Edward Dorsey Sr (abt. 1619 - bef. 1659)

Husband of Ann (Unknown) Dorsey — married about 1638 in Virginia [uncertain]

Descendants

Died before 2 Aug 1659 before about age 40 in Chesapeake Bay, Kent County, Province of Maryland

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Edward Dorsey Sr resided in the Southern Colonies in North America before 1776. Join: US Southern Colonies Project Discuss: southern_colonies

Biography

Edward Dorsey Sr is a qualifying ancestor of the National Society, Descendants of Early Quakers.

Edward Dorsey Sr was an early settler in Maryland.

1617 Birth and Parents

The parents of Edward Dorsey, Sr, are unknown, as are his place and date of birth.

Date Estimation

No recorded dates have been found for Edward Dorsey's birth or marriage or the births of his children. Two documents appear to be key in estimating these dates.

First, in 1664 the three sons of Edward patent the Maryland property their father had once surveyed. To do this without a guardian, they had to be 21 years of age. It is reasonable that they undertook this as soon as the youngest was 21. Therefore:

• John, age 21, b. 1643
• Joshua, age 23, b. 1641
• Edward, age 25, b. 1639.

Secondly, in 1659, a few months before their father's death, neighbor Thomas Gates requests in his will that his heirs give the children of Edward Darcy free outlet to the woods and springs as he had given them. One must presume the Dorsey boys to be minors at the time, and with the estimated dates above, they are: Edward 20, Joshua 18, and John 16.

Edward's Marriage: If the oldest child was born in 1639, estimate the marriage to have taken place in 1638. However, it is in 1642 that Cornelius Lloyd receives land for transporting Edward to Virginia. One may assume that the actual transport was a year or two earlier than the patent was recorded. Still the presumption is that Edward was single at the time he was transported.

Edward's Birth: If he was 18 in 1635, then his estimated birth year would be 1617, and he would have been 42 when he died by drowning in 1659.

Names

Edward Darcy, Edward d'Arcy, Edward D'Arcy

Edward Dorsey, Edward Dorsey Sr, Edward Dorsey I

Edward Dorsey, Immigrant

Edward Dorsey, Boatwright ^[1]

Various spellings of the name continue to appear on the records in Maryland, but the original signature of the sons of the immigrant, show the family spelling the name Dorsey. ^[2]

Occupation: Boatwright

Edward Dorsey is identified as a boatwright -- a maker of boats -- during his life and at his death in 1659.

1635 Immigration to Virginia

Papenfuse states that Edward Dorsey, immigrant, arrived in Virginia by 1642 from Middlesex, England, and settled in Lower Norfolk County.^[3]

That raises the question of "how much before 1642 did Edward Dorsey arrive? Presuming that he was single when he arrived, and land was awarded on his account, he married and had children after his arrival.

As estimated above, if the oldest son was born, say, 1639, the marriage would have occurred the prior year, 1638.

This still leaves some uncertainty, because a typical indenture was 7 years from the date of arrival, and typically an immigrant was not allowed to marry until his time of indenture was complete and he could support a family on his own.

1638 Marriage to Ann

Edward DORSEY was married to Ann, ^[4] her surname being unknown. ^[5]

Estimating from the necessary ages of his sons in 1666, Edward married Ann in 1638. The place of marriage is most likely to have been Virginia. Her surname is unknown, but it is most likely she was born in England or Ireland.

