Howell M. Dorsey, one of the extensive farmers of
Macoupin County, owning a farm of 620 acres in sections 35 and 36, Gillespie
township, 80 acres in Dorchester township and a one-half interest in a tract
of 87-1/2 acres in Cahokia township, was born in Gillespie township, January
29, 1866. He is a son of William Montjoy and Henrietta (Green) Dorsey.
The Dorsey family is a prominent one in Macoupin County, and has
numerous members. William Montjoy Dorsey was one of the 13 children of Elias
Dorsey, and was born in Jefferson County, Kentucky, October 8, 1823. He came
to Macoupin County, Illinois, with his brother, Benjamin L., and engaged in
farming and stock raising on land which had been entered by their father,
who owned some 4,000 acres of land in Cahokia township, on the site of the
present coal town of Benld. After his marriage in 1855, the brothers
dissolved their partnership, but William continued to operate a large stock
farm until 1867, when he removed to Bunker Hill, where he led a retired life
until his death March 13, 1902. The Dorsey family has been noted for its
devotion to the Democratic party and, no less so, to the Episcopal Church.
William Montjoy Dorsey was a man of considerable literary ability
and enjoyed his favorite books by his own fire side, in the midst of his
family to whom he was devotedly attached. He was a great lover of Nature and
enjoyed beautiful landscapes and flowers of all kinds. At Bunker Hill he
married Henrietta Green, who was born in Westchester County, New York,
August 4, 1828, and was a daughter of Capt. Stephen and Letitia (Quick)
Green, both natives of that county. Samuel Green, father of Captain Green,
was a member of the famous Revolutionary family of the name. For many years
Captain Green followed the sea. Our subject's mother died at Bunker Hill,
March 30, 1898, a woman of great force of character and of unusual
intellectual strength.
Howell M. Dorsey has always resided in
Macoupin County, his absence being only during his collegiate course at
Jacksonville, after completing his academic studies at Bunker Hill. After
his marriage he took possession of his present large farm and has been
extensively engaged since then in general farming and stock raising, his
large operations in the latter line causing his place to be given the name
of the "Mont Clare Stock Farm." He raises thoroughbred draft and driving
horses, keeping 20 head and has 60 head of Durham and Shorthorn cattle, 60
head of Poland-China hogs and 50 head of Cotswold sheep. In addition to
raising large crops of wheat, com, oats and hay, he has a productive,
carefully tended orchard of 200 apple and 100 pear trees.
On
December 12, 1888, Mr. Dorsey was married to Christine Stookey, who was born
at Belleville, Illinois, May 5, 1867, and is a daughter of Simon J. and
Sophia J. (Richmond) Stookey. During the Civil War, Simon J. Stookey was a
captain in the service. He was born August 5, 1827, in St. Clair County,
Illinois, and he died in Missouri, October 24, 1874. His wife was born March
16, 1840, in London, England, and died at Belleville, June 25, 1874. Three
children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Dorsey: Clare Louise; William
Montjoy; and Albert Howell, all born in the home where their grandparents
first went to housekeeping.
In both religion and politics, Mr.
Dorsey follows the family principles. He is a man held in very high esteem
in his section, and is a representative member of an honorable old family.
Extracted 2018 May 08 by Norma Hass from Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Macoupin County, Illinois, published in 1904, pages 297-299.
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