THE DORSEY FAMILY Descendants of Edward Darcy-Dorsey of Virginia and Maryland For Five Generations and ALLIED FAMILIES By MAXWELL J. DORSEY and JEAN MUIR DORSEY Urbana, Illinois And NANNIE BALL NIMMO Baltimore, Maryland Copyright, 1947 By MAXWELL J. DORSEY and JEAN MUIR DORSEY and NANNIE BALL NIMMO HOME OF MAXWELL AND JEAN MUIR DORSEY - BUILT 1926 - URBANA, ILLINOIS CONTENTS Introduction. v Abbreviations and Explanations. VI Edward Darcy-Dorsey The Immigrant. 1 Colonel Edward Dorsey. 8 Michael Dorsey I and So~e Of His Descendants 80 Joshua Dorsey. 121 Honorable John Dorsey. 133 Hockley In The Hole. 174 Sarah (Howard) Dorsey. 176 Allied Fam111es: Nicholas Wyatt. 190 Thomas Todd. 192 John Elder. 196 Matthew Howard. 197 Robsrt Rockhould. 200 John Norwood. 202 Ancestral Lines and Lineage Charts Of Some Ot The Descendants Of Edward Darcy-Dorsey The Immigrant 210 Index. 249 III ILLUSTRATIONS Page Maxwell and Jean (Muir) Dorsey Home in Urbana, Illinois Frontispiece 'Map Showing Locations of Early Land Grants in Maryland. 5, Signatures and Seals of the Sons of Edward Darcy-Dorsey 6 Chart of Three Generations of the Dorsey Family 7 Original Patent of Hockley in the Hole. 9 Early Ms.p of·Annapolis ......... 18 Original Will of Colonel Edward Dorsey .. 20 Signatures of Edward and Sarah Dorsey and Four Children 26 Signatures of Children of Mrs. Ann Dorsey .. 38 Nicholas Dorsey Home in Annapolis Junction .. 45 Marriage Record of John Dorsey and Honor Sta--­ 51 Signature of Adam Barnes •........• 52 Signature and Seal of Nicholas Dorsey ... 63 Chart Showing Line of Descent of Maxwell J. and John Muir Dorsey. 78 Signatures of Ten Generations of the ~orsey Family. 79 Old Corner Stone ............•. 96 Signatures of Five Children of Michael Dorsey II. 98 Owen Dorsey Ball Home in Portsmouth, Virginia 105 Old Dorsey Spring in Muskingum County, Ohio . 109 Bapti~t Meeting House and Burying Ground, Shannon, Ohio 109A Samuel Dorsey Homes near Dresden, Ohio. 118 Original Will of Joshua Dorsey ..... 122 Signature and Seal on the Original Will of Joshua Dorsey. 122A Table and Saucer of Providence (Dorsey) Lane. 129 Signature of John Dorsey, Son of Joshua 130 Original Will of Hon. John Dorsey .•. 136 Signature and Seal on the Original Will of Hon. John Dorsey 137 Signatures and Seals of John and Edward Dorsey. 143 Basil Dorsey Home in Frederick County, 'Maryland 144 Signature of Richard Clagett ...... 146 Signatures of Caleb and Elinor Dorsey and Twelve of Their Children. 156 Christ Church, Queen Caroline Parish. 160 Old Dorsey Homes in Howard County. 161 Name Plate of Richard Dorsey ...... 163 Signature and Seal of ThoJJE.s Beale Dorsey 169 Hockley in the Hole - Home of the Darcy-Dorseys in 113.ryland 172 Map of Hockley in the Hole Enlarged ........... 173 Map Showing Locations of Some of the Dorsey Plantations in Maryland 175A Signatures and Seal of 113.tthew Howard and Daughter Sarah ..... 177 Signatures of Lancelot Todd and Other nembers of the Family . 195 Signatures and Seals of the Sons of Matthew Howard, the Immigrant 199A Signature of Andrew Norwood 204 I_V INTRODUCTION The authors of this family history have attempted to trace the descendants of Edward Darcy-Dorsey, the immigrant, through both male and female lines as far as the fifth generation. This information should enable the living des­ cendants, who are interested, to trace their own lines without great difficulty. The material contained in this book is based almost entirely on the research of the authors. The examination of many original records has brought to light new and valuable data, as well as the signatures and seals of a number of the early men and women of the family. In presenting abstracts of original records, the exact spelling of words and names has been followed, even when incorrect or different from that used elsewhere. The records, which are arranged in chronological order, prove the family relationship in each line of descent. They also show the activities, interests, and achievements of many members of the family. To increase the usefulness of this material, the authors have given the references to all records used in the book. The number which appears before the name of each descendant indicates the order of birth in the family, while the one which follows the name designates the generation. The maps which show the locations of the plantations of the early members of the family are based on information found in land records. It is hoped that these naps may be helpful to those who are interested in visiting the old homes and ancestral acres in Maryland. In the compilation of such a large amount of data, errors in copying mayhave been overlooked. For all of these the authors ask consideration. The authors wish to express their gratitude tor the courtesy and cooperation shown