Notes:

"ANNE ARUNDEL GENTRY--DORSEY FAMILY" by Harry Wright Newman "No
familY of early Anne Arundel is better known thruout the State than
the prolific Dorsey family. More descendants have qualified for
lineal-patriotic societies, especially the Colonial Dames, than any
other family in Maryland." "The family had its beginnings in
Virginia around Lower Norfolk and the emigrant Edward did not figure
to any marked degree in the public life of Virginia or even
Maryland..." "Amidst a strictly agricultural and fur-trading
economy, Edward Dorsey, a shipwright, was one of the early
industrialists and thus constucted much-needed watercrafts for the
early planters along the Bay and the several inlets on which he and
the first settlers established their plantations." "The persistent
belief has prevailed among all early historians of the family that the
name was at one-time D'Arcy, and the belief is not without merit. The
D'Arcy was an ancient family of Old England and was raised to peerage
in 1332...The name is derived from the Norman-French of 'de Adreci'
which is found in Britian by 1086..." "The Virginia records indicate
that sometime before Oct. 7, 1646, Edward Dorsey entered Virginia.
Edward Dorsey either left the colony and returned..." "Edward Dorsey
married in Virginia and his wife was undoubtedly Anne--who later
became convinced of the Quaker preachings....By Edward Dorsey arriving
in Maryland from Virginia with the early contingencies of the
non-conformists, his political beliefs coincided with those of the
Puritans, but during his 9 or more years in the Province, he was
inactive politically...his seat and shipyard was at 'Dorsey' on the
south side of the Severn. It formed a promontory between 'Freeman's'
or 'Norwood's Cove' and Dorsey Creek." "Ultimatley, Edward Dorsey and
his wife became 'convinced' of the Quaker doctrine. ...a letter of
Robert Clarkson of the Severn dated 14th of ye ...1657 '...and
likewise Ann Dorsey is a more larger measure, hir husband I hope
abideth faithfull in his measure.' ("Quakers in the Founding of Anne
Arundel Co". by J. Reany Kelly, pp. 15, 17) "Edward Dorsey with
others was drowned off the Isle of Kent during the summer of
1659....petition to court of Anne Arundel County Tues, 2 Aug 1659:
"Whereas Thomas Hinson hath petitioned this Court Shewing that hee
having taken up the Boate wherein Edward Darcy and some others were
drowned, neare the Isle of Kent, being desyred by the said Darcys
Overseer to take up the same Which he did deliuery the same Boate to
the cheife in Authority...." "No inventory or adm. of his personal
estate is recorded at Annapolis...On Aug. 20, 1664, the three sons of
Edward Dorsey were granted...a plantation on Cabin Neck Branch of the
south bank called 'Hockley-in-the-Hole' some distance from the
Severn."
"DORSEY" "The Dorseys of Maryland are a branch of the British family
of Darcy, which appears both in England and in Ireland. The first
Darcy in England was Sir Norman d'Areci, who was one of the Norman
knights who accompanied his cousin, William the Conqueror in the
conquest of England. English genealogists have traced Sir Norman
d'Areci back to Rollo, the Viking leader, who became the first duke of
Normandy. (Rollo d. 931, was known to his warriors as Rolf the Ganger
because he was so large a man that no horse could carry him. He
therefore led his troops on foot. His statue may be seen in Rouen.)
His son, called William Longspee (d. 942) was the second duke of
Normandy. Richard Sans Peur (d. 996) a grandson was the third duke.
His son Richard II, the fourth duke, was married several times. His
oldest son, Richard III, the fifth duke, died early and Robert, the
next son, became the sixth duke. Robert's son was William then
Conqueror. The son of Richard II, the fourth duke, by his third wife
Pavia, was William, who became Count of Arques. Among other titles
which he possessed was that of Count of Areci, a Norman town near
Dieppe, which title he passed to his son Norman. The latter became
known as Sir Norman d'Areci or Darcy. He was first cousin to William
the Conqueror." "After the conquest of Sir Norman d'Areci was
rewarded with vast possessions. He was lord of 33 manors in
Lincolnshire. The family became known as Darcy and spread into
Yorkshire and Essex. Hockley in Essex, where the Darcys were lords of
the manor, is generally believed to have been the source from which
the Dorseys of Maryland and Virginia are derived, as the first land
grant which Edward Dorsey, the founder received in Md. was called
Hockley...The Darcy coat of arms with its three cinquefoils also
appears at nearby St. Nicholas Church (in Essex, England)...Joshua
Dorsey, son of Edward Dorsey, affixed a seal to documents he signed
bearing the cinquefoil of the Darcys, thus indicating, prior to 1688,
the fact that he considered himself to be a descendant of the ancient
family of Darcy."

