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May Family Research |
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In my book, The Shoemaker's Children, I wrote about six generations of the Meÿ/May family born in the Rheinland Palatinate and about John (Johannes), of the 7th generation, who was the first of our May ancestors born in America. I have posted information on these generations on the internet. When John and his wife, Sarah Jane Phillips, migrated to Kentucky in 1800, he was 40 years old, six children traveled with them, and two more sons were born within the next five years. What we presently know about the families of these eight children is briefly summarized in the following biographical sketches. These children, and their 70+ children, make up the 8th & 9th generations of the May family, dating back to Hans Peter Meÿ, the patriarch of our May line, in the 16th Century. I have compiled these records from the work of other genealogists of the May family and from my own independent research. Suggestions for corrections or additions to any of the information presented here are welcome. From the more detailed notes in my records, I can help interested parties with the sources I have used and the conclusions I have made. Due to the lack of complete documentation of the family throughout the 19th Century, there will always be questions on many of the facts. My present writing project will utilize as much information as I can obtain about the May families of the 8th generation. These sketches are abstracts from my initial efforts in this work. Unfortunately, we probably won't find much information on two of the brothers, Daniel and Phillip Pollard (Tlepolard) May. However, thanks to previous - and ongoing - research of others and a variety of preserved documents, there is extensive information on the other six children of John and Sarah. I leave it to the descendants of the 9th generation branches of the family to assume responsibility to document their respective family lines to the present day. A number of people have already independently done extensive work to this end. I stand ready to assist, in any way I can, in such endeavors. Today, there are many thousands of members of the 13th, 14th & 15th generations of the family. Someday, the more curious among them will be delighted to discover our records of their May ancestors.
Fred T. May |