Dean Stanley Harley

Dean was born at the Harley home at 37 John St (now Mill St) in November of 1879, residing his entire life in this home. Dean was the son of J.G. Harley and Eliza Johnson.

At 19 years of age, Dean emigrated to the United States and served as a Private with the U.S. Infantry in the Philippines during the Spanish American War 1898-1901. Returning to Georgetown, Dean married Mary Osmond in 1904.

The 1911 Canadian Census shows Dean living on John St (now Mill St) married to Mary with two sons John Douglas Leroy age 5, Raymond Marshall age 3 (Veteran WW2) and his mother-in-law Ann Osmond. The couple added to their family with the births of Gordon Albert in 1912 (Veteran WW2), and Brock Johnson in 1914. Unfortunately Mary died in 1917, one day following the birth and death of their premature son Ralph. Left with a young family, Dean married Bertha Follet in 1919 and the couple had five children Robert Bruce, (Veteran WW2) Jean Marion, Bessie Elaine, Terrence Dean and a stillborn baby.

During the First World War Dean operated a restaurant on Main St. in Georgetown and upon the death of his father took over his father’s business, Harley Cartage. Later he was employed at Creelman’s Knitting Machine Co. and prior to his death he worked manufacturing his own invention, The Harley Fire Escape.

Dean was a member of the First Baptist Church, a member of the Canadian Legion Branch 120, and of the Spanish American War Veterans Camp 33.

Dean died on October 20, 1955 and is buried with his first wife Mary at Greenwood Cemetery, Georgetown.

Truly a Canadian Hero. His story lives on. Information obtained from Ancestry.ca and The Georgetown Herald.