Family/Spouse: Anne. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

"ANNE ARUNDEL GENTRY--DORSEY FAMILY" by Harry Wright Newman
"Edward Dorsey, first don of Edward Dorsey and wife Anne, was born in
Virginia and came up the Severn during the days of the Commonwealth in
Maryland. On Aug. 25, 1664, he with his two brothers received jointly
400 acres of 'Hockley-in-the-Hole'. Evidence is unmistakable that he
followed for a time the occupation of his father and was certainly
engaged in ship building as late as May 6, 1667." "Before Nov. 1670,
Edward Dorsey married Sarah, a daughter of Nicholas Wyatt, Gent., by
his first wife. Sarah, his wife, died about 1690. He took for a
second wife, Margaret. All indicators point to the fact that she was
one of the daughters of John Larkin, Innkeepers, by his wife
Katherine. It is quite evident that the children of the second
marriage did not have the advantages of those of the first wife. The
widow remarried soon after the death of Col. Dorsey, but did not
survive her second husband. Perhaps, the children were neglected by
their step-father. Anyhow they were not schooled in letters, and as a
consequence made their mark on official documents." "On Jan 4,
1700/1, Edward Dorsey....assigned...my oldest son Edward Dorsey four
plantations bordering his dwelling-plantation at Elk Ridge and one
south side of Patapsco a little beyond the Falls with negroes,
livestock, household furniture whereon in trust for his five sons,
that is Samuel, Joshua, John, Nicholas, and Benjami. (Provincial
Court, Liber TL no. 2, folios 169,279)
To son Samuel the Patapsco plantation with three negroes and
other personltry To son Joshua the plantation 'where Black
Dick lives' with 100 adjoining acres, negroes and other
personalty To son John plantation that negro Bacon 'now lives on'
with 100 acres, negroes To son Nicholas the plantation 'that
negro Tom lives on' with 100 acres To son Benjamin piece of land
between Dick and Bacon."
"It was not until 1679 that Edward Dorsey entered into public or
political live of the province. In that year he was made a Justice of
the Peace for Anne Arundel County and a Gentleman Justice of the Quoroum.
He continued to serve in that capacity for a number of years
thereafter and in 1686 when he was styled Captain Edward Dorsey of His
Lordship's army he was likewise a Gentleman Justice of the Quorum. He
rose in the provincial forced from Captain to Colonel, a grade he held
at the time of his death. He entered the General Assembly 1694 as a
delegate from Anne Arundel County and continued to serve in all
succeeding sessions of the Lower House until his death. When he
became a domicile of Baltimore County, at the time that Baltimore
embraced both banks of Patapsco, he was likewise elected to the Lower
House. In 1695 he was made the Keeper of the Great Seal of the
Province." "He however was outspoken in his political views...in
1692 'Major Edward Dorsey had made several mutinous and seditious
speeches on board "Capt. William Hill Ship.'" "...he was on
Commission to erect the courthouse and the free school for Anne
Arundel Towne. He was granted the contract for the erection of the
first church of St. Anne in 1696." "Edward Dorsey was a staunch and
loyal supporter of the Calverts,...In politics (he) was a supporter of
the House of Stuart and an acknowledged member of the Jacobean Party"
"After the death of Samuel Wyatt (brother to his wife Sarah) the only
son and heir of Nicholas, Edward claimed his estate by rights of his
wife, as sole heiress. A battle royal insued with Thomas Bland,
Gent., who had married Damaris, the Widow Wyatt, and step-mother to
his wife. Edward had Bland arrested and caused him to be kept
prisoner at the Public Ordinary for several days. Thomas Bland in his
petition to the Provincial Court swore that in July 1677 he delivered
to Mr. Edward Dorsey all the real and personal estate of the late
Nicholas Wyatt, but Dorsey entered upon it and with force carried away
three servants which were his (Bland's) property whom he had purchased
with his own resources. Furthermore, John Booth one of the servants
was so ill-treated by Dorsey that he ran away and that Alice another
servant was so misused that she was 'brought to a dangerous
sickness.'(Md. Archives, vol. 67, p. 420)" "His original will, dated
Oct. 26, 1704 is on file at Annapolis, ...probated in Baltimore County on
Dec. 27, 1705. (Wills, Liber 3, folio 725): To son Nicholas
100-acre portion of 'Long Reach' at Elk Ridge and personalty at
16. The inventory was taken at the 'seated plantation', and also the
Upper Plantation, Elk Ridge Quarters, the Round Bay Plantation, and
'in the store house', and in 'Little Flat House'. There were books,
one Gould Seal ring, one Silver Seale, Ivory headed cane, silver
tobacco box, silver hilted sword, silver plate and surveying chain.
His wearing apparel was appraised at L7.10.-. There were also
thirteen negro slaves and two white indentured servants. Samuel, the
eldest son approved the valuation of L 528.8.11. It was filed at
court on April 1, 1706."

