“Laat Monday morning Llyod Dorsey, one of the oldest residents of this village, died at the home of his daughter Mary, aged 85 years.
When but a youth Mr. Dorsey, then a slave in Maryland, ran away determined to seek liberty and freedom in the north. At that time Montrose, Pa was one of the stations on the ‘underground’ road and here Mr. Dorsey found his way, remaining until the arrival of some other runaways whose stories of search and capture alarmed him and again he fled north not stopping until he reached this place. This was about 1840 and here the slave found freedom and comparative immunity from re-capture. Soon after his arrival he married Nancy Hemans and by whom he had several children. For more than sixty years Lloyd Dorsey has been a conspicuous figure in this community. Beginning as a common laborer he had no intension of remaining one. He determined to become a citizen not an easy thing under the existing laws, for then the black man must be a property owner to the amount of $250 to entitle him to citizenship and Mr. Dorsey was the first black man to vote in the town of Ulysses. Although unlearned he was far from being an ignorant man, he was a quick observer, independent thinker and for many years commanded the respect of all the people. He began to acquire property, to do business for himself, assert his rights without intruding, he was never offensive but held his political position firmly, obstinately refusing all overtures looking toward compromise, first a Whig, naturally a Republican, he could always be counted on to support the ticket. Somewhat inclined to argument his opponents found him no mean competitor.
He followed the occupation of teamster until old age and informatics prevented, of late years he occupied himself with gardening, selling the product of his garden from door to door and upon the street. Early in the winter he began to fall rapidly and it was evident that it was to be his last illness.
There were born to Mr and Mrs Dorsey nine children, four of whom, James, Francis, wife of Rev. Charles Smith of Auburn, Mary and Charles survive. The dead are George, William, Emma, Lillie and Clinton.
The funeral was from the home Wednesday afternoon. Rev. Loren Eastwood of the M E Church officiating. Interment in Grove Cemetery.
“Obituary: Lloyd Dorsey,” Free Press and Sentinel, April 30, 1904, 1.