1642 Cornelius Lloyd Receives Grant for Transporting Edward

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... ^[2]

1642 Cattle Purchase in Lower Norfolk County

... John Browne of Elizabeth River in the County of Lower Norff, planter, had on the 11th of February, 1642^[6] sold unto Edward Dorsey of the county aforesaid planter three head of Cattle (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... ^[2]

1645 Lower Norfolk County Court

This article typed as written: "At a County Court held on November 3, 1645, at the house of William Shipp, it was recorded that John Browne of Elizabeth River in the county of Lower Norffe, planter, had on the 11th of February 1642, sold unto Edward Dorsey of the county aforesaid, planter, three head of cattle (vizt) one cowe aged about seaven yeares of 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 halfe and marked with a cropp on the left eare and the right eare slitt allsoe one heifer calfe brinded as aforesaid aged about three querters of a yeare and marked with a cropp on both eares and a slitt in one and doe by these presents give grant bargaine and sell unto the said Edward Darsey his heirs execut'rs administrators and assignes for every for a valuable consideration pt in hand paid." (Dated the 11th of February 1642. ^[7]

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 pounds of Tobacco a piece for their tyme and charge in attendance of the Court for two days, and on December 10, 1649, when Edward Dorsey witnessed a quit-claim deed executed by Thomas Tod, his signature was Edward E'D: Dorsy. ^[8]

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 pounds of tobacco a piece for theire tyme and charge in attendance of the Court for two days...^[2]

1646 Thomas Brown Assigned Land for Transporting Edward and Others

On October 7, 1646, Thomas Brown was given 240 acres in Lower Norfolk County due by the assignment of the rights of 5 persons transported by Cornelius Lloyd - among them Edward Dorsey.^[2]

1650 From Virginia to Maryland

The family immigrated to Maryland in 1649. ^[3]

Edward Dorsey ".. 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." ^[2]

By the year 1648, freedom of worship in Virginia had been prohibited and life there became less attractive. As a result, many settlers turned to the newly erected county of Anne Arundel in Maryland, where alluring inducements to obtain land were being offered, and where freedom of worship was said to be guaranteed. Among those who went, were Edward Dorsey, John Norwood, Matthew Howard, Thomas Todd and Nicholas Wyatt...^[2]

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 Tayler doe make sale of a neck of Land cont. about 200 acres within mentioned unto Edward Dorcey for him and his heires to Injoy with all Rights and prieviledges As Wittnes my hand this 20th of Octob A.o 1648." ^[9]

"Nicholas Wyatt surveyed "Wyatt's Harbor" and "Wyatts' Hills," upon which "Belvoir" now stands, just south of, and in sight of Round Bay. Adjoining it was Thomas Gates, upon "Dorsey's Creek," near "Dorsey", taken up by the first Edward Dorsey in partnership with Captain John Norwood." ^[10]

1650 Land in Maryland

A land warrant was issued in 1650 to Edward DORSEY of 200 acres, and also 200 acres more that were part of a warrant for 400 acres granted to John NORWOOD and Edward DORSEY in 1651. Warrant was the xith of November MDCL Granted to Edward DORSEY of the County of Ann Arundell County for two hundred acres of Land the which heas signds away as followeth, as also two hundred acres more part of a warrnat for four hundred acres, granted John NORWOOD and the said DORSEY dated the xxiiii of February MDCLi.^[5]

After Edward's death, his three sons in 1664 would patent the property as Space: Hockley in the Hole.

Most of these men, however, maintained a close association with Virginia, and on November 15, 1652, Edward Dorsey and four others who had gone to Maryland, returned to Virginia, where Francis Fleetwood received a grant of land for their transportation...^[2]

1655 Neighbor of John Norwood in Maryland

Sometime before 1655, Edward Darcy in partnership with Thomas Manning bought from Thomas Marsh of the county of Ann Arundel, merchant, a tract of 600 acres lying on the west side of Chesapeake Bay, bounded on the north by land of John Norwood and on west by the said bay, for which no patent was issued until 1661. ^[11]

To the west and north across Darcy's Creek, which no doubt bears the name of the immigrant, were the tracts taken up by Edward Dorsey and Capt. John Norwood with the land of Nicholas Wyatt lying between. ^[12]

