Kentucky: A History of the State, Battle, Perrin, & Kniffin, ed. 8-B,
Pulaski County

John S. May, county clerk of Pulaski County, Ky., was born in Pulaski County,
January 21, 1835, and is a son of William and Mary M. (Moore) May.  William
May, a native of Lincoln County, Ky., was born in February, 1805, and when a
young man was employed to work on the railroad running from Lexington to
Frankfort, Ky..  He also taught school to some extent and was engaged in
agricultural pursuits.  He died in November, 1883, having been a strict
member of the Baptist Church for many years and a liberal contributor to all
church and charitable organizations.  His father was John May, a native of
Lincoln County, a son of Jacob May, whose father was George May.  Mary
M.(Moore) May was born in Kentucky, a daughter of William and Rebecca (Smith)
Moore.  William Moore, a native of Culpeper County, VA, came to Kentucky in
an early day and settled in Pulaski County, where he was a farmer all his
life.  John S. May was reared on a farm and received his education at the
common schools and the select schools of Somerset.  He was engaged in
agricultural pursuits until 1851, when he commenced to teach school, and was
so engaged until 1860.  September 13, 1862, he enlisted in the Confederate
army, Company C, Sixth Kentucky Cavalry, under command of Col. J. Warren
Grigsby and Capt. J.B. Perkins.  Mr. May was Second Lieutenant by brevet.
He was captured in Wayne County, Ky., the Sunday evening before Christmas in
1862, was marched on foot in front of the Ninth Kentucky Cavalry, Col.
Jacob's Regiment, to Lebanon, where he was placed in jail for one week, was
then taken to Louisville, Ky., and placed in the barracks, remaining there
about one month.  He was then removed to Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio, where
he was a prisoner until April 11, 1863, when he was taken to Fort Delaware
and confined until April 19.  He was then put on the steamer State of Maine
(which was anchored out in the Atlantic ocean), being subsequently removed
to City Point and exchanged.  Immediately after he was exchanged he boarded
the train at Petersburg, Va., to go to Lynchburg, Va., and while riding on a
box-car at or near Liberty stood up on the car to speak to Dr. Parberry, but
just at that moment the train ran under a bridge and a beam struck him in
the back of the head; as a result he was insensible for ten days.  When able
he joined Gen. Morgan at Sprata, Tenn., May 19, 1863, and July 2, 1863, he
crossed the Cumberland river on the Ohio raid with Gen. Morgan, and July 19,
1863, he was captured at Buffington Island and taken to Camp Morton,
Indianapolis, Ind., where he remained one month, and then was taken to Camp
Douglas, Chicago, Il., remaining there until February, 1865.  He was then
removed to Richmond, Va., and exchanged.  He surrendered with Gen. Lee, April
9, 1865.  He remained in Blue Ridge Springs, Va., until June 1, 1865, and on
June 8, 1865, he located in Stanford, Ky..  He soon afterward began teaching
school, and taught five terms.  In 1868 he attended school at Gilmore
Seminary, and in 1869 at the Masonic College, Somerset, Ky..  In 1870 he
began farming, which occupation he followed until 1883, in the meantime
teaching two terms of school; in 1878 he was elected common-school
commissioner of Pulaski County, and was re-elected in 1880.  In August,
1882, he was elected county clerk, and again elected in August, 1886.  March
23, 1858, he was united in marriage to Elizabeth McQueary, of Pulaski
County, Ky., a daughter of Pleasant and Margaret (Smith) McQueary.  Nine
children were born to their union, eight of whom are living, viz: Virgie P.,
Thaddeus K., John W., Lillie, Stella, Samuel J. Tilden, Joseph Garfield and
Minneola.  Mrs. May died June 13, 1885, a member of the Christian Church.
Mr. May is a member of the I.O.O.F. fraternity, and also of the K. of H.  In
politics he is a Republican.  In 1701 George and John May, in company with
thirteen other refugees, all from Sozony, Germany, in the disguise of
sailors, landed at Philadelphia.  They were all implicated in the college
and university students' rebellion of 1700-01 in the German States.  Five
hundred were arrested and imprisoned.  At least fifteen escaped to America.
These fugitive students had their girls, whom they left behind them.
However, these brave girls in due time followed and married their refugee
beaux.  The girls brought over many books of the students, some of which,
many years ago, fell into the hands of James G. May, who was born on the
21st day of April, 1805, and is now teaching school at Salem, Washington
County, Ind., and the one we are indebted to for these facts.  Our subjects,
John S. May, and his brother, James T. May, are descended from George May.
His sons were Jacob, John, Philip, Rowland, Lawrence and George.  He had one
daughter also; her name was Katharine.  Her husband's name was Koup or
Kouff.  Lawrence May died young and unmarried.  Rowland married, but had no
children.  All the others had large families.  In 1783 Jacob, John, Rowland
and Philip emigrated to Kentucky.  Jacob and Rowland settled in Lincoln
County, near what is now Hustonville.  John settled in the vicinity of
Lexington, and Philip at the mouth of Limestone, now Maysville, Mason
County.  William L. May, a grandson of John, went to Illinois, and was for
several years a representative in Congress from the State.  He moved to
California, and has not been heard of since.  Philip May's descendants are
numerous in Ohio, and some of them are active and prominent educational men.
Jacob May, Rowland May and William Van Treece married sisters, three quite
aristocratic women, who prided themselves on their noble German ancestry,
and still further on their valiant soldier brother's prowess.  Adam Troyer
served seven years in the Revolutionary war.  He was killed at St. Clair's
defeat.  Jacob May married Mary Elizabeth Troyer.  The children of Jacob May
were, John, Elizabeth, Jacob, Katharine, Benjamin, Andrew, David and George.
They are all dead.  George, the youngest, had one child.  He is living at
Orleans, Ind.  He is an able, thoroughly educated physician.  David May had
a son and daughter.  They are both dead, but left each several children.
Benjamin May had a large family of sons and daughters.  Two of his sons and
several of his daughters are dead.  One of his sons, David, has resided in
Oregon nearly forty years.

Koup/Kouff May McQueary Moore Smith Troyer
=
Lincoln-KY Mason-KY Washington-KY Wayne-KY Culpeper-VA Germany CA IL IN OH 
OR PA

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/pulaski/may.js.txt