My Genealogy Hound

T. R. MAY, of May & Gill, grocers. He was born in Montgomery county, Ill., March 20, 1832. His parents, John and Jane (Sands) May, were natives of Tennessee. His father was born in 1802, and died in 1842, in Illinois. His mother was born in 1810 and died in 1868, also in Illinois. Subject grew to manhood in his native state and was educated in the common schools. In October, 1853, he came to Missouri and engaged in agricultural pursuits. In the fall of 1861 he enlisted in Company E, Missouri State Militia, and subsequently in Company K, Fourteenth Kansas Cavalry, Colonel Blair commanding, and served until the close of the war. He was mustered out at Ft. Gibson, in August, 1865, and discharged at Lawrence, Kan., shortly after, he returned to north Missouri and engaged at farming in Atchison county until the fall of 1867; he then went to Cherokee county, Kan., and continued farming eight years. He came to Joplin in the spring of 1875, and embarked in his present business. Mr. May was married in Atchison county, Mo., Oct. 10, 1855, to Elizabeth J., daughter of Jonathan Murray, of Kentucky. Mrs. May was born in the Blue-grass State in 1823, and died in this city, Jan. 20, 1883. She was a consistent member of the Christian Church.