Basil Dorsey

**Basil Dorsey** (c. 1808 – February 15, 1872) na he be a self-emancipated slave born insyd Libertytown, Maryland. Na he flee to Bristol, Pennsylvania, wey he later move go Florence, Massachusetts, wer na he live for de remainder of ein life.

## Early life insyd Maryland

Na dem born Basil Dorsey insyd 1808 insyd Libertytown of Frederick County, Maryland. Na he be known at de time as Ephraim Costly, wey na he be enslaved by Sabrick Sollers. Na Dorsey marry an enslaved woman dem name Louisa, wey togeda na dem get two kiddies while insyd Maryland, Eliza (born November 3, 1834) den John Richard (born May 18, 1836).

Na dem promise Dorsey freedom upon Sollers ein death, buh na wen e cam on July 17, 1834, dem instead purchase Dorsey by Sabrick ein son, Thomas Sollers, for $300 (~$9,449 insyd 2024). Na Thomas Sollers offer make he sell am ein freedom for $350, buh na wen Dorsey find Richard Cole, wey agree make he be ein bondsman for de sale, Sollers raise de price to $500. Na Cole encourage Dorsey make he escape by foot, den on May 14, 1836, he set out North plus ein bros Thomas, Charles, den William. Na Thomas cam be a famous caterer insyd Philadelphia wey na he get a son William Henry Dorsey wey na he be an artist den major collector of Black history. Na William produce scrapbooks of articles den oda materials wey chronicle de lives of Black people insyd de 18th century.

## Escape to Pennsylvania den trial

Na de four bros travel to Gettysburg, then Harrisburg, then Reading, til na dem reach Bristol, PA, wer na dem work on abolitionist Robert Purvis ein farm. Na Thomas prefer make he live insyd de city, while Charles den William live plus neighboring farmers, wey na Basil live plus Purvis.

Insyd July 1837, na Dorsey ein bro-in-law betray am to slave-hunters wey be hired by Thomas Sollers, wey na dem track am to Purvis ein farm wey dem seize am by local authorities. Upon learning about Dorsey ein imprisonment, na Robert Purvis organize an escape to New Jersey for William den Charles, make he prevent dem from being recaptured as well. From New Jersey, na dem go travel to freedom insyd Canada. Na dem sanso recapture Thomas by de slave-hunters, wey na dem send am back into slavery insyd Maryland. Na paddies insyd Philadelphia quickly raise $1000, plus wich na dem buy ein freedom. Na he return to Philadelphia wey na he live der for de rest of ein life as a popular caterer.

Na Purvis bring lawyer Thomas Ross den Dorsey ein wifey den kiddies, wey dem recently cam to Pennsylvania, to de court insyd Doylestown. Na dem urge de judge, Judge Fox, make he postpone de case, wey dem dey claim say na Dorsey get free papers wey currently be held by a paddie insyd Columbia, PA. Na Fox agree make he postpone de trial by two weeks. Ma Purvis sanso believe de judge feel sympathy give Dorsey, as na he recall insyd an 1883 account:"*Doubtless the judge was deeply impressed by the appearance in the court-room of the delicate and beautiful wife and the young children clinging to the husband and father, who, looking the picture of despair sat with the evidence in his torn and soiled garments of the terrible conflict through which he had passed.*”During those two weeks, na Basil Dorsey remain insyd a jail cell, wey na Robert Purvis organize ein legal support. Na he drive to Philadelphia wey he enlist de service of renowned lawyer den philanthropist David Paul Brown, wey refuse make he accept any payment for defending Dorsey. Na Purvis spread de word about de trial, wey dey encourage de local African-American population make dem show up to ein trial den aid Dorsey if na de ruling be in favor of Sollers.

Na Purvis immediately bring Dorsey to ein mommie ein home insyd Philadelphia, den shortly after na dem travel to New York in search of greater security.

## New York den Charlemont, MA

Once insyd New York, na he meet *The Emancipator* editor Joshua Leavitt den David Ruggles, wey encourage am make he go to Northampton, MA, wer he stay plus Haynes K. Starkweather for a few days. Na Colonel Samuel Parsons then bring am to Charlemont, MA, to de farm of Roger Hooker Leavitt, poppie of Joshua Leavitt. Na Dorsey live on Leavitt ein property for about six years. During dat time, na he den Louisa get a third kiddie, Charles Robert, on August 29, 1838. Na Louisa die two months later, on November 7, wey na dem bury am insyd de town ein cemetery.

## Florence den Northampton, MA

Insyd January 1844, na Dorsey move plus ein kiddies to Florence (then dem call Bensonville) wey na he begin dey work at de Bensonville Manufacturing Company, run by George W. Benson, founder of de Northampton Association of Education and Industry, den a bro-in-law of William Lloyd Garrison.

On November 12, 1849, na Dorsey buy lot No. 12 of de Bensonville Village Lots for $35. Na he build a home on de land, wich na be purchased by Mary Jones insyd 1852. Dem now dey consider de Dorsey–Jones House a historic site.

Na Dorsey be a "teamster", anaa a driver at de cotton mill, then general "jobber." Na ein job as a teamster mean a lot of traveling, wich suddenly cam be dangerous after dem enact The Fugitive Slave Act insyd 1850, as na he frequently make visits to Boston den Providence wich get a higher chance of slave catchers.

A month after na dem enact am, na Dorsey den 9 oda fugitives publicly call out to locals make dem help dem resist any attempts to return dem to de South. Na he den chaw of ein paddies be strongly against paying for ein natural right to freedom, buh plus de passage of de act, na Dorsey be in significantly higher danger while doing ein job. Na ein paddies insyd Northampton den Florence then gather $150, den plus $50 of Dorsey ein own earnings he officially buy ein freedom wich dem settle on May 14, 1851, fifteen years after ein escape. Na de bill of sale be registered to George Griscom, a Philadelphia lawyer, wey then manumit Dorsey.

Na Basil Dorsey remarry to a woman dem name Cynthia, plus whom na he get 11 kiddies. He die insyd Florence on February 15, 1872.

## References