California Biographies, San Joaquin Valley Transcribed by Peggy Hooper This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm Source: History of the state of California and biographical record of the San Joaquin Valley, California. An historical story of the state's marvelous growth from its earliest settlement to the present time. Prof. James Miller Guinn , A. M. The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago 1905 Notes: Missing Page: 865-866,983-984,1175-1176 HON. JESSE RICHARD DORSEY. To none of her professional leaders does Bakersfield point with more pride than to Hon. Jesse Richard Dorsey, an attorney representing the concentrated energy of the west, who has had the inclination and persistency to step out of a trade and farm environment into the most promising legal atmosphere of the state, and in a few years acquire a reputation which would generally be considered liberal reward for a decade of earnest endeavor. Mr. Dorsey was born in Argentville, Lincoln county, Mo., September 2, 1877, but comes of southern ancestry, early identified with both Maryland and Kentucky, the family having been established in Missouri by the paternal grandfather, Richard Dorsey, for many years a large farmer in Maryland and Kentucky. At the time of the emigration overland, Richard, Jr., the father of Jesse R., was a small boy, and he was reared on the Lincoln county farm, in time witnessing the departure of his father for the war, in which he served in the Confederate army under General Price, in Texas, Arkansas and Missouri. Richard the younger learned the blacksmith's trade in Missouri, thereafter combining it with farming until coming to California in 1888. He married Mary A. Crosland, who lived to share his fortunes until 1896, when her death occurred in Delano, Kern county, Cal., at the age of forty-nine years. Besides Jesse R. she had a daughter, Belief the wife of N. R. Mitchell, of Delano. From the age of fifteen to eighteen Jesse R. Dorsey attended the public schools of Watsonville, at the same time working his way through a commercial school, from which he was duly graduated. In Watsonville he began reading law with Judge Dickerman, becoming also deeply interested in Republican politics. After eighteen months of preparation he entered the Northern Indiana Law School at Valparaiso, from which he was graduated in the class of 1898. Returning to California, he practiced law at San Pedro for ten months, and in 1899 was appointed deputy district attorney of Kern county, serving three years in that capacity, when he resigned. In November, 1902, Mr. Dorsey was nominated on the Republican ticket for the general assembly, and was elected by a gratifying majority in a Democratic county. During the session of 1903 his ability found vent in many directions, and he served as chairman of the committee on claims, and as member of the county and township governments, county boundaries, revision and reform of laws, mines and mining committees, rendering particularly efficient service in the department of mining. Mr. Dorsey is prominent fraternally, and is president of Bakersfield Aerie, Fraternal Order of Eagles, and at the state convention of this order, held in 1903, he was elected state vice president. He is also a member of the Woodmen of the World, past commander of the Knights of the Maccabees, and past chief ranger of the Foresters of America. December 30, 1903, Mr. Dorsey was united in marriage with Marion Stokum, who was born in Santa Barbara, and who resided for some time in Kern. Mr. Dorsey has a comprehensive knowledge of general law, but makes a specialty of probate and criminal law. He is conscientious in the discharge of his duties, is faithful to the interests of his large clientele, and throughout his private and public life maintains a dignity which presages a successful career.