John Dean, a Revolutionary soldier of the town of Mount Pleasant, and conceiving the recital of them would be beneficial to our

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HISTORICAL SKETCHES.

readers, as portraying- the vigor and devoted heroism of an humble citizen of Westchester County in the days that tried men's souls they are herewith published. We are enabled, however, to open the narrative with but an imperfect outline of the origin and early life of the worthy name placed at the head of this article.

We com meu.ce then by stating that Thomas Dean, the father of John Dean, was a native of the town of Cohasset, D. I. ; and when the French war of 1756, as it was called, broke out, Thomas Dean was either drafted or enlisted to go to Canada in Colonial service, to fight the battles of the mother country against the French ; but the mists of time have in a great measure effaced the record of noble deeds then enacted. Suffice it to say, Thomas Dean was at the battle of Stony Brook, and in other perilous conflicts in that school of arms which taught the infant America afterward to assert and maintain her rights against the exactions and unequal taxation of the people whose battles they had fought, and whose fame they had helped to elevate. Mr. Thomas Dean returned after the peace which transferred the Canadas and provinces to the British crown, and resumed the pursuits of agriculture in a portion of what was called " Philipse Manor," in the present town of Mount Pleasant,--rearing his family by the sweat of his brow in that peaceful pursuit.