clear space clear space clear space white space
A
 r c h i v e s   o f   M a r y l a n d   O n l i n e

PLEASE NOTE: The searchable text below was computer generated and may contain typographical errors. Numerical typos are particularly troubling. Click “View pdf” to see the original document.

  Maryland State Archives | Index | Help | Search
search for:
clear space
white space
A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature 1635-1789 by Edward C. Papenfuse, et. al.
Volume 426, Page 274   View pdf image (33K)
 Jump to  
  << PREVIOUS  NEXT >>
clear space clear space clear space white space

DOR BIOGRAPHIES

the peace, Somerset County, in office 1794 and
1801; judge, Somerset County, in office 1799. MIL-
ITARY SERVICE: colonel, Princess Anne Battalion,
Somerset County Militia, commissioned 1781. OUT
OF STATE SERVICE: presidential elector, 1796 (for
John Adams). WEALTH DURING LIFETIME. PER-
SONAL PROPERTY, assessed value £602.8.0, includ-
ing 12 slaves and 18 oz. plate, 1783. ANNUAL IN-
COME: law fees for practice in Somerset County
and Worcester County courts totaled £25.15.0
current money and 66,569 pounds of tobacco in
1785. LAND AT FIRST ELECTION: 555 acres in
Somerset County (by deed of gift from his mother
and brother). SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN LAND

BETWEEN FIRST ELECTION AND DEATH: sold 300

acres in Somerset County between 1785 and 1803;
owned 4 lots in Princess Anne, Somerset County,
but he sold 2 of these lots and leased out 2 other

lots, 1797-1829. WEALTH AT DEATH. DIED: in Oc-

tober 1831 in Annapolis. PERSONAL PROPERTY:
assessed value £659.0.0, including 3 slaves and 29
oz. plate, 1831. He sold several slaves to an un-
married daughter for $300.00, 1827-1829; he sold
many more slaves for $4,000.00 in 1831.

DORSEY, EDWARD (?-1705). BORN: probably
in Virginia; first son. IMMIGRATED: in 1649 as a
minor with his parents and siblings from Virginia.
RESIDED: in Anne Arundel County; Baltimore
County, by 1700. FAMILY BACKGROUND. FATHER:
Edward Dorsey (?-1659), who immigrated to Vir-
ginia by 1642 from Middlesex, England, and set-
tled in Lower Norfolk County; he was a Quaker
by 1657. BROTHERS: John Dorsey (ca. 1645-
1714/15); Joshua (?-1688); and probably Samuel.
NEPHEW John Dorsey (ca. 1682-?). MARRIED first,
ca. 1670 Sarah, daughter of Nicholas Damans
Wyatt. MARRIED second, Margaret, daughter of
John Lar km. She subsequently married John Isaac
(or Israel). CHILDREN. SONS: Edward (?-died
young); Joshua, who married Ann, daughter of
Henry Ridgely (1669-1699/1700); John, who mar-
ried Honor Elder; Samuel; Nicholas, who married
Frances Hughes; Benjamin; Larkin; Francis; and
Edward. DAUGHTERS: Sarah, who married John
Petticoate; Hannah, who married Joseph Howard
(1676-1736), son of Cornelius Howard (?-1680);
and Anne, who married John Hammond (?-1755),
son of Charles Hammond (ca. 1670-1713). PRI-
VATE CAREER. EDUCATION: literate. RELIGIOUS
AFFILIATION: Protestant. SOCIAL STATUS AND

ACTIVITIES: recommended for a position on the
Council in 1689 and 1696/97, but he was never
commissioned; his sons held no public office
higher than county justice. OCCUPATIONAL PRO-

FILE: planter; merchant; contractor. PUBLIC CA-
REER. LEGISLATIVE SERVICE: Lower House, Anne
Arundel County, 1694-1697 (probably Laws 6),
Baltimore County, 1701-1704 (Laws 2), 1704-
1705 (Elections and Privileges, chairman 1; Ag-
grievances, chairman 2; died before the 4th ses-
sion). OTHER PROVINCIAL OFFICE: judge, Court of
Chancery, 1694-1696. LOCAL OFFICES: justice,
Anne Arundel County, 1679-1685, 1686-1689,
Baltimore County, by 1701-1705. MILITARY SER-
VICE: captain, 1686-1687; major, 1687-1689,
1694-1702; colonel, by 1704-1705. STANDS ON
PUBLIC/PRIVATE ISSUES: his strong support of
Lord Baltimore in 1689 brought his dismissal
from his justiceship and militia commission after
the overthrow of the proprietary government; he
testified against the Protestant Associators in En-
gland, 1690; he was accused of being a Jacobite,
1692. WEALTH DURING LIFETIME. LAND AT
FIRST ELECTION: over 1,000 acres. WEALTH AT
DEATH. DIED, will probated on December 31,
1705. PERSONAL PROPERTY: TEV, £721.9.8 ster-
ling (including 13 slaves and 2 servants); FB,
£573.8.11. LAND, over 1,247 acres.

DORSEY, EDWARD (1718-1760). BORN: in Sep-
tember 1718 in Anne Arundel County; sixth of
eight sons. NATIVE: fourth generation. RESIDED:
maintained a house in Annapolis and a residence
at his plantation, "Dorsey," in Anne Arundel

County. FAMILY BACKGROUND. FATHER: Caleb

Dorsey, Gent. (1683-1742), of Anne Arundel
County. MOTHER: Elinor (1683-1752), daughter of
Richard Warfield and wife Eleanor Brown.
BROTHERS: Basil (1705-1763), twin to Achsah,
who married Sarah Worthington; John (1708-?),
who married Elizabeth Dorsey; Caleb (1710-?),
who married Priscilla Hill; Samuel (1712-1739),
never married; Richard (1714-?), who married
Elizabeth Beale, widow of William Nicholson;
Joshua (1720-1744), never married; and Thomas
Beal (1727-?), who married Ann Worthington.
SISTERS: Achsah (1705-?), who married first,
Amos Woodward, and second, Edward Fatterell;
Sophia (1707-?), who married Thomas Gough;
Elinor (1715/16-?), who married first, Thomas
Todd, and second, William Lynch; Deborah
(1722-?), who married second, Ely Dorsey; and
Mary (1725-ca. 1787), who married John Ridgely
(?-1771). NEPHEWS: Harry Dorsey Gough (ca.
1745-1808); Thomas Dorsey (?-1790); and Charles
Ridgely, of John (?-ca. 1787). NIECES: Achsah
Dorsey, who married Ephraim Howard (1745-
1788); Rebecca Dorsey, who married Charles
Ridgely (1733-1790); Eleanor Dorsey, who mar-

274



 

clear space
clear space
white space

Please view image to verify text. To report an error, please contact us.
A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature 1635-1789 by Edward C. Papenfuse, et. al.
Volume 426, Page 274   View pdf image (33K)
 Jump to  
  << PREVIOUS  NEXT >>


This web site is presented for reference purposes under the doctrine of fair use. When this material is used, in whole or in part, proper citation and credit must be attributed to the Maryland State Archives. PLEASE NOTE: The site may contain material from other sources which may be under copyright. Rights assessment, and full originating source citation, is the responsibility of the user.


Tell Us What You Think About the Maryland State Archives Website!



An Archives of Maryland electronic publication.
For information contact mdlegal@mdarchives.state.md.us.

©Copyright  October 06, 2023
Maryland State Archives