Return to Home Page or What's New Caleb & Margaretta Patrick May Book available: Our Family Heritage by B. David May Many genealogists who descend from a May family in Eastern Kentucky often confuse the families of two early May pioneers of the region, John May [1760-1813] and Caleb May [1780-1827]. This web site focuses primarily on descendants of John May, who is not related to Caleb. Yet another May family in Eastern Kentucky by 1830 was the family of James May [1740-1835] in Pike County. Caleb May was born in Washington County, NC about 1780-81. Genealogists of the family haven't yet determined the names of his parents. When Caleb was a lad of sixteen in 1796, Washington County became part of the newly formed state of Tennessee. [By coinsidence, John May and his young family were residents of the same region at that time, leading to speculation that they might be related.] The 1810 U.S. census of Floyd County, KY lists the households of Caleb, John and John's son, Samuel May. Caleb married Margaretta Patrick in Russell County, VA about 1801. She was the youngest of fourteen children of Jeremiah and Sarah Blair Patrick and the granddaughter of Robert Patrick, an immigrant from Scotland. Tax lists of the county show the names of the following men in the early 1800s: 1801: Caleb, David & James May 1803: Caleb, David & James May 1804: Caleb, David, James & Jesse May 1805: Caleb & James May 1806: No May names It is thought that Caleb moved to Greenbriar Co., VA [now WV] by 1806 and to Floyd Co., KY before 1810. Some genealogists say the fifth child of Caleb and Margaretta, Blair May, was born in Floyd County [now Magoffin Co.] in 1808. We know that Caleb was a minister of the Gospel in the United Baptist Church, representing the Burning Spring Church to an Association Meeting in 1813. In an 1885 book, "History of Kentucky Baptist," mention is made of Caleb being "raised to the ministry here and preached for a short time, with much acceptance. But he soon died of a cancer of the breast." Another statement names Samuel Hannah, Eziekel Stone and Caleb May as ministers of Burning Spring Church about 1810. The family of Caleb and Margaretta Patrick May is recorded as: 1 Caleb MAY b: Bet. 1780 - 1781 Washington Co., N.C. d: 1827 Floyd (now Magoffin) Co., Ky. of cancer on the breast; buried in the May Cemetery outside Salyersville, Ky. age at d: 47 est. .. +Margaretta PATRICK b: 9 Feb 1783 (probably) Russell Co., Va. d: 13 Dec 1861 Magoffin Co., Ky., after falling from a horse. Buried beside her husband. m: Abt. 1801 Russell Co., Va. age at d: 78 Photo from Our Family Heritage, preceding Chapter 1. . 2 John MAY b: 2 Aug 1802 Russell Co., VA d: 27 May 1865 age at d: 62 ...... +Elizabeth ADAMS . 2 William MAY b: 2 Dec 1804 Russell Co., VA ...... +Dolly LINDEN m: 25 Jan 1824 . *2nd Wife of William MAY: ...... +Sarah (Sally) MINIX m: 24 Oct 1833 . 2 David MAY b: 24 Jul 1806 Russell Co., VA d: 19 Apr 1855 age at d: 48 ...... +Nancy POWERS b: 7 Jan 1810 d: 7 Mar 1876 m: Nov 1827 age at d: 66 . 2 Blair MAY b: 15 Nov 1808 Floyd Co., KY d: 23 Oct 1858 age at d: 49 ...... +Sarah (Sally) ADAMS m: 17 Mