Biography

1759 - 08/24/1821

John Dorsey (Democratic-Republican1) Delaware, Philadelphia City and Philadelphia Counties 1805-1808 (Democratic-Republican1) Philadelphia City and Philadelphia Counties 1808-1809

Early Life: 

John Dorsey born, 1759, Woodstock, Anne Arundel County, Maryland; son of Nathan and Sophia Owings Dorsey; grocer, Philadelphia 1780s; sugar refinery 1792-1803; silver and plated-ware merchant entrepreneur, 1793; applied, Governor Mifflin, appointment, auctioneer, 1793; amateur architect; manager, Pennsylvania Hospital, 1797-1804; treasurer, Library Company, 1798-1804; member, committee, Philadelphia prison, 1804;, treasurer, Permanent Bridge Company, 1805; elected, Pennsylvania Select Council, Philadelphia City, 1805; founder, member of the board, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, 1806-1807; elected, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1805-1809; received commission, auctioneer, 1809; unsuccessful campaigns, Pennsylvania Inspector of the General Election, Philadelphia City, South Ward, 1807, 1808, 1809; appointed, commission to determine a site and procure plans for the new capitol at Harrisburg, 1810; appointed, keeper of the standard of weights and measures, Philadelphia, 1819; died, August 24, 1821 (aged 61–62), interment, Christ Church Burial Ground, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania Politics:

Elected, Pennsylvania Select Council, Philadelphia City, 1805.

Elected, Conventionalist (Democratic-Republican), Pennsylvania State Senate, 1st District, Delaware, Philadelphia and Philadelphia City Counties, Special Election, 1805-1808; James Gamble vacated his seat between sessions by accepting an appointment from the Governor.  Newspaper accounts reported a total of 16 Constitutionalists and 9 Conventionalist. However, these early accounts showed James Gamble, a Constitutionalist, as having been elected. In fact, the seat finally went to John Dorsey, a Conventionalist. The actual count was 15 Constitutionalists and 10 Conventionalists. 

Elected, Conventionalist (Democratic-Republican), Pennsylvania State Senate, 1st District, Philadelphia City and Philadelphia Counties, 1808-1809; resigned his seat prior to the beginning of the 1809-1810 session, replaced by Clement Humphreys.

Appointed, commission to determine a site and procure plans for the new capitol at Harrisburg, 1810.

Unsuccessful campaigns, Pennsylvania Inspector of the General Election, Philadelphia City, South Ward, 1807, 1808, 1809.

Legacy: 

Chiefly remembered, designer, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, 1805-1806; burned 1845; restored and enlarged 1846-1847; demolished 1870; "Gothic Mansion" on the north side of Chestnut between Eleventh and Twelfth Streets, 1809-1810; remodeled 1853; demolished 1911.

Unfortunately, too little is known of Dorsey's architectural work during these years. He may have designed the Orphan Asylum at the northeast corner of Cherry and Eighteenth Streets, 1817; burned 1822) and he may have had a hand in the design of the wooden cover of the Permanent Bridge over the Schuykill, 1805-1806.  

Cited:

Cox, Harold.  "House Members D". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

Cox, Harold.  Senate1790-1869 (wilkes.edu). Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

Cox, Harold.  Senate1790-1869 (wilkes.edu). Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

Biography from the American Architects and Buildings database

A New Nation Votes (tufts.edu)

John Dorsey Esquire (1759-1821) - Find a Grave Memorial