them at the Hall of-Records, Annapolis, the Maryland Historical Society, Baltimore, and the County Court Houses, while the research was being done. They are also deeply grateful to those members of the family who so graciously con­ tributed their lines of descen~ which are included in the book, and to those who have helped in other ways. Maxwell Jay Dorsey Urbana, Illinois Jean Muir Dorsey Baltimore, Maryland Nannie Ball Nimmo ABBREVIATIONS ANO EXPLANATIONS Anne Arundel County Bal t. Co .. Baltimore County Chas. Co .. Charles County F'red. Co .. Frederick County Harf. Co .. Harford County Mont. Co .. Montgomery County Pr. Geo. Co. Prince George's County Arch. of Md. Archives of Maryland Accts. Accounts A.dmr •• Administrator Admrx. Administratrix Exr .. Executor Exrx .. Executrix Bal. Bk. Balance Book Chane. Rec .. Chancery Record Ct. Rec .. Court Record Invts ... Inventories Prov. Ct. Rec. Provincial Court Record Prov. Ct. Judg .. Provincial Court Judgment Test. Proc .. Testamentary Proceedings Test. Papers .. Testamentary Papers Parish Registers: A.H. All Hallow•s St .A •. St. Anne's St. Mrgts. St. Margaret's St. Thos .. St. Thomas St. Jn. and St. Geo. St. John's and St. George's The testamentary materials, Provine ial Court Judgments, Provincial Court Records, Patents, Warrants, Chancery Records, Rent Rolls·, Debt Books, and Deeds of the State of Maryland prior to 1777, referred to in this family history, are found in the Hall of Records, Annapolis, Maryland. Later records are found in the County Court Houses. Parish Registers, Tax Lists, and many interesting documents from which data have been taken are in the Maryland Historical Society in Baltimore. VI EDWARD DARCY-DORSEY THE IMMIGRANT The founder of this family in Maryland was Edward Darcy-Dorsey, who had lived several years in Virginia before he came to Anne Arundel County in 1650. Various spellings of his name appear in the deeds and land patents of Lower Norfolk County, Virginia, between the years 1642 and 1648. At a County Court held on November 3, 1645, at the house of William Shipp, it was record­ ed that John Browne ,of Elizabeth River in the County of Lower Norffe, planter, had on the 11th of February, 1642, sold unto Edward Darsey of the county aforesaid planter three head of Cat­ tle (Vizt) one Cowe aged about seaven yeares of a brinded Coulor and marked with a Cropp on the right Eare and the left Eare whole, and a steare of a Coulor as aforesaid aged about one yeare and a halfe and marked with a Cropp on the left eare and the right Eare slitt allsoe one heifar Calfe brinded as aforesaid aged about three quarters of a yeare and marked with a Cropp on both eares and a slitt in one and doe by these presents give graunt bargaine and sell unto the said Edward Darsey his heirs executrs administrators and assignes for ever for a Valuable consideration pt in hand paid. Dated the 11th of February, 1642. (Minute Book A, f. 293, Lower Norfolk Co., Portsmouth, Va.) On December 15, 1642, Cornelius Lloyd received a grant of land for bringing 60 persons into the colony. Among the list of names was that of Edw: -orsey, the first letter of the last name being obliterated. (Ibid., f. 160) (New Eng. Hist. Gen. Reg. Vol. 47, f. 63) On October 7, 1646, Thomas Brown was given 240 acres in Lower Norfolk County due by assignment of the rights of 5 persons transported by Cornelius Lloyd - among them Edward Dorsey. (Patents 2,-State of Va., f. 113) The County Court held at the house of William Shipp on December 15, 1645, ordered Thomas Todd to pay Edward Darcy and Thomas Hall forty pownds of tobacco a piece for theire tyme and charge in attendance of the Court for two days, and on December 10, 1649, when Edward Dorsey witnes~ed a_quit-claim deed executed.by Thomas Tod, his signature was Edward ED: Dorsy (Mi_nute Book A, f. 299; Minute Book B, f. 133a, Lower, Norfolk Co., Portsmouth, Va.) On October 31, 1649, William Julian of Lower Norfolk County, Virginia, sold to Robert Taylor of Elizabeth River 200 Acres of land being a neck of land upon the south turning of the said river, east upon a creek, and south upon a creek, and north into the woods. This deed was endorsed on the back as follows: "Mem. I Robert Tailer doe make sale of a neck of Land Cont. about 200 acres wthin mentioned unto Edward Darcey for him &his helres to Injoy wth all Rights and previledges As Wittnes my hand this 20th o! Octob Ag 1648." (Ibid., f. 126a) Various spellings of the name - Dorsey - continue to appear on the records in Maryland, but the original signatures of the sons of the immigrant show the family spelled the name - Dorsey. (See page 6) More than twenty times, the name with its different spellings is listed in Burke's and other He~aldries as Darsey, Darsy, Darcey, Darcie, D'Arcy, D'Arcey, but never as Dorsey.