Farther up the Severn River near Marshes Creek, later called Hockley Creek, was the land taken up by Matthew Howard. Adjoining this land on the south was the tract called Wyatt, laid out for Nicholas Wyatt. Nearby these two tracts was Hockley in the Hole, taken up by Edward Dorsey and later patented by his three sons, Edward, Joshua and John Dorsey.^[12]

In the Land Office of Annapolis, may be seen the following warrant, which explains itself: "Warrant MDCL, granted to Edward Dorsey, of Anne Arundel Co., for 200 acres of land, which he assigns as followeth; as also 200 acres more, part of a warrant for 400 acres, granted John Norwood and the said Dorsey, dated XXIII of Feb., MDCLI. Know all men by these presents that I, Edward Dorsey, of the County of Anne Arundel, boatwright, have granted, bargained and sold, for a valuable consideration, already received, all my right, title, interest of and in a warrant for 200 acres, bearing date 1650, and also 200 acres more, being half of a warrant of 400 acres—the one half belonging to Captain Norwood, bearing date, 1651, both of which assigned to George Yate. EDWARD DORSEY, Sealed." Signed in the presence of Cornelius Howard, John Howard, Oct. 22nd, MDCLXVII, (1667).^[12]

Quaker

Edward Dorsey was a Quaker by 1657. ^[3]

1659 Thomas Gates Neighbor

Thomas Gates, in his will dated May 2, 1659, requests that his heirs give to the children of Edward Darcy free outlet to the woods and springs as he had given them. "This signifies that the children or some of them were old enough then to avail themselves of the privilege."^[13]

1659 Death By Drowning

Edward Dorsey, Boatwright, died August 2, 1659 in Kent County (Present Queen Anne's County), Province of Maryland. Cause of death: Drowned while traveling by ship to the island.

Edward Dorsey, Boatwright, drowned near the Isle of Kent in the Chesapeake Bay sometime prior to 2 Aug 1659 when Thomas Hinson petitioned the court for related expenses.

"Petition in court Anne Arundel 2 Aug. 1659, one Thomas Hinson petitioned for compensation for having taken up the boate wherein Edward Darcy and some otheres were drowned neare the Isle of Kent, being desyred by the said Darcy Overseer to take up the same which he did deliuery the same Boate to the chiefe in Authority..."

So unsure if the Edward mentioned above may be his son. from Prov. Ct. Rec. S.I. f.282 "Att a Court hoden in Anarundel County on Tuesday August 2nd 1659: Whereas Thomas Hinson hath petitioned this Court, Showing that hee hauing taken up the Boate wherein Edward Doarcy & some others drowned, neare the Isle of Kent, being desyred by the sd Darcys overseer to take up the same, wch he did, delivering the same Boate to the chiefe in Authority taking a discharge upon the Anarundell & now by his Petn craving for his paynes taking therein, as the Court now sitting shall adjudege him. It is ordered that the sd. Thomas Hinson have one hundd pounds of Tob. payd him for the sd paynes and Care, by those (Whoever they bee) that possesse & enjoy the sd Boate" ^[14]

Children

Edward Dorsey and wife Ann had four children. Logic for estimating their birth years appears earlier.

