Percy W. Dean
Among the public officials of the Hanging Rock Region of Ohio who are steadfastly maintaining the excellence of service in their various departments is found Percy W. Dean, city auditor of Trenton, Lawrence County. Mr. Dean has just entered public life, this being his first official position, but he is well known as an active worker in the ranks of the republican party, and has an honorable record behind him in civic life. His election came as a result of a desire of the people to secure an energetic, aggressive and stirring man in the city auditor's office, and Mr. Dean has up to date vindicated their confidence in him and there seems to be no reason that he will not continue to do so in the future.
Percy W. Dean is a native son of Ironton, Ohio, and was born December 31, 1880, his parents being William and Elvira (Silbaugh) Dean. The family is well known in Lawrence County and hass been located here for many years. William Dean was born here in 1850, and during his career followed a variety of vocations, being at the time of his death a watchman. He passed away in 1907. a worthy man and good citizen. Mr. Dean was twice married; first to Elvira Silbaugh, who was born in Lawrence County, Ohio, in 1855, and died in 1893, and then to Olivia Lewis, who survived him and makes her home at Newport, Kentucky. To the first union there were born four children: Oscar, Percy W., Mary and Anna. There were no children born to the second union.
Percy W. Dean was given good educational advantages in his youth, first attending the schools of Hecka Furnace until he reached the age of sixteen years and then becoming a student in the high school at Ironton. Upon leaving the latter, he began to learn the trade of molder in stoves, and after mastering the details of this calling continued to work as a stove molder in Ironton until 1914. Through fidelity, energy and good workmanship, he won promotion from time to time, and in the meanwhile interested himself in republican politics, gaining a wider and wider influence among his fellow citizens until in 1913 he became bis party's candidate for the office of city auditor. His popularity was shown by his election to that office in the fall of the same year, and in 1914 he laid aside other matters to take over the management of the city auditor's affairs. In his first experience as a city official he is living up to his promises made before his election, and the people have no reason to be discontented with his services.
Mr. Dean was married at Ironton. August 24, 1902, to Miss Maud Thomas, who was born in Logan County, Ohio, daughter of R. W. Thomas, a brick yard man of Ironton. Three children have been born to this union: Horace, Mary and Ivan. Mr. and Mrs. Dean attend the Pine Street Methodist Church, are well known in social and religious circles of the city, and have their own attractive residence. Mr. Dean is active in lodge work, being a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles, the Knights of the Golden Eagle and the Iron Molders' Union, and finds his chief recreation in out-door sports. His acquaintance is wide and his friends are numerous among all classes of people.
From "A Standing History of the Hanging Rock Iron Region of Ohio" by Eugene B. Willard, Daniel W. Williams, George O. Newman and Charles B. Taylor. Published by Lewis Publishing Company, 1916