TENTH GENERATION

512. Colonel Edward DORSEY ⁽²⁶⁰⁾⁽²³⁾ was born in 1637.⁽²⁶¹⁾ ⁽²³⁾ He died about 1705 in ____, Anne Arundel Co., Maryland.⁽²⁶²⁾⁽²³⁾ Colonel Edward Dorsey (this name was written both Dorsey and Darcy) is recorded as one of the Justices of Anne Arundel county (Maryland) in 1679 and 1685. He was foremost from the year 1680 to 1705 in all the most progressive movements of the Colony. He was Judge of the High Court of Chancery from 1694 to 1698, during which time he was comissioned to hold the Great Seal of the Province. He was a member of the House of Burgesses for Anne Arundel in 1694, and represented Howard county in the same body from 1679 to the year of his death, 1705. He was Captain of the Militia of Anne Arundel county, Maryland, in 1686, and Major in 1687. He was recommissioned Major 4 Sep 1689, and again 9 Oct 1694. As Major of Horse, he asked for additional arms and ammunition for the defense of the Province.

Major Edward Dorsey was one of a committee appointed in 1694 to lay out town lots and a common for Annapolis, and upon the same committee were his relations and friends, Hon. John Dorsey, Major John Hammond, Captain Phillip Howard, Major Nicholas Greenberry, Mr. Andrew Norwood, Mr. John Bennett, and Mr. James Sanders, all acting as commissioners.

The first session of the Legislature in Annapolis was held in the house of Major Edward Dorsey, beginning 28 February, 1694, O.S. or 1695, N.S. ("Sidelights on Maryland History", by Richardson, Vol. I and II, Pages 88, states that in 1696, the first meeting of the Assembly (Maryland) was held in the house of Major Edward Dorsey, which was evidently the most commodious house in the Town & Port of Annapolis.) Major was a subscriber to and treasurer of the fund for building St. Anne's Church, and also contributed toward establishing a free school for the province. He owned valuable property in Annapolis, and, infact, the second capitol of Maryland was located upon his land, and he took an active part in supervising all committees engaged in the building of the town.

In religion, he was a Protestant, but honored so highly the government that had respected religious liberty that he was one of those who signed the Protestant Address from Baltimore county to King William III -- it being an appeal on behalf of Charles, Lord Baron of Baltimore, the proprietary government having been wrested from the Calvert family through the influence of Captain John Goode.

At the time of his death in 1705, he resided at "Major's Choice", which is now located in Howard county, Maryland. His will is recorded both in Annapolis and in Baltimore, and it mentions several tracts of land: Hockley, on the Patapsco falls, land on the north side of Patapsco river, Barnes Folly, Major's Choice, Long Reach (at Elkridge), and two other sections by the same name. There were also negroes, personal estate, silver, etc. "My beloved wife Margaret" was his executrix. She afterward married John Israel, sold the estate Dorsey and some houses in Annapolis.

At his death, he left minor children of his second wife, Margaret Larkin. Mentioned in his will are Charles, Larkin, Francis, Edward and Ann.

He was married to Sarah WYATT about 1660.⁽²⁶³⁾⁽²³⁾

513. Sarah WYATT⁽²⁶⁴⁾⁽²³⁾ died about 1692. Children were:

i. Edward DORSEY⁽²⁶⁵⁾ was born before 1677.⁽²⁶⁶⁾ He died in 1701.⁽²⁶⁷⁾ Edward was the eldest son, but he died young intestate. The next brother, Samuel, inherited from him under the will of his grandfather, Nicholas Wyatt.
256 ii. Captain Joshua DORSEY.
iii. Benjamin DORSEY⁽²³⁾ was born about 1692.⁽²⁶⁸⁾ He died in 1717 in ____, Baltimore Co., Maryland.⁽²⁶⁹⁾
iv. Sarah DORSEY⁽²³⁾.
v. Samuel DORSEY⁽²³⁾.
vi. John DORSEY⁽²³⁾⁽²⁷⁰⁾ was born on 15 Jun 1688.⁽²⁷¹⁾ He died in 1764 in First Discovery, Anne Arundel Co., Maryland.⁽²⁷²⁾
vii. Nicholas DORSEY⁽²³⁾ was born about 1690.⁽²⁷³⁾ He died about 1717.⁽²⁷⁴⁾ Probably named for Nicholas Wyatt.
viii. Hannah DORSEY⁽²⁷⁵⁾.

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