1. Edward Dorsey, b. say 1639, Lower Norfolk County, Virginia. This would make him born in Virginia prior to immigration, and make him aged 20 at the time of Thomas Gates' will in 1659. Edward Dorsy, "Son and heir of Edward Dorsy late of the County of Ann Arundell" sold the parcel Hockley in the Hole granted to "the said Edward Dorsy, Joshua Dorsy and John Dorsey my brothers" on 20 Aug. 1664. ^[15] b. say 1644; m.1 Sarah WYATT; ^[16] m.2 Margaret ^[17] d. between 26 Oct. 1704 and 31 Dec. 1705 Baltimore Co., MD7^[5]Col. Edward Dorsey; Other sources estimated his birth year as 1646.
2. Joshua Dorsey ^[15] b. say 1641, or 1649, Province of Maryland. This would make him also born in Virginia prior to immigration, and aged 18 in 1659. He m. Sarah; ^[18] d. between 20 Feb. 1687 ^[18]He made bequests to "cousins" (i.e. nephews) John, Samuel and Matthew Howard, [children of Matthew Howard.] ^[18] 6 and 3 May 1688 ^[19] Anne Arundel Co., MD. ^[18][5]Joshua Dorsey. Other sources estimated his birth year as 1646.
3. John Dorsey ^[15] b. say 1643, or 1647 Province of Maryland. He would have been born in Virginia just prior to immigration, and aged 16 in 1659. He m. Pleasance ^[20] d. between 26 Nov. 1714 and 22 Mar. 1714/5 Baltimore Co., MD ^[20]Captain John Dorsey; Other sources estimated his birth year as 1643 or 1647.
4. Sarah Dorsey. If she was born in 1645, it would have been just prior to her father's immigration. Or born 1650 in Lower Norfolk, Virginia? ^[21] b. say 1650; By 1667 m. Matthew Howard ^[22]; d. before 3 Oct. 1691 Anne Arundel Co., MD^[5] Other sources estimated her birth year as 1647 or even 1656.

Research Notes

The Legend of English Origins

Harry Wright Newman believed that "prior to the conquest of England by the Normans, an ancient and noble family of D'Orsai or D'Orsay had its seat near Cleves in Flanders. It is believed that several of its members accompanied William the Conqueror to England in 1066, and ultimately settled in County Essex....there is today a small town on the coast of Essex called D'Arcy, and it is also said that numerous D'Arcys once lived in that vicinity. In County Middlesex ...is a town and parish of Hockley-Hole, the peculiar name given to the Dorsey estate in Maryland. ^[23]

Caroline Kemper Bulkley ^[24] has done extensive research into the parentage of Edward Dorsey, Immigrant, and found no connections.

DNA Research Suggests Irish Origins

Edward DORSEY was claimed by some as being descended from Sir Norman D'Arcie cousin of William the Conqueror, and from the Lord D'Arcy family of Hornby Castle. ^[25] DNA evidence has proven that theory to be incorrect, showing that Edward DORSEY is not related to those families. ^[26] The latest DNA results [November 2005, updated March 2006] would indicate a likely Irish origin for Edward Dorsey.15^[5]

The Y-DNA haplotype of known descendants of Edward Dorsey is R1b1; the Y-DNA haplotype of known descendants of the Anglo-Norman Darcys is E1b1b1. This renders the supposed descent of Edward Dorsey, the immigrant to Virginia, from the Anglo-Norman Darcy family impossible. ^[27]

The conclusions of DNA research are that:

• Edward Dorsey of Maryland was not related to the Anglo-Norman Darcy family;
• his father was not Edward Darcy.
• His parentage is unknown, his origins, however, are ultimately Irish, and the Y-DNA results of descendants can be seen at the Dorsey DNA site. ^[27] The Y-DNA haplotype does NOT match descendants of the D'Arcys who came with William the Conqueror.
• He is not at all likely to have any sort of connection to any members of the peerage or even the gentry.
• He named his plantation "Hockley in the Hole"; Hockley-in-the-Hole was a London slum on the banks of the Fleet ditch (an open sewer) famous for bear-baiting and other low amusements, and certainly not something that someone from a gentry family would think of to name a plantation after. ^[28]

Also see https://www.familytreedna.com/groups/dorsey-dna/about/results

Was His Wife Ann Howard?

Some researchers have inaccurately listed her as Ann, daughter of Matthew Howard, Sr. While Matthew HOWARD did have a daughter named Ann, there is record of her husband being James Greneffe. ^[29]

Since Edward DORSEY's daughter Sarah married Matthew Howard, Jr., son of the previously mentioned Matthew HOWARD. If Edward DORSEY's wife were the daughter of Matthew HOWARD, that would mean that his daughter Sarah's marriage to Matthew HOWARD, Jr. would have been to her blood uncle, a relation that was strictly forbidden, then as now.^[5]

A possibility for the surname of Ann, wife of Edward DORSEY, is that suggested by Jay Worrall, Jr. He suggested she may have been the daughter of Humphrey BACHE of London, and the aunt of Elizabeth HARRIS, of Quaker fame.^[5]

Did he have a daughter named Ann?