Edward married Sarah Wyatt before Nov 1670. Sarah (daughter of Nicholas Wyatt, Gentleman and Damaris Stockett?) was born in 1657 in Of Anne Arundel, MD; died about 1690 in Anne Arundel County, MD. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Margaret Larkin. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

"ANNE ARUNDEL GENTRY--DORSEY FAMILY" by Harry Wright Newman
"Nicholas Dorsey, son of Col. Edward Dorsey and his wife, Sarah Wyatt,
was born about 1690 in Middle Neck Hundred of St. Anne's Parish. At
the writing of his father's will in 1704, he was mentioned as being
less than 16 years of age. From his father's estate he inherited 100
acres of 'Long Reach', which lay in old Baltimore County Nicholas died
at a young age leaving a widow and four infants. He was buried on
Sep. 23, 1717, according to the records of All Hallow's Parish. His
last will and testament, dated Sep. 15, 1717, was probated in
Baltimore County on Feb. 13, 1717/18.(Wills, Liber 14, folio 478) To
sons Thomas, Nicholas, Benjamin, and Edward personalty at 21 years;
sons to have liberty to choose guardians at 18 To son Benjamin
the dwelling-plantation at the decease of his mother. (Inventories,
Liver 1, folio 40) The appraisement of personal estate on Jul. 4,
1718, reported a value of L347.15.9, including eight negroes. It
seemed as if the Widow Dorsey was a poor manager and by 1724, as
'Frances Dorsey, Widow, of Baltimore County' she prayed relief from her
creditors, yet at the final account filed by her on Jul. 30, 1725,
there was a balance due the heirs of L 117.15.11 (Adm. Accts, Box 3,
folder 68; Archives Vol. 35, p. 6)"
"THE DORSEY BOOK" by Maxwell Dorsey and Jean Muir Dorsey, 1947
"Nicholas Dorsey received by deed of gift in 1700 from his father, 100
acres of Major's Choice, and by his father's will in 1704, he was left
100 acres of Long Reach, 2 silver spoons, a new gun, and a horse named
Dick to be delivered to him at the age of 16 years." "The estate of
Nicholas Dorsey was appraised on July 4, 1718...the inventory included
a Bible, testament, spelling book, psalter, money scales, pocket sack
(?), 2 small deal boxes, chest, lock and key, negroes, Tom, Hagar,
Jenny and child, Isaac, Esther, Maria....The estate valued at
L347.15.9 1/2 (Invts. 1, f.40)"

Nicholas married Frances Hughes on 20 Dec 1709 in St. Anne's Paris, MD. Frances (daughter of Thomas Hughes and Lydia) was born on 18 May 1692 in St. James Parish, Herring Creek, MD. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

"ANNE ARUNDEL GENTRY--DORSEY FAMILY" by Harry Wright Newman
"Benjamin Dorsey, son of Nicholas and Frances (Hughes) Dorsey, was
born in All Hallow's Parish, and baptised at the parish church on Sep.
17, 1717. On Feb. 3, 1741/2, Benjamin Dorsey, then of Anne Arundel
County, sold 100 acre portion of 'Major's Choice' on Elk Ridge, which had
been granted to Edward Dorsey. On Aug. 24, 1741, he purchased for L
223, a portion of 'Talbot's Last Shift' on the main falls of the
Patapsco in Anne Arundel" Benjamin Dorsey died intestate. Letters
of adm. were granted to his widow, Sophia Dorsey, on Jul. 27,
1749....the appraisement of the personal estate was made on Sep. 15,
1749...value of L 248.17.6 (Inventories, Liber42, folio 34)
Death date taken from Ancestral file

Family/Spouse: Sophia Howard. Sophia (daughter of Cornelius Howard and Elizabeth Clements) was born in 1726 in Anne Arundel County, MD; died on 21 Feb 1788 in Baltimore County, MD. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]