Vachel Dorsey

A Patriot of the American Revolution for MARYLAND. DAR Ancestor # A033285

http://books.google.com/books?id=vgINAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA481

The founders of Anne Arundel and Howard Counties, Maryland: A genealogical and biographical review from wills, deeds and church records (Google eBook) - 1905

Page 481

DORSEYS OF ST. JAKES' CHURCH.

Vachel Dorsey (of John and Honor Elder) inherited "Belt's Hills," another tract of John Elder, which descended to Honor Elder and by her husband was deeded to Vachel.

Vachel Dorsey united the descendants of Colonel Edward and his brother, Hon. John, through his marriage to Ruth, daughter of Edward and Sarah (Todd) Dorsey. In addition to his inheritance of " Belt's Hills," 790 acres, he bought of his brothers-in-law, Edward and Colonel John Dorsey, "Vachel's Purchase," "Ely's Lot" and "Dexterity," all at and near "Hood's Mill." He also bought Nathan's property near Woodstock, which he later sold to Edward (of John). His will of 1798 reads: "To my son Levin I grant' Dorsey's Interest, Salophia' and' Lost Sheep,' partly in Baltimore and partly in Anne Arundel. To son Edward I give 'Belt's Hills,' 790 acres, and a tract called 'Invasion,' in Anne Arundel County. To my daughter Ruth Owings I give 'Dexterity,' 580 acres;'Vachel's Purchase,' ' Addition to Vachel's Purchase' and 'Ely's Lot.' If no issue, to descend to my two granddaughters, Ruth and Maria, daughters of my sons Elias and Vachel. I give to my granddaughter, Elizabeth Frost, a negro boy now in possession of my son, Johnsa Dorsey. The remainder of my estate to be divided equally among Johnsa, Elias, Vachel, Edward and Ruth Owings. My sons Johnsa and Elias joint executors." Johnsa had already been seated upon 500 acres in Baltimore County (now Carroll) and Elias had also received a similar estate in Carroll, both previous to his will.

The will of Mrs. Ruth Dorsey, in 1814, granted her son Johnsa "silver spoons." "To Ruth Owings, my wearing apparel. To granddaughter, Eliza Owings, a negro boy, in case her father will assist in the maintenance of my son Levin. To granddaughter, Ruth Maria Dorsey, a negro, in case her father, Johnsa Dorsey, will assist in the maintenance of my son Levin. To my granddaughters, Maria, Caroline, Mary and Rachel Dorsey, similar gifts, in case their father, Vachel, will assist in the maintenance of my son Levin. My granddaughter, Elizabeth Frost, residuary legatee. All money due me from Samuel Owings and all my property to be used by my executor in the maintenance of my son Levin. My son, Edward Dorsey, my sole executor."

Johnsa Dorsey married Sarah, daughter of Rezin Hammond, and had Rezin Hammond Dorsey, who died a bachelor in the West, and Nimrod Dorsey, who married Matilda Dorsey, daughter of his uncle Edward and Susannah (Lawrence) Dorsey.

Elias Dorsey married, first, Susannah" Snowden, and, second, Mary, daughter of Benjamin Lawrence. (See Lawrence records.)

Edward Dorsey married Susannah Lawrence (of Benjamin). (See Lawrence records.)

Vachel Dorsey, Jr., married, first, Sarah Nelson, daughter of Burgess and Sarah (Howard) Nelson, and had the daughters named in his mother's will. He married, second, Elizabeth Dorsey (of Joshua and Elizabeth Hall), and had Essex Ridley Dorsey, late of "Hockley," and Elizabeth Hall Dorsey, wife of Caleb Dorsey, of "Hockley." Vachel Dorsey, Jr., resided in Baltimore. He was engaged with Charles Carroll, of Carrollton, in surveying and selling vacant lands. Among the many interesting papers at "Hockley" is one containing a long list of vacant tracts in Anne Arundel and Howard, surveyed by Vachel Dorsey. (See Hockley record.)

Levin (of Vachel) passed his estate, through Edward, the executor, to Nimrod Dorsey, of Jefferson County, Kentucky, in 1814.

