The May Families of Allamakee County, Iowa

R. G. MAY.

Various important business interests have at different times claimed the attention of R. G. May, and all have profited greatly by his energy, enterprise and ability. Today he is not only one of the progressive farmers, successful stock-raisers and extensive landowners of Iowa township, where he has resided since 1879, but he is likewise prominent in local politics and is classed with those citizens whose sterling worth, earnest purpose and fidelity to duty make them valued members of the community.

Allamakee county numbers Mr. May among her native sons, his birth having occurred on May's Prairie in 1858, his parents being John and Juliana May, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Delaware. Their marriage occurred in Ohio, and in 1852 they came to Iowa, settling in Lansing township, Allamakee county, where the father engaged in farming, buying a large tract of land, which he improved and developed until his death, which occurred when he was sixty-five years of age. His wife has also passed away, having survived her husband for a number of years. Of their family of thirteen children five still survive: Henry and Roan C., of New Albin; Margaret, who married Charles Feuerhelm, of May's Prairie; and Lois E., the wife of E. W. White, of Nebraska.

R. G. May was reared upon his father's farm on May's Prairie and acquired his early education in district school No. 2, supplementing this by a course in business college at New Albin. After laying aside his books he turned his attention to farming, having already gained a practical knowledge of the best agricultural methods by aiding his father with the work of the homestead. He had also learned the carpenter's trade and this he followed in conjunction with agricultural pursuits until 1885, abandoning both lines of activity in that year in order to establish a drug store in New Albin, an enterprise which he successfully conducted for two years. At the end of that time he engaged in carpentering and contracting in that city and secured a large and profitable patronage as his ability and skill became widely known. In 1891 he disposed of all his business interests in New Albin and purchased, in partnership with C. N. Steel, a portion of the farm which he now owns. Their association still continues, and together they are the proprietors of over twelve hundred acres of well improved land, upon which they make a specialty of raising stock, their animals being of high grade and commanding a ready sale on the market. Mr.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

FRANK L. MAY.

Allamakee county is fortunate in numbering among her public officials so able, efficient and far-sighted a man as Frank L. May, now serving as county attorney. He is in addition a successful and able lawyer, practicing at the bar as a member of the firm of May & Dempsey and connected through his representative patronage with much important litigation. He was born in Crawford county, Kansas, Marcii 29, 1873, and is a son of Roan C. May, who was born in Summit county, Ohio, in 1838, and was a representative of one of the pioneer families in Iowa, his father, John May, having moved from Ohio to Allamakee county in 1852. He settled in Lansing township, on what is now known as May's Prairie, and there entered land, opening up and developing a new farm. His son Roan was fourteen years of age when the removal was made and he spent the remaining years of his childhood and youth in helping in the work of clearing and improving the property. He later engaged in farming for himself in Lansing township but finally moved to Crawford county, Kansas, where he purchased land. Upon this he resided for seven years but at the end of that time moved back to Iowa and located in New Albin, where he now resides in retirement. He married in Allamakee county Miss Elizabeth Yeoman, a native of Illinois and also an early settler in Iowa, having come to this state in 1853.

Frank L. May was reared in his parents' home and acquired his primary education in the public schools. After completing it he became a teacher and engaged in that occupation for five years before going to Valparaiso, Indiana, where he took up the study of law. After receiving his degree he went to South Dakota, locating at ]Madison, where he opened an office and began the practice of his profession, remaining there for one year. At the end of that time he returned to Iowa and made his home at Lansing, where he secured a large and representative patronage and won recognition as a strong and able practitioner, whose ability in the handling of intricate legal problems justified his classification with the most successful lawyers in the state. imr. May remained in Lansing until 1910, when he was nominated and elected county attorney of Allamakee county. After the expiration of his first term of office he was reelected to the position, which he is now filling, discharging his duties in an energetic and able way. He is connected also with the general practice of law here, for in 191 1 he formed a partnership with J. W. Dem])sey, a young man of e.excellent education and unusual legal ability, under the firm name of May & Dempsey. The partners are connected with much important litigation and the firm is known as strong and reliable.

Mr. May married, near Lansing, on the 2d of April, 1896, Miss Marie Goettle, who was born and reared in Allamakee county, a daughter of Carl Goettle, of this vicinity. Mr. and Mrs. May have one daughter, Marie H. E. Mr. May is a Master Mason, holding membership in Evergreen Lodge, No. 144, F. & A. M., at Lansing. He has proven himself in professional and official life an efficient and forceful worker, possessing a strength of perseverance which enables him to overcome difficulty and conquer obstacles. His analytical mind has proven valuable in his practice as well as in his public service and, whatever line claims his attention, his judgment is always sound and his methods practical.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

ALONZO MARTIN MAY.

Alonzo Martin May was born in the village of Scio, Allegany county, New York, on the 20th of March, 1838. He is a descendant of Sir Thomas May, of Mayfield, county of Sussex, England, located about forty miles south of London. In the family records the name has been written Mayes, Mays, Maies and May. Dorothy May, of this family, was the wife of William Bradford, who became governor of the Plymouth colony. She died on the voyage to America. The line of descent is: Thomas May, born at Mayfield, England, in 1590; John; Samuel; Samuel, second of the name; Eleazer; Theodore; Ellis; Philander Franklin; and Alonzo Martin. Theodore moved from Dedham, Massachusetts, to Washington county. New York, served in the Revolutionary war and was present at Burgoyne's surrender. Ellis followed farming at Union Village, Washington county, until 1832, when he moved to Allegany county. New York. He married Mary Wells and their fifth child was Philander Franklin. In 1835 he married Laura Ann Matthews, of Wyoming county, New York, a descendant of one of the Pilgrim fathers and also of Revolutionary stock. To them were born seven children, the second being Alonzo Martin, of this review. When he was five years old his family moved west, the trip being made from New York overland in a prairie schooner, a covered wagon drawn by two horses. The party passed through Canada from Lewiston to Detroit, the Niagara and Detroit rivers being crossed on horse ferry boats. They reached Will county, Illinois, thirty-five miles south of Chicago, in.August, 1843, and there with five hundred dollars in silver the father purchased a quarter section of land and built upon it a fourteen by twenty frame house, one and a half stories high, the lumber having been hauled from Chicago. In 1846 he moved to Rock county, Wisconsin, and engaged in the manufacture of steel plows at Janesville, the first steel plows in the country having been made by his brother Harvey H. May, of Galesburg, Illinois. Disposing of this business in February, 1851, the father went to Green Lake county, where he again turned his attention to farming.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.