My Grandfather and Grandmother

C.T. and Bessie Dean

Claire Thomas and Bessie Lee Dean

Claire Thomas Dean was born in 1905 at the family home in Henagar, Alabama, near the DeKalb-Jackson County line.  He dropped out of high school for two years and taught the third grade before going back to graduate in 1925 from Jackson County High School in Scottsboro, Alabama. 

Claire was one of six children born to Rev. John Thomas Dean and Sophronia Frances "Oni" (Allen) Dean, (1) Wilbur Boyd Dean born Oct. 5, 1899, (2) Claire Thomas Dean born June 30, 1905, (3) Homer Austin Dean, born Jan. 6, 1908, (4) Otis Hall Dean born June 23, 1911, (5) Melton Morris Dean born Aug. 8, 1913, (6) Sibyl Dean born Oct. 1, 1917.

As a young man, he was a fine baseball player and it has been said that if he were playing in his later years he could probably have made the Southern League or some other comparable league.  Although he threw with his right hand, he was a left-handed batter and could really clobber pitches about knee high.

Claire Thomas (C.T.) Dean and Bessie Lee (Jones) Dean were married on November 28, 1926.  They had two children,  Mary Joycelyn (Dean) Johnson, born August 27, 1931 and Claire Thomas Dean, Jr. born December 1, 1937.  Both are now deceased.  Joycelyn is buried in the Cedar Hill Cemetery, Scottsboro, Alabama,  by her beloved husband, W. H. "Shag" Johnson, Jr.  Thomas is buried in Scotland, where he earlier married and retired from the Navy.

Claire started work as an automobile mechanic in Earl LaBarre's garage at Dutton, Alabama.  He moved to Scottsboro in the twenties where he was employed by both the Ford and Chevrolet dealerships over the years as a mechanic and parts man.  From 1955 to 1961 he worked as a parts man for Scottsboro Auto Parts, an N.A.P.A. dealer.

In the course of his work in the automobile business, he picked up a little knowledge about locksmithing.  He took correspondence courses in both safes and gunsmithing.  He was at his best working with auto locks but got quite a bit of work in his spare time with home locks, gun repair, and parts.

He was a an avid gun trader and usually had at least fifty guns on hand with which he would barter with anyone interested.  During a home break-in, twenty-seven of his guns were stolen.  Some of the guns in his collection were collector's items.  His primary collection included pistol grip shotguns which were usually .410 gauge.  He owned one gun that belonged to his Grandfather, Marion Clayton Dean.  

Claire was always a staunch Democrat and always maintained an active interest in politics.  He was a strong supporter of Prohibition and was always vitally interested in strict law enforcement.  He was a candidate for Sheriff of Jackson County in 1958 when he placed third in a field of six.  In 1962 he offered himself for the position once more and emerged victorious.  He was sworn in on January 14, 1963, and he and his wife, Bessie, moved into the Sheriff's quarters in the County Jail where they lived for the four years that he was Sheriff.  He ran for re-election in 1966 but was defeated.  He worked as a guard for the Security Forces at the newly built Revere Aluminum Plant in Scottsboro until his retirement.  He owned and ran his own Bonding Company from his home office for the remainder of his life.  

This video is a collection of old film footage which contains the escort of Johnny Beecher, moonshine stills and destruction of confiscated liquor and beer.  This was all during the term of Sheriff C.T. Dean, Sheriff of Jackson, County, Alabama.

Former Sheriff C.T. Dean, Jackson County, Alabama 

44th Governor of Alabama John Malcom Patterson

                                                      C. T. Dean

Bessie Lee (Jones) Dean was born in Huntsville, Alabama.  She and her family moved from there to Jones' Cove on a steamboat when she was about five.  She was reared in Jones' Cove which is about five miles from Scottsboro.  It was land that is now covered by the backwaters of the Tennessee Valley Authority dams.  When she and her husband first moved to Scottsboro, she worked in the textile mills for a time.

Bessie was one of 10 children *six being twins* born to William Fredrick Jones and Nancy Ann (Eaton) Jones:   (1)Herman Jones born March 8, 1898, (2)William Earl Jones born April 15, 1901, (3) Nannie Pearl Jones Cox born April 15, 1901, (4) Irene Jones born July 14, 1903, (5) Jessie "B" Jones born December 4, 1905, (6) Bessie Lee Jones Dean born December 4, 1905, (7) Mattie Mae Lucille Jones Williams born May 19, 1908, (8) Myrvle Elizabeth Jones Wales  born Aug. 4, 1911, (9) Veva Mauvline Jones Wisener born Sept. 27, 1914, (10) Vera Pauline Jones Smith  born Sept. 27, 1914.

The Will Jones Family celebrating their Sixtieth Wedding Anniversary on June 6, 1957, at their home in Dutton, Alabama, with their children, (left to right)  Pauline Smith, Mauvline Wisener, Myrvle Wales, Pearl Cox, Mrs. Nan Jones, Mr. Will Jones, Bessie Dean, Jessie Jones and Lucille Williams. 

When she was still young she took a course in Art and painted beautiful paintings that she proudly hung in their home.  She was a very crafty and artistic woman.  She did not, however, paint any for the last twenty-five years of her life.  She, instead, devoted most of her time raising her children and looking after her family.  She and her sister, Myrvle Elizabeth  (Jones) Wales, undertook a correspondence course in taxidermy in the early 1950's.  Their work was so impressive, they soon found they had more work than they could do.  Their work was better than most of the local professionals and their endeavor proved to possibly be a large money making adventure.  They were especially good with birds and animals.  Their finished products were not only good but very detailed and natural.  

Bessie's hobbies were raising flowers, cooking, and fishing!  She was for years a member of the Scottsboro Garden Club and won many prizes and awards  for her beautiful flowers and presentation.  She loved to fish and would gladly have fished all day if she could find someone to go with her!  In late 1962 she achieved her lifetime ambition by buying her own aluminum boat and outboard motor!  Her cooking was always mouth watering!  She made everything from scratch, the old-fashioned way and to this day I remember how good her home-cooked meals were!  One of my personal favorites was her home-made coconut cake in which she used a secret pineapple glaze between the layers.  It was delicious!  

C.T. and Bessie were both members of the First Baptist Church in Scottsboro, Alabama.  Claire served several years as a Sunday School teacher for a class of intermediate boys.  She was a member of the Women's Missionary Union and for years was a member of the church choir.

In April 1968, her doctors discovered that she had cancer of the kidneys and recommended that she have one removed.  Unfortunately, after surgery, she developed a blood clot while still in the hospital and died suddenly in the Jackson County Hospital in Scottsboro, Alabama.  Her death was sudden and unexpected.  She was scheduled to come home the next morning.  Her death left me devastated  because we had such a strong bond.  I planned on visiting her the night before she was scheduled to come home, but knowing she would be home the next morning, I decided to let her rest.  I can't count the times I still look back and regret not going that night.  In the midst of losing someone so special, I always remember how she taught me that God doesn't make mistakes and I should always cling to His guidance and wisdom and always look to Him for answers.  I still hold on to all His promises and know that we will all be reunited someday!  

C.T. and Bessie are both buried in the Cedar Hill Cemetery in Scottsboro.  

I loved them both dearly and still miss them very much.  They were always there for their children and their grand-children.  They taught me so much about so many things.  They were good, Christian leaders and such an inspiration to me. They not only "talked the talk", but they "walked the walk" everyday!   I credit my Grandmother and Grandfather for always pointing the family in the right direction.  

Credits:  Excerpts from "Dean and Allied Families", ©Claire Thomas Dean, Jr. 

                              ©Deborah L. Burgess

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