Edward (of Vachel), after selling most of his estate to Edward Dorsey (of Edward), removed to Kentucky with his daughter, Mary Ann Hobbs, wife of Basil Nicholas Hobbs. In 1809 Johnsa Dorsey, administrator of Edward's estate, sold "Belt's Hills" to Thomas Leach and named the heirs of Edward (of Vachel), as Sally, Matilda, Elias, Levin Lawrence and Urith Dorsey. These two sons became progressive stock-raisers in the West and left large families. Edward (of Vachel) was known as "Fuzzy Head Ned." He died and was buried at the "Anchorage," the home of his descendant, Mrs. John Shirley, of Kentucky. His will of 1808 named also Patience Lucket and Benjamin Lawrence Dorsey.

Elias Dorsey married a daughter of Benjamin Lawrence. He was in partnership with Thomas Dorsey and Benjamin Lawrence in milling. In his will of 1794 he ordered the mill to be sold; named his daughters, Mary and Ruth; if they die without issue, their portions to go to brothers, Johnsa and Edward, and nephew Charles (of Vachel). (This nephew was Captain Charles Dorsey, who was killed in the battle of North Point.) Elias Dorsey, of Jefferson County, Kentucky, and Sarah H. Dorsey, his wife, sold "Selby's Lot" on the Severn to Mr. Tayman.

Edward Dorsey (of John and Honor) inheirited "Taylor's Park," situated on the Old Frederick Road and binding on the road leading from St. James' Church to Sykesville. It was taken up by John Taillor, descended to his daughter, Mrs. Higginson, who sold it to John Elder, and through Honor Elder, wife of John Dorsey (of Major Edward), descended to her son Edward, who was a large merchant of Baltimore, and acquired an estate equal to his father. He was upon the Committee of Observation for Anne Arundel in 1775, and built the brick house which still stands upon the Sykesville Road. Many of his descendants have erroneously classed him as Edward Dorsey, son of Edward and Sarah Todd. He married " Betty Gilliss," daughter of Ezekiel and Mary Hill, who was the daughter of Henry Hill and Mary Denwood.

Edward Dorsey (of John) bought two tracts in Baltimore County near "Soldiers' Delight" and 1,000 acres, known as "Small Beginning" from Charles Carroll, of Carrollton. In 1788 he and his son, Dr. Ezekiel John Dorsey, sold "Chaney's Neglect," in Baltimore County, to William Patterson. This later formed a portion of the Springfield farm of George Patterson, near Sykesville. He and his son, Dr. Ezekiel John Dorsey, also granted to Edward Dorsey, Jr., of Anne Arundel, three tracts "Progress," "Additional Progress" and "Dorsey's Dilemma." The signature of this son was "Edward of Edward." He held the homestead "Taylor's Park" and " Hay Meadows," patented to his father in 1785. He bought of Ely Elder the remaining part of " Taylor's Park." He bought of Edward Dorsey (of Vachel) 522^ acres adjoining "Taylor's Park" in 1801. He bought of Robert Shipley "The Last Shift" which, with other tracts on the road leading from Benjamin Lawrence's mill to Baltimore, he deeded to his son, Robert Dorsey. In 1825 he granted "Taylor's Park" to his son, Samuel Dorsey. In 1836 he sold to Joshua Barlow a part of "Taylor's Park" and a part of "Invasion." He joined his son Samuel in mortgaging a part of "Taylor's Park" to the Bank of Baltimore to secure a $4,000 loan to Samuel. It was redeemed by Mary Glenn, wife of Samuel. As guardian for Samuel, Edward (of Edward) loaned to Dr. Richard Hopkins, Samuel's inheritance, which was secured by a mortgage upon "Lockwood's Adventure."