Some researchers have also attributed to Edward Dorsey a daughter Ann, who married Nicholas Greenberry. There is no evidence that Edward Dorsey had a daughter named Ann. While Nicholas Greenberry's wife was named Ann, she could not have been a daughter of Edward Dorsey. Nicholas Greenberry did not emigrate from England to Maryland until 1674, at which time he arrived with his wife and two children.3 His wife could not have been the daughter of Edward DORSEY, who had been living in the colonies for over 25 years.^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ Newman, 5
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7} Account of Edward Dorsey at "we relate" citing Maxwell J. Dorsey and Jean Muir Dorsey and Nannie Ball Nimmo. Dorsey: The Dorsey Family. (1947 by the authors). and Folger McKinsey. History of Frederick County, Maryland. (1910; compiled by Nancy Jacobsen. http://www.werelate.org/wiki/Person:Edward_Dorsey_(5) Accessed July 18, 2015
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Edward C. Papenfuse et al. A Biographical Dictionary of the Maryland Legislature 1635-1789. Volume 426, Page 274 https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc2900/sc2908/000001/000426/html/am426--274.html Entry for Edward Dorsey Sr. Accessed 2 February 2024 jhd
4. ↑ J. Reaney Kelly, Quakers in the Founding of Anne Arundel County, Maryland, (Baltimore: The Maryland Historical Society, 1963), 15. (Ann Dorsey and "hir husband" [not named] mentioned in a 1658 letter.) Edward Dorsey was the only Dorsey in Anne Arundel County at that time who was married. Cited by Saunders
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8} Fredric Z. Saunders. Edward Dorsey Last revised: 13 Dec 2014. Accessed July 19, 2015.
6. ↑ Note that the calendar in use at the time ran from March 25 till March 24, so February 1642 came after December 1642
7. ↑ Minute book A, f. 293, Lower Norfolk Co., Portmouth, Va.
8. ↑ Minute Book A, f. 299: minute Book B, f 133a, Lower Norfolk Co., Portmouth, Va.
9. ↑ Minute Book B, f 126a, Lower Norfolk Co., Portmouth, Va.
10. ↑ Warfield, Founders, 11
11. ↑ Minute Book A, f 261; (patents 4, f 541; patents 10, f 19; Lower Norfolk Co., Portmouth, Va.
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1 12.2} Unsourced article. Replace this note when source for article is found. All citations to "article" are to the same unsourced article.
13. ↑ Newman, 6
14. ↑ Archives of Maryland 41:314. Cited by Saunders.
15. ↑ ^{15.0 15.1 15.2} Anne Arundel Co., MD land records IH3:62-63, FHL microfilm 0,013,208. 6 Dec. 1681 . Cited by Saunders.
16. ↑ Anne Arundel Co., MD land records WT2:574-577, FHL microfilm 0,013,209. Nicholas Wyatt was granted Wyatts Ridge of 450 acres by survey returned 16 Dec. 1664. One half, 225 acres "became the right of Sarah Wyatt who intermarried Edwd Dorsey of the County, Gent." Cited by Saunders
17. ↑ Edward Dorsey will, MD wills 3:725-727 [image 357/387]. Cited by Saunders.
18. ↑ ^{18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3} Joshua Dorsey will, Maryland wills 6:8, [image 12/423]. Cited by Saunders. He made bequests to "cousins" (i.e. nephews) John, Samuel and Matthew Howard, [children of Matthew Howard.]
19. ↑ John Acton will, MD wills 6:1-2 [image 5/423]. Sarah Dorsey called widow and relict of Joshua Dorsey. Cited by Saunders.
20. ↑ ^{20.0 20.1} John Dorsey will, MD wills 14:26-29 [image 26/326]. Cited by Saunders
21. ↑ Joshua Dorsey will, Maryland wills 6:8, [image 12/423]. He made bequests to "cousins" (i.e. nephews) John, Samuel and Matthew Howard, [children of Matthew Howard.] Also Maryland Patents 10:499, FHL microfilm 0,013,068. Cited by Saunders.
22. ↑ Fredric Z. Saunders. Last revised 13 December 2014. Accessed 26 February 2020 jhd
23. ↑ Newman, 3
24. ↑ Caroline Kemper Bulkley, Identity of Edward Dorsey I: A New Approach to an Old Problem. Maryland Historical Magazine,Vol XXXIII, No. 1March, 1938, p. 27-54. http://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc5800/sc5881/000001/000000/000129/pdf/msa_sc_5881_1_129.pdf. Accessed June 7, 2016
25. ↑ "The Dorsey Heritage," Broadneck Hundred III, No. 3 (1979): 13-44. Cited by Saunders.
26. ↑ The Dorsey/Darsey/Darcy/Dossey/D'Arcy/Dorcey DNA Project Results. Cited by Saunders
27. ↑ ^{27.0 27.1} Dorsey DNA Lineage Site provides results of extensive DNA research on various Dorsey lineages
28. ↑ C. Handy
29. ↑ James Greneff will, Maryland wills 2:215-216 [image 216/412]. and Maryland wills 7:79-80 [image 84/412] Mentions wife Ann, "brother John Howard" and "brother Samuel Howard." Cited by Saunders.

