William Cumming Dorsey was born in 1776 in MD, a son of Edward (V) Dorsey and Sarah Cumming.[1] He died in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, 30 Apr 1830.[2]
He was married in Somerset Co PA ca 1800 to Mary Black, daughter of James Black and Jane McDonough. William’s family was en route to Kentucky from Maryland when, as the story goes, he met a girl, married and stayed in PA.[3]
Mary was born in Pennsylvania in 1779 and died in Somerset Co PA 31 Aug 1840.[4]
Their family is detailed in a large chart at the NSDAR Library, as well as an article at Pittsburg and her People.[5] In addition, in the 1950s, Ruby Bowers Dorsey of Somerset Co kept a notebook of all the connected Dorseys.[6]
William Dorsey was in the 1800 census in Somerset Co PA, p 561. Dorsey William, 21100/00100; his first two sons were James and David Dorsey. By 1810 his family had grown to five sons and three daughters: Allegheny Twp, Somerset Co PA, Wm C Dorsy Esqr, 41010/21010. In 1820 they were still in Allegheny Twp, Somerset Co PA, p 139: William C Dorsey, 221301/12010/04; there were seven sons and four daughters. By the 1830 census, William C Dorsey had recently died, and his widow was listed in Somerset Co PA, Allegheny Twp, p 63: Mary Dorsey, 00131…/00102001… In 1840, she and two of her sons were in the household of son Edward: Somerset Co PA, p 13. Edward Dorsey: 000111…/000011001…; other children had moved to Ohio.
At one time William Cumming Dorsey’s grandfathers, Edward Dorsey and William Cumming, and his father-in-law, James Black, were accepted as Patriots by the NSDAR. Currently, proof that this Edward Dorsey was the man who signed an Oath of Allegiance, and proof that the William Cumming who served in the Revolutionary War was the same William Cumming, father of Sarah (Cumming) Dorsey are required for successful applications.
William C Dorsey was a Justice in Somerset Co PA.[7] He prepared at least one legal document for Allegheny Township.[8]
William and Mary had the following children:
1. James Black DORSEY. Born on 9 Dec 1800 in Somerset Co PA, James Black died on 28 Sep 1865. James Black married Nancy WELLS who was born in 1805 in Licking Co OH and died ca 1870. They had the following children:
i. Presley C (possibly a foster child) (1835-)
ii. William G (Twin) (1840-)
iii. John T (Twin) (1840-)
iv. Jane (1844-)
v. Albert G (1855-)
vi. Angeline (Twin) (1847-)
vii. Adeline (Twin) (1847-)
2. David DORSEY. Born on 11 Dec 1800 in Somerset Co PA. David died in Hancock Co OH, on 1 Mar 1880. David first married Rose Ann WEYAND. Born on 8 Oct 1808. Rose Ann died probably in Ohio, before 1860. They had the following children:
i. George (1830-)
ii. William J (1832-)
iii. Allen (ca1834-)
iv. David (1840-)
v. Cordelia (1842-)
vi. James (1847-)
vii. Henry (1853-)
David second married Margaret ADAMS, who was born in say 1802.
