The name of Dorsey needs no
introduction to the citizens of Macoupin County, Illinois, as for years it
has been representative of one of the most numerous, progressive, wealthy
and prominent families of this portion of the State, and Plutarch H. Dorsey
is its oldest member. He was born on November 8, 1833, in Jefferson County,
Kentucky, and is a son of Elias and Martha (Booker) Dorsey.
Elias
Dorsey was born June 7, 1796, near Frederick, Maryland, and in childhood
accompanied his parents to Kentucky. During the War of 1812 he served as a
private soldier and received a pension for his services. He devoted his
attention to agricultural pursuits, and, although in straitened
circumstances during his early manhood, by the exercise of a natural
business capacity acquired a large tract of fine blue grass land within
eight miles of the city of Louisville. There he engaged in the favorite
occupation of the Kentucky farmer — the raising of fine horses for market.
His farm consisted of 600 acres of land and prior to the Civil War he owned
some 30 slaves. These he subsequently freed. For many years he lived the
life of a typical planter, "Eden Farm" being the center of general
hospitality and social gaiety, many of the most distinguished members of the
polite, business and political world being lavishly entertained there. At an
early date Elias Dorsey, with the business instincts which made all his
operations successful, purchased 13,000 acres of land lying in Madison and
Macoupin counties, Illinois. His death took place in 1873 at Bunker Hill,
Macoupin County, Illinois, in the 77th year of his age. He was a consistent
supporter of Democratic principles all his life. He was a man of generous
nature, was devoted to his large family and assisted each one of his 13
children by the gift of a farm of 1,000 acres.
In 1815 Elias Dorsey
married Martha Booker, who was a daughter of Col. Richard Booker, and a
member of a very prominent family of Shelby County, Kentucky. They were the
parents of the following 13 children: John W., Richard E., Leavin L.,
Benjamin L., Basil H., William Montjoy, Mrs. Cordelia Hornsby, Mrs. Ann C.
Winchester, Elias L., Mary Matilda and Orlean O., all deceased; Plutarch H.;
and Mrs. Martha Shields of Kansas.
Plutarch H. Dorsey's mother died
when he was four years old, and he remained in Kentucky to enjoy the
excellent educational opportunities offered him there. He finished his
education with a three-years course at Shurtleff College, at Alton,
Illinois. He came to Macoupin County in 1853 and settled on his present farm
of 420 acres situated in sections 25 and 26, Gillespie township, land which
was included in the large tract which his father had entered. He has lived
on this farm continuously since 1853, with the exception of 15 years — from
1871 to 1886 — when he resided in Bunker Hill in order to give his children
the best of educational advantages.
While Mr. Dorsey has raised
large crops of wheat and corn, his attention has been more closely given to
the raising of fine cattle and stock and particularly to the breeding of
high grade horses, these being mainly of "Gold Dust" stock, of which he has
annually bred 50 head and at the same time from 50 to 100 head of mules. He
is also an extensive breeder and shipper of cattle, sheep and hogs, but has
given the closest attention to horses. He has bred a number of fine animals
which have sold for $5,000, and he has received as much as $1,000 for a
yearling thoroughbred. In addition to his farming and grazing lands, Mr.
Dorsey has a fine orchard of 120 acres, one of the most productive in this
section.
In 1891 Mr. Dorsey sold his coal right to the firm of H. S.
Dorsey & Company, a rich vein of coal probably underlying a large portion of
this farm. The discovery of coal on the Dorsey lands, in 1886, was something
of an accident, but after 12 years of prospecting, hard work and expenditure
of much money the great deposits of the black diamonds are being brought to
the surface, bringing untold wealth to the family and giving activity to the
section and employment to hundreds of laborers. A new town in the heart of
the coal regions is now being built up which is expected to hold a
population of 6,000 people within two years. To this town the name of Benld
has been given, which is a contraction of Benjamin L. Dorsey, named in honor
of the nephew of our subject, as was the town of Dorsey named in honor of
the family upon its establishment 40 years ago.
Benjamin L. Dorsey,
the pioneer prospector for coal on his own lands, was born August 31, 1857,
in Macoupin County, Illinois, and is a son of Benjamin L. Dorsey and a
nephew of Plutarch H. Dorsey. The family has sold 40,000 acres of coal land
to the Northwestern Railroad, through the Superior Coal Company of Chicago,
and a connecting line, the Macoupin County Railroad, is being rapidly pushed
to completion. This road will erect a fine brick depot at the new town,
while capitalists from the neighboring cities are making contracts for the
erection of blocks of stores, the establishment of a bank and the putting
into operation all the organizations which American enterprise and
progressiveness so quickly accomplish. Where once waved fields of yellow
grain, now are seen the derricks and machinery of successful coal mines and
another great industry has been added to the business life of Macoupin
County. The Dorsey family has greatly profited by this discovery and all its
members are men of large capital. They are also men of high character and
well represent the best citizenship of this section of the State.
In
March, 1854, Plutarch H. Dorsey married Olivia Williams, who was born
September 25, 1834, in Washington, D. C, and died on the farm in Macoupin
County, July 26, 1902. She was a daughter of John and Maria E. (Wells)
Williams, both of whom were born in Washington. Eight children were born to
this marriage, as follows: Mrs. Eugenia Robinson, of St. Louis, Missouri,
who has two children — Edward and Mary; Plutarch H., Jr., who resides with
his wife on the farm of our subject in a residence of his own; Mrs. Harriet
Hornsby, of Bunker Hill, who has two children — Lawrence and Marie; Marie
L., who resides at home; Oscar L., who with his wife resides on the old
homestead; Ada, who died at the age of two years; Cora, who died at the age
of eight years; and Wells Mayo, who with his wife resides on a farm in
Cahokia township, Macoupin County. Mr. Dorsey's children are among the most
highly esteemed residents of their various communities.
Like his
father, Mr. Dorsey has been identified with the Democratic party all his
life, ardently supporting its old-time principles. He is serving as the
present supervisor of his township and is regarded as one of the best
officials the township ever had. In him the honorable old family of Dorsey
has an honorable representative and Gillespie township a citizen who has
materially aided in all movements designed to promote the general welfare.
His portrait accompanies this sketch, being shown on a preceding page.
Extracted 2018 May 07 by Norma Hass from Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Macoupin County, Illinois, published in 1904, pages 224-228.
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