BY DANNY McCARTHY
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Dorcas refers to a “Christian woman of New Testament times who made clothing for the poor.” – There was another definition found online: “The name Dorcas is a Greek family name. In Greek the meaning of the name Dorcas is: Gazelle. Famous bearer: The New Testament Dorcas who ‘abounded in good deeds and gifts of mercy,’ was a charitable woman raised from the dead by St. Peter.”
I’ve learned over the years that the name/title of Dorcas was given to particular women who were seen as slaves. This finding{s} was seen in Southold Town Records. Being one who came across certain criteria about a 1600s Dorcas, I also did find entries of the name/title of Dorcas in the Southold Town Records that exchanged information from the 1800s.
It does seem that that name/title can be representative of a type of generalization of repetition of titling a name.
There was a Dorcas who was the mother of Sarah, and Sarah became a slave. Both females were of Indian descent!
Sarah was owned by James Parshall of Aquebogue, then John Parker of Riverhead, then John Wick (who owned Bull's End Tavern in Bridgehampton), then Jacob Leisler's son-in-law Robert Walter. (Walter later became Mayor of NYC in 1720) - Robert Walter put Sarah on a boat (which was called The Ambitious) to Madeira {in Portugal}, to be sold as a slave. A British Consul offered to assist Sarah to be free but she would have to convert to Catholicism. She opted to go back to New York.
In 1717 (supposedly), Sarah contacted and petitioned Governor Robert Hunter since she was trying to get across that no one should have any claim on her being a slave. That petition had her full name as Sarah Robins. Just how this Sarah got the final name of Robins is yet another mystery.
A “Partial” View!
You have to remember that yes, Southold Town was founded in 1640 and Southold Town stretched back then up to Wading River. In 1792, the Town of Riverhead was founded. Wading River, Aquebogue, and Jamesport, and then, too, a part of Laurel became part of the Town of Riverhead in 1792.
So: By catching your eyes on the dates of the findagrave link I have placed below, you’ll note so definitely that James Parshall was a resident of Aquebogue {which is now in the Town of Riverhead!}. A James Parshall was a resident in the Town of Southold {!}:
Are They “Write” or Wrong?
https://old.findagrave.com/cgi...
The author of that James Parshall entry on that findagrave website link is Bryan S. Godfrey. Mr. Godfrey did superimpose text from the James Clark Parshall volume within his James Parshall findagrave entry. {And again, being that the James Clark Parshall text lays within Mr. Godfrey’s findagrave listing about James Parshall, you’ll see James Parshall, Dorcas and Sarah included when you scroll down that findagrave link.} If Mr. Godfrey is correct, one has to double-check on the exact sources of where too Mr. James Clark Parshall came across his information for his book.
Partially Represented … It’s all Conjecture!
Again, supposedly: James Parshall was married to Elizabeth Gardiner. It has been rumored as well that James Parshall might have been buried in Mattituck – {maybe at the Old Bethany Cemetery in Mattituck, which is located by the Mattituck Presbyterian Church and the North Fork Community Theatre as well!} or back on Gardiner’s Island {where he met Elizabeth Gardiner}. AND, too, it has been researched that perhaps Elizabeth Gardiner Parshall might be buried in East Hampton (where her grandfather Lion Gardiner is buried} OR even on the Isle of Wight {Gardiner’s Island}.
It Has Been Recorded!
Southold Town Records Volume III {Liber D} is available from the Southold Town Clerk Office {if you need to be reminded!}
On actual Page 51 in the Southold Town Records Volume III {Liber D}, it reads, and I quote – {I re-typed the item as a different version from the actual text typeset in that volume}:
“Page 27 right
On the application of Benjamin Davis of the Town of Southold in the County of Suffolk to us whose Names are here underwritten as a Majority of the Overseers of the poor of the Town of Southold for our Certificate for the Manumission of his Negro a female slave named Dorcas agreeable to the Act of the Legislature of the State of New York entitled ‘An Act concerning slaves and servants passed 8th April 1801’ – We do herby Certify that the said Negro slave name Dorcas appears to be under the age of fifty Years and of Sufficient Ability to provide for herself and We do allow this our Certificate to be registered in the office of the Clerk of the said Town of Southold agreeably to the directions of the said act Gearshom T Case Joseph Hallock Overseers of the Poor Southold 25th March 1805 Registered 28th March 28th 1805 pr Thomas S. Lester Clk”
Actual Page 104 in Southold Town Records Volume III {Liber D} reads, and I have placed the text in a different format:
“Page 64 left blank Loose page 65: ‘Belongs in the record of 1816 (Manumissions) On the application of Benjamin Horton Jun and Gilbert Horton executors of the last Will and Testament of James Horton late of Southold deceased to us whose names are hereunder signed being Overseers of the poor of the Town of Southold for the time being for our certificate for the manumission of a female Slave named Dorcas the property of the said James Horton deceased pursuant to the act of the Legislature of the State of New York entitled ‘An act concerning Slaves and servants’ passed 9th April 1813 and agreeable to the last will and Testament of the said deceased: We do Certify that the said female Negro slave is under the age of forty five years and of sufficient ability to provide for herself and We do allow this our Certificate to be recorded pursuant to the aforesaid act
In Witness whereof We have hereunto set our hands the sixteenth day of August One thousand eight hundred and Sixteen
Benj Horton Jun Benj Boisseau Overseers of Poor
Recorded 25th Sept 1816
Pr T S Lester Clk”
We get another entry of a Dorcas later on ~ In my Slaves of the North Fork article, I shared the following subheads and item:
“She Was Greatly Lamented By All ~ A True Moving Spirit
This Queen of the Needle Was a True DOER of The Word!
In Epher Whitaker’s March 6, 1879 The Christian At Work column, he discusses Dorcas, “the property of James Reeve.” Dorcas was born in March 1774 and died near the end of March 1871. When Dorcas Freeman died in 1871, Epher Whitaker remarked, “the most thrifty and elegant housekeepers of Southold are proud to possess the sheets and pillowcases and tablecloths and other treasures of the linen press that came from the loom of Dorcas.”
Below is a link carrying a Southampton Press article titled "When Slavery was Common Practice":
https://nyshistoricnewspapers....
Diligence is His Fortitude …
I’d just like to take a moment and offer a simple exchange of gratitude to Southold resident Robert Stanonis for his consistence with attempting to learn the actual situation{s} with the 1600s Sarah – and passing-on what he has come across!
Appreciation Goes Further …
Orlando, Florida resident Barbara Baker Pierson was also helpful pointing out things and being sure to remark how research has to be clarified. ~ Thanks Barbara!
Download these online links re: The History of the Parshall Family From the Conquest of England by William of Normandy, A.D. 1066, to the close of the 19th century by James Clark Parshall, Esq., and scroll down to page 15, where you’ll see entries about James Parshall, Dorcas, and Sarah!:
https://books.google.com/books...
