Ninth May Generation Biographical Sketches  David May 1828-1864 son of Thomas May & Dorcas Patton Index of grandchildren of John & Sarah Phillips May In December 2005 the following photos are among many others that were preserved by the family of David May's oldest son, Thomas. More photos will be posted in the May Famiy Album. A number of stories are known about members of the May family being wounded and killed in the Civil War. The most tragic involved the Battle of Cynthiana, Ky., where Thomas lost his youngest son, David, and a grandson, Solomon (the oldest child of Samuel). David served in the Confederate Army in the Civil War after joining on June 1, 1863 at Camp Bowen, Va. He was a Second Sergeant when he was killed on or about June 12, 1864. Family traditions, related by a grandson, Lucien May, say he "was not killed by bullet or sabre, but was drowned in action," and that his widow was denied any benefits "due to the manner of her husband's death." Lucien related that the drowning occurred when a dam for a millpond was blasted open by the Union soldiers. David May's grave is in Battle Grove Cemetery, Cynthiana, KY. Prior to the war, David was a merchant and a farmer with an estate of $1,800 in 1860. He had been elected as a State Representative from Pike County on August 5, 1861, for the 1861-63 term along with another Southern sympathizer, John M. Elliot of Prestonsburg, who represented Floyd and Johnson Counties. David was expelled on August 29, 1862 for "joining or aiding the Confederate Army." A detailed essay on David and his family is to be posted here. Bible Large color portrait of David and his wife Mary Elizabeth Bickley Close-up view of the portrait. Confederate Monument, Cynthiana, KY, in the cemetery where David May was buried in June 1864. David May's Family Bible published in 1852