In 1820 Edward Hill Dorsey, brother of Samuel, bought of James Hood, of "Hood's Mill," "Littleworth" and "Pleasant Meadows," beginning at " Ely's Lot" and " Vachel's Purchase." In 1830 Edward Hill Dorsey and Julia Ann, his wife, formerly Julia Ann Thomas, of Baltimore County, sold a lot in Easton, Talbott County, conveyed by Rev. Lott Warfield, of Easton, to Mary Thomas, mother of Julia Ann Dorsey. Other lots in Easton, belonging to the estate of James Thomas, father of Mrs. Dorsey, were also sold by them. In 1841, Samuel Dorsey made the following deed to Edward H. Dorsey and Julia Ann, his wife: "Whereas, Edward Dorsey, father of Samuel and Edward H. Dorsey, did, by his last will, bequeath unto Samuel a certain tract under the condition that Samuel should convey unto Edward H. Dorsey the same quantity of land which he had bought of Robert Dorsey (of Edward), he (Samuel) hereby conveyed to Edward H. Dorsey the three tracts, "Lucy's Lot," "Rachel's Lot" and 'Invasion,' adjoining 'Taylor's Park.'" These same tracts were, that year, conveyed by Edward H. Dorsey and Julia Ann, his wife, to Henry Whalen.

The will of Ezekiel and Mary (Hill) Gilliss both name their daughter "Betty." She inherited "Withers Durand," which was sold by her and Edward Dorsey (of John) to Joseph Hill, her uncle. Their son, Dr. Ezekiel John Dorsey, of Baltimore County—Rebeckah Maccubin. He left a tract "Nancy's Fancy" in 1822 to Rebecca Dorsey, of Edward. Colonel Henry Dorsey (of Edward of John), clerk of the Circuit Court of Harford County, married Miss Smithson, whose daughter, Mrs. Farnandis, left the late Hon. Henry Dorsey Farnandis and his brother, of Harford. Joseph Dorsey (of Edward of John) joined his father in bonding his brother, Dr. Ezekiel John Dorsey, in 1781. He married his cousin, Amelia Gilliss (of Henry and Agnes Belt), of Curtis Creek, and removed to Washington County, Pennsylvania. His wife's inheritance was "Rich Neck," on Curtis Creek, which they sold, while residing in Pennsylvania, to Mr. Pitcher. Joseph Dorsey built a large stone house at Brownsville, Pennsylvania, upon 1,280 acres of land. Early in 1800 be bought Government lands in Ohio, now the finest in the State. They are near Steubensville, Ohio, and are still known as "Dorsey's Flats." The issue of Joseph and Amelia (Gilliss) Dorsey were Edward Gilliss, Ezekiel, Mary Hill, John, Rebecca, Ann, James, Elizabeth, Matilda, Harriet, Clarissajand Henry. Their daughter Ann married John P. M. Dubois, son of John Joseph Dubois, of Strasburg, France, brother-in-law of Isaiah Fox, constructor of the ship Constitution ("Old Ironsides"). The wife of John Joseph Dubois was Juliana Penn Miller, daughter of Peter Miller, the distinguished linguist employed by Thomas Jefferson to translate the Declaration of Independence into seven different languages. Peter Miller's wife was Elizabeth Richardson, a descendant of Lord Aubrey, of Wales.

Joseph Dorsey Dubois, son of John P. M. Dubois and Ann Dorsey (of Joseph), is the Secretary of the Wheeling Steel and Iron Company. His daughter is Mrs. J. J. Holloway, of Wheeling.

The daughters of Edward and Betty (Gilliss) Dorsey were Mrs. Betty Van Bibber, wife of James, to whom John Gilliss, of Baltimore County, granted his tract "Empty Bottle" in 1786, and Mary Hill Dorsey, to whom John Gilliss granted "Bachelor's Refuge" in 1789; she bought lands in western Baltimore in 1787; she became the wife of John Wilkins, whose daughter, Rebecca Wilkins, married Howell Williams. The brothers of Mrs. Betty Gilliss Dorsey were John Gilliss, of Baltimore County, and Henry Gilliss, of Curtis Creek. Her sisters were Mrs. Milcah Richardson; Sarah, first wife of John Davidge (of Robert), and Mrs. Pinkney.

• Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: May 19 2016, 13:31:52 UTC

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• Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Aug 15 2017, 20:40:09 UTC

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• Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Aug 15 2017, 20:40:09 UTC