees. He had not asked for re-election
to the Senate but expressed a desire to retire from public life but as a result
of his proven ability and his reputation for honesty, he was unexpectedly
called, by Governor A. H. Longino, to serve as a
member of the committee which supervised the creation of the new State Capitol
from 1900 - 1903. His last public service was in the state Senate 1908 to
1912. He was a loyal Democrat, a Mason, and a deacon of his church.
He was married Feb. 2, 1864 (Roland-must be an error) to Lucy Ann Langston a
daughter of John! McClure and Anner (Hudspeth) Langston
of Panola county. There were eight children:
Russell Langston, Thomas Greenwood, Joseph
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