Bibliography of Frequently Cited Works

• Dorsey, Maxwell J, Jean Muir Dorsey, and Nannie Ball Nimmo. The Dorsey family: descendants of Edward Darcy-Dorsey of Virginia and Maryland for five generations, and allied families By the authors: 1947. Reprinterd by Clearfield, Baltimore.
• Newman, Harry Wright. Anne Arundel Gentry: A Genealogical History of Twenty-Two Pioneers of Anne Arundel County, Md., and their Descendants. Baltimore: Lord Baltimore Press. Maryland Pioneer Series, 1933, p 5.
• Richardson, Hester Dorsey. Side-Lights on Maryland History: With Sketches of Early Maryland Families. First published serially in the Baltimore Sunday Sun from May 17, 1903, to December 25, 1904. Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins, 1913
• Warfield, Joshua Dorsey. The Founders of Anne Arundel and Howard Counties, Maryland: A Genealogical and Biographical Review from wills, deeds and church records. Baltimore: Kohn & Pollock, 1905 Reprinted Baltimore: Regional Publishing Company, 1973

Consulted but not referenced

• Find A Grave: Memorial #35240970 Find-a-Grave does not require sources and except for burial details is considered an unreliable source.

See also:

• Results of Dorsey DNA Study

• Early Immigrants to Virginia from the 1500s and 1600s, compiled by June Kinard. Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000.Original data - Published by The Researchers, PO box 39063, Indianapolis IN. 46239-0063.

• Retracing our Family Legacy

• Genealogy and History of These Families: William Cumming, Dorsey, Black, Weisel by Edith L Burrell, Findlay OH.

• New results from DNA testing (http://www.contexo.info/DorseyDNA/LineageI.htm) indicate it is more likely Edward Dorsey had an Irish origin.

• Text: Dorsey Dreams, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 1-3; No. 4, p. 47; p. 265; p. 303.

• Southern Dorsey by Paxson, [1]

• The Dorseys of Maryland; 2 Feb 1908; Baltimore City, MD; The Baltimore Sun, p. 17.

• Beekman, Jane Kyhl; 1972; Research summaries of Cockey, Davis, Greenberry, Hammon, Hobbs, Howard, Maynard and Underwood families of Maryland.