William May

Birth: ?
Death: 1785?

Parents: ?
Spouse: Elizabeth May (1755-1838)

Children:

1. Mary May (?)
2. Susannah May (?)
3. Isabella May (?)
   
4. William J. May (1779-1855)
5. Joanna May
   
6. George May (1783-?)
   
7. Henry May (1784-1859)
   

Siblings:

Military:

Occupation:

Biography:

Not much is known of William May. What little information I have at the moment has come from just a few sources: Morton's 1914 History of Preston County, West Virginia (page 373) and a message board post by the Preston County historian Janice Sisler. From the Preston County book we get:

The name of the pioneer May is unknown. His arrival at Deep Hollow in Pleasant was very early, since he died about 1785. His widow married Christopher Cale. So far as known, he left but two children, Henry and George. There is no record of the latter beyond his mere name and the conjecture that the given name of his wife was Eleanor. Henry settled on Beech Run Hill, where his son Levi lived. Jacob, another son of Henry, settled near Marquess. The seven sons of George, who went to Kansas, were all in the Federal army and all came home." According to this same publication, page 418, Christopher Cale's second wife was Mrs. Elizabeth May, b. 1755, d. 1838 (Cale was b. 1741, d. 1825).

From Janice Sisler:

Elizabeth May- the following May generations have been pieced together, but the thread is a very weak one and it should be checked more carefully for there is not now any proof. (written by Janice Sisler in her book) - The families of William J. and Henry are more definitely established. They are not sure of Elizabeth's first husband's name (most likely William) but she was also a May (her parents were ___May & Catharine Stroope). They were noted in Southwestern PA and that is where William supposedly died. Elizabeth evidently came to the Potomac River area in Maryland after his death with the children where she met Christopher Cale whose first wife had also died. It is thought that since Elizabeth probably owned land yet in the PA area Christopher might have came with her there and managed her property and then later sold this property and purchased land in Monongalia Co. WV for cash before selling his land in Washington County. Janice goes on to say that-- How did it happen that Christian Kale bought land in the Stroope family (Elizabeth's people) before his marriage to Elizabeth? Was there some possible connection by blood between the first wife and the second? I think Christian and Christopher were the same person and his name changed when he came here.
This is possibly the children of Elizabeth and William:
Mary May- m. Mar. 14, 1802 to Jacob Smell in Monongalia Co., VA. No other information
Susannah May- m. Feb. 2, 1804 in Monongalia Co., Va. to John Stephens. No other information
Isabelle May, m. John Annon, Nov. 15, 1839, John & Isabellah Annon conveyed a tract of land known as the Round Glad on the waters of the Cheat River to John May (son of Henry, bro. to Isabelle) who then sold it Nov. 25, 1843 to John Cale, son of Christopher. Where the Annons went then has not been established, but in Preston County, the name Annon has been associaated with Newburg and parts of that family then went on to Fairmont, WV.
William J. May- B. about 1779--d. 1855, bur. near Fannie Furnace in Monongalia County (unable to locate that furnace to daate), m. Apr. 30, 1807 to Mary Van Guilder or Van Gilder - no information. Although William reportedly served in the War of 1812, his record could not be obtained from Washington. Ch: Jacob, Frederick, Squire, James W. Margaret, Sophia, Mary A.
Joanna May- m. Oct. 1, 1809 in Monongalia Co., VA. to Michael Trickett. no other information
George May- b. about 1783 no other information
Henry May-b. about 1784 death date unknown. m. "Ellen", "Nellie" Eleanor Gibson, b. in 1784--d. 1859, bur. Mt. Zion Cem. near Marquess in Preston County, WV. The story has been passed down that Ellen died in Kansas and that her body was shipped by train back to Preston County for burial. Although Henry and Ellen's son George is reported to have gone to Kansas, we could not trace him further that Wood County, WV and some of the other children of this family also settled along the Ohio River in WV. No report of where Henry was buried. Ellen's tombstone matches Levi & Jane's stones in Beech Run Cemetery. Henry and Ellen owned land near Deep Hollow in Pleasant District of Preston, but it was allowed to be sold for taxes by the heirs. Their Children: Elizabeth, John, George, Isabel, Jacob, Rebecca, Francis Marion, Levi, William J. & ? Nancy.