Arthur Phalen Dean, son of Moses Dean and Rachel Evans, was born August 24, 1858 near Sycamore, DeKalb County, Illinois. He was educated in DeKalb County and on February 3, 1880 he married Frances Amelia “Fannie” Beckler, daughter of John Beckler and Mary Knipp.
For a time the couple lived with Arthur’s sister and her husband, farming in DeKalb County. They lived near Sycamore for twelve years after which they moved to Elgin, Illinois. They remained there only a year when the removed to Nevada, Story County, Iowa arriving on October 22, 1896.
Mr. Dean was a land owner in the eastern part of Story County which provided him with a comfortable rental income. He served on the Nevada school board and served two terms as mayor of Nevada from 1907 to 1908.
He was devoted to his church, Memorial Lutheran, and took an active role as Sunday School Superintendent, served on the Synodical Mission committee of which he was treasurer and was director the Nachusa Lutheran Orphanage at Nashusa, Illinois. He was a church delegate to state as well as national conventions.
On October 22, 1921, twenty five years to the day from the day they arrived in Nevada, Fannie (Beckler) Dean died after a one-year illness. Following the death of his wife, Mr. Dean spent much of his time traveling.
In August of 1923, Mr. Dean was admitted to the Mayo Clinic. While submitting to tests, he collapsed. Arthur P. Dean died on September 3, 1923 in Rochester, Olmstead County, Minnesota. He was survived by a daughter and two sons.