Uncle Jack's father, John D. May and his grandfather came to Missouri from Tennessee in the early part of the nineteenth century and first settled near what is now Springfield. They were hunters and trappers and finding the territory around Springfield ill adapted to their use, migrated to the White River country where game of all kinds was plentiful.

Mr. May's father settled on a piece of land at the mouth of Roark creek where the town of Branson is now located. He erected a log house just across the street from the Pierce Stigman Lumber company office of today, and it is in that log house that Uncle Jack May was born in 1842.

At that time during the hunting season the woods were full of game and Delaware Indians. Deer was plentiful, wild turkeys were in abundance, fur bearing animals were plentiful and squirrels were everywhere. In the summer the Indians would migrate to Oklahoma and other western points, but in the winter they would come back to the White river country, camp on Dewey Bald, and called the territory their "happy hunting grounds."

Mr. May's grandfather settled just below Garber on Roark creek and for many years after his death the place was known as Apple Orchard. Before his death he had set out a large apple orchard and from this the place got its name.

Uncle Jack lived with his parents at the mouth of Roark until he was ten years old and the family then moved up White river to the mouth of Long creek. It was while living here that the Civil War broke out so Mr. May's father enlisted in 1861 in the 26th Missouri Infantry. General John C. Freemont had come to Springfield and the elder May enlisted and went back to Jefferson City with him. He later died with measles in St. Louis. The family did not learn of his death for more than a year after he died because news traveled slowly in those days

All the neighbors of the May family on White river either joined the rebel forces or were rebel sympathizers, and conditions became so unpleasant for them that they moved to Marshfield. Many southern sympathizers organized bands known as Bushwhackers who invaded the territory to the north and harassed detachments of Union troops or preyed upon the homes and property of citizens, often killing whole families and helping themselves to anything they could find. Such a band was organized one day at the mouth of Roark creek and Uncle Jack and his father were the only two present who did not join. From that time on life in the neighborhood was unpleasant for them.

Soon after moving to Marshfield Uncle Jack enlisted in Company D, 16th Missouri Volunteer Cavalry. He was mustered in at Marshfield in 1862 and served until June 30, 1865, when he was mustered out at Springfield. He saw service in the battle of Big Blue near Kansas City where the union forces fought the Confederates under General Sterling Price. The Confederates were routed in this battle and driven into Ark. with Union troops in hot pursuit. Uncle Jack also had numerous skirmishes with the Bushwhackers and after peace was signed these marauders continued to harass the Union settlements taking lives and destroying property.

After the war his mother and sisters and brothers moved back into Taney county, this time settling on the head of Bear Creek. Peace had been declared but Uncle Jack had not been discharged. He had two brothers much younger than himself and the family decided to rent a farm and make a small crop. The boys obtained a yoke of gentle oxen and were making a crop when a band of Bushwhackers swept down upon them and stole all the groceries which were in the house, bed quilts and anything they could carry. Having been previously warned about the Bushwhackers by Uncle Jack the family had boxed most of the groceries and some other articles and hid them in the forest which proved to be an excellent precautionary measure.

In 1873 Uncle Jack was married to Isabel Stockstill who also lived on Bear Creek in Taney county. In 1875 the couple came to Stone County and stopped on Railey creek to visit with his wife's relatives. They had planned to go to Colorado that spring, but James river was at flood stage and they could not cross for several weeks. Crop time came on and Uncle Jack and his wife decided to make a crop that year. They rented part of the farm now owned by W.D. Mathes and which at that time was owned by Ad and Frank Carr. They made two crops on that farm and by that time they had given up on the idea of going to Colorado and settled across the river from Limberlost Inn. The farm was all in timber when they bought it. Uncle Jack, being a young married man and full of enthusiasm, set to work clearing the land. The fine bottom land was then grown up in massive oaks, elms, sycamores, grape vines and what not. Years were required to clear the land but at last the task was completed and he had one of the best farms in the county. He lived on this farm until his wife died in 1924 and since that time he has been with his sons in Galena, most of the time with Charley. It was on the farm that all his children were born, Fred and Charley, both of Galena and Mrs. Jim Jennings and Mrs. Emory Boyd, both of whom are deceased, and there was another boy, Buddy, who died in infancy. He is also survived by one brother George, who lives near Ponce de Leon, and two sisters Mrs. John Keithley of Taney county and Mrs. Eng Stockstill who lives in Oregon, five grandchildren and two great grandchildren and a host of friends.

Uncle Jack was active in positions and civic matters of the county throughout his life. He served two terms as sheriff and collector, when the offices were together and two terms as public administrator. He was never known to say a harmful word of anyone but was firm and courageous in his convictions.

Stone county will miss Uncle Jack May--his sense of humor, his kindly disposition, his charity. He was a pioneer of the old stock and spent his life in an effort to make living conditions more pleasant for oncoming generations.

Funeral services were conducted at the Community Church in Galena Sunday afternoon with Dr. Dewey Short, whom Uncle Jack had known from infancy, officiating. Burial was in Galena cemetery in charge of the Masonic lodge and under direction of the Galena Funeral Home.