3. Elizabeth DORSEY. Born ca 1800-1806 in Somerset Co PA, Elizabeth married — HOHN.
4. Edward DORSEY. Born ca 1803 in Somerset Co PA, Edward died in Somerset Co PA, on 19 May 1872. Buried in Mount Zion Cemetery, Somerset Co PA. 1840 census: Somerset Co PA, p 13. Edward Dorsey: 000111/000011001. The youngest of his children with wife Mary were:
i. Ann J (ca 1843-)
ii. William L (ca1847-)
iii. Mary E (ca 1849-)
5. William Cumming DORSEY Jr. Born on 14 May 1804 in Somerset Co PA. William Cumming died in Hancock Co OH, on 2 Sep 1886. On 3 Apr 1835, William C. married Louisa BRYAN in Hancock Co OH. Born on 15 Dec 1811 in KY, Louisa died in Allen, Hancock Co OH, on 19 Jan 1896. They had the following children:
i. Wallace (1837-)
ii. Elizabeth (1839-)
iii. William Cumming (1841-)
iv. Amanda J (1843-)
v. Cordelia (1845-)
vi. Edson B (1848-)
vii. Winfield A
viii. Milton
6. Jane DORSEY. Born on 15 Apr 1808 in Somerset Co PA, Jane died in Hancock Co OH, on 27 Oct 1878. On 22 Feb 1831, she married Isaac WEISEL in Somerset Co PA. He was born in 1805 in PA. They had the following children:
i. Oliver (1831-)
ii. Mary (1833-)
iii. Lloyd (1835-)
iv. Rosetta J (1838-)
v. Charlotte (1839-)
vi. Sarah (1841-)
vii. Rufus (1843-)
viii. John (1845-)
ix. Laura Jane (1847-)
7. Henry DORSEY. Born ca 1810 in Somerset Co PA, Henry died ca 1875. Henry married Margery DAVIDSON in Somerset Co PA. Born on 7 Jun 1807, Margery died in Somerset Co PA, on 7 Jul 1877. They had the following children:
i. Edward (ca1844-<1850)
ii. William C (ca 1846-<1908)
iii. George K (1848-1908)
iv. Margaret B (ca 1850-<1908)
v. John D (ca 1852-<1908)
vi. Henry (ca 1854-1908)
vii. Frank F (ca 1856-<1908)
viii. Mary C (1858-<1860)
ix. Margery Ella (-1908)
x. Susan J (-1908)
8. Cordelia DORSEY. Born ca 1817 in Somerset Co PA, Cordelia died in Harrison Twp, Bedford Co PA, on 17 May 1852. In say 1845, she married David WERTZ. Born on 7 Jul 1807 in Bedford Co PA, David died in Cedar Co IA, on 10 Nov 1890. They had the following children:
i. William (1846-)
ii. Cyrus (1848-)
9. Lloyd DORSEY. Born on 12 Mar 1813 in Somerset Co PA, Lloyd died there, on 3 Jun 1873 and was buried in Mount Zion Cemetery. In 1841 when Lloyd was 27, he had a child with Sarah Ann MOSER, daughter of Michael and Maria Magdalena MOSER Jr, in PA. Born on 27 Mar 1813 in Berks Co PA, Sarah Ann died in Somerset Co PA, on 8 Dec 1870. They may have been married. They had one child:
i. Augustus (1841-1924)
On 22 Nov 1849 when Lloyd was 36, he married Margaret FRASHURE (sometimes called Margaret France) in Somerset Co PA. Born on 17 Dec 1821, Margaret died in Somerset Co PA, on 21 Mar 1907. They had the following children:
i. Matthew (1850-1864)
ii. Mark (1850-1850)
iii. Henry (1852-1901)
iv. Mary J (ca1854-)
10. Sarah DORSEY. Born on 28 Jul 1814 in Somerset Co PA, Sarah died on 4 Feb 1845. Sarah married Joseph HARDY, who was born in 1806 in PA. They had the following children:
i. Mary Jane (1833-)
ii. John N (1837-)
11. Lewis DORSEY. Born in say 1816 in Somerset Co PA, he was said to have served or died in the Civil War.
12. (infant son) DORSEY. Born in 1800-1820. This child was buried near Mary (Black) Dorsey.[9]
© 2008, Kathy Alvis Patterson
[1] Genealogy and History of These Families: William Cumming, Dorsey, Black, Weisel by Edith L Burrell, Findlay OH.
[2] William C. Dorsey estate (1830-33), Somerset Co Will Book, 41-1873, Probate Judge’s Office, Somerset PA.
[3] Washington Co KY Deeds, 1, f 181; f 424. Also, “Washington Co KY Bicentennial History”, p 263. The deed listed proves his parentage. These documents from Emily Dorsey Maas, 31 Oct 2002.
Washington County Kentucky – Grantee/Grantor
William C. Dorsey to Anderson Jeffries (Power of Atty.) Book I, Page 181
and Edward Dorsey’s heirs to John Kendrick – Book I, pages 424, 425.
