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Below is a family biography included in The History of Miami County, Ohio published by W. H. Beers & Co. in 1880.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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G. VOLNEY DORSEY, physician, Piqua. Godwin Volney Dorsey; physician and surgeon, and ex-State Treasurer, was born in Oxford, Butler Co., Ohio, Nov. 17, 1812; his ancestors settled in Maryland more than two centuries ago, and the name has ever since been prominently connected with matters of church, State and national interest throughout the country; he is the only son of James Maxwell and Martha (McComas) Dorsey; his father emigrated from Baltimore to Cincinnati in 1809, and in the following year became a pioneer to Oxford; he was a Major in the war of 1812, was for many years Treasurer of the Board of Trustees of Miami University, and superintended the erection of the college building. Our subject was educated at Miami University, graduated from the Medical College of Ohio in 1836, and at once located in Piqua, where, with the exception of a few years spent in public office, he has since resided; he ranks among the leading physicians and surgeons of the State; was for many years President of the Miami County Medical Society; is a member of the Ohio State Medical Society, and was Chairman of the Committee on Surgery in 1851; he is the author of various important professional papers which have appeared in the medical journals of the country. Originally a Jeflfersonian Democrat, he was a member of the Committee on Resolutions in the Democratic Convention in 1848, which drafted the celebrated anti-slavery resolution of that year, and, still later, a Presidential Elector on the Cass ticket; in 1849, he was elected from the strong Whig district, comprising the counties of Miami, Darke and Shelby, a Senatorial Delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850-51; he introduced and carried through that body the present self-regulating apportionment scheme, which has given satisfaction to all parties, and has prevented the constantly-recurring scenes of partisan strife which had previously obtained in a periodic re-apportionment of districts, with a view to continue in power the party dominant at that time; he drew up that clause of the Constitution found in Sec. 7, Art. 13, regulating the investment of associations with banking powers; he was also a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1873; In the memorable Know Nothing contest of 1854, he was defeated for Congress, as was every Congressional candidate of his party in the State; in 1856, he was a delegate to the National Democratic Convention, in Cincinnati, and advocated Mr. Buchanan for President; was again nominated for Congress when Mr. Buchanan was the standard-bearer of the Democratic party, and, although he polled more votes in his district than did that gentleman, he sustained another defeat; in 1857, he was the Democratic candidate for State Auditor, upon the ticket with Hon. R. P. Ranney for Governor; in 1860, he supported Douglas for President; from the opening of the late rebellion to its close, he was a bold, uncompromising Union man, and wrote the celebrated “Statesman” letter, which was copied by every paper in Ohio, advocating the formation of a Union party, and which, perhaps, did more than any other one thing in effecting its organization In this State; in 1861, he was elected State Treasurer by the largest majority of any candidate on the Union ticket; re-elected in 1863, and resigned the office in 1865; in 1864, he was a Senatorial delegate to the Baltimore convention, that nominated President Lincoln; also, in 1863-64, was Chairman of the Republican State Executive Committee; in 1868, he was chosen by the Electoral College on the Grant and Colfax ticket, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Gov. Todd; for twenty years, he was a member of the Board of Trustees of Miami University; was the first President of the Piqua Hydraulic Company; and is now President of the Citizens’ National Bank, of that city. Dr. Dorsey’s ability in his profession, in the field of politics, his educational and business enterprise, may be fairly estimated from this record; few perhaps, have ever discharged the varied and responsible duties imposed upon them with greater energy or fidelity, or have so fully merited the confidence and respect of their fellow-citizens; he is a gentleman of superior scholarly attainments, and has long been known as one of the finest linguists in the country; his translations from Horace, from the Greek tragedies, and from some of the Latin mediaeval hymns, which have been published in several of the leading journals of the country, have been received with great favor. In July, 1836, he married the daughter of Hon. John McCorkle, of Piqua, who, after having borne him eight children, three of whom are living, died in 1855. Walter McCorkle Dorsey is Teller of the Citizens’ National Bank, Piqua; Margaret M. Dorsey married Robert B. Moores, of Clark Co., Ohio, and Mary L. is the wife of Dr. W. S. Parker, of Piqua. In Nov., 1856, Dr. Dorsey married Mrs. L. P. Morrow, daughter of D. Tuttle, Esq., of Indianapolis.

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This family biography is one of 964 biographies included in The History of Miami County, Ohio published in 1880 by W. H. Beers & Co.  For the complete description, click here: Miami County, Ohio History and Genealogy

View additional Miami County, Ohio family biographies here: Miami County, Ohio Biographies

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