I, William C. Dorsey of the County of Somerset in the State of Pennsylvania – one of the heirs and legal representatives of Edward Dorsey, deceased late of the county of Washington in the State of Kentucky for diverse good causes and considerations thereunto knowing have made _________ _________ __________ ________ and by these presents do make and nominate, constitute and appoint my friend Anderson Jeffries Esqr. of Washington Co., Kent. my attorney in fact and agent to represent me fully and completely to all intents and purposes respecting my interests in the estate of the said Edward Dorsey, deceased with power to receive from the administrator of said estate to execute in my name receipts for the whole or any part of my interest the ______________ ___________ ___________ out of the said estate of which my interests in which I may sell or otherwise adjust as to him the said atty. Anderson Jeffries ________ ________________ power to _________ _________ everything toward selling and closing said interest with said estate that might ___________ I personally present him to be binding ____________ ____________ the said Anderson Jeffries to the promises to bear binding _______________ on me as if I had done the same myself with the power of attorney in the ________________ said estate of which I hand and seal this first day of March 1825.
William C. Dorsey (seal)
witnessed by John Hughes Jr.
Washington Co., Kentucky
[4] Burrell, op cit.
[5] Boucher, John Newton,. A century and a half of Pittsburg [sic] and her people. New York: Lewis Pub. Co, 1908, Vol 4, p 351.
[6] Descendants of William Cumming, original chart at NSDAR Library. “Descendants of William Cumming, compiled and arranged by Montgomery Cumming. Copied by Ruby Bowers Dorsey, Jul 1, 1957.” This notebook was inherited by Lowell Dorsey, who died in the 1970, and in 1993 was in the possession of Tom Dorsey, a descendant of William Dorsey, son of William Cumming Dorsey. Xerox copy included in a letter from Kim Carles-Hammer (10491 SR 37, Findlay OH 45840) to Kathy Patterson, 30 Aug 1993. According to Kim Carles-Hammer’s letter of 25 Feb 1995, the notebook is mainly names without dates, possibly corresponding to the chart I have. More detailed Dorsey data was added to Montgomery Cumming’s notes by Ruth B. Dorsey.
[7] Laura Hay Braddock and Charlotte Hay Beard, Evangelical Lutheran and Reformed Cemetery Inscriptions of Somerset County PA, 1968.
[8] The following were the taxable inhabitants of Allegheny Township in 1814, according to a duplicate list made by Wm. C. Dorsey, Esq., assessor, and Henry Imhoff and John Fleming, assistant assessors: John Black, Jac. Burkhart (weaver), Jac. Burkhart…
[9] Cemeteries: WPA Records of Dorsey Cemetery, Allegheny Township, Somerset Co PA. Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by the Somerset Co Federated Library System and its constituent libraries, the Meyersdale Public Library, Somerset Co Public Library, Windber Public Library, Somerset Co Public Library, Windber Public Library and Mary S. Biesecker Library. Transcribed by Claire DeCecco and proofread by April. Copyright 2007. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm; http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/somerset/
Cemetery Name: Dorsey Cemetery; Survey Date: circa 1934; State: PA; County: Somerset; City/Town/Township: Allegheny Twp; Cemetery Location: Situated in Allegheny Twp, on the farm of Henry Weidner, north of the buildings about 15 rods in the field above the orchard.
LAST-NAME FIRST-NAME BIRTH-DATE DEATH-DATE AGE/AGED INSCRIPTION and ADDL-INFORMATION
DORSEY Mary 21 Apr 1840 61y w/o William C. Dorsey
DORSEY Infant son . . . s/o William & Mary Dorsey
DORSEY Infant son . 7 Jul 1850 . s/o L[loyd] & M[argaret] Dorsey
UNKNOWN Child . . . not inscribed
UNKNOWN Child . . . not inscribed
UNKNOWN Child . . . not inscribed
UNKNOWN Adult . . . not inscribed
TOTAL 7 graves
Alvispat's Weblog 
Hi I come from a branch of the Hardy family that Sarah Dorsey Born on 28 Jul 1814 in Somerset Co PA, Sarah died on 4 Feb 1845 married Joseph HARDY, who was born in 1806 in PA. I was wondering if you had any other information? Did Sarah die in Somerset Co, Pa? I can tell you Joseph father was William Hardy son of William Hardy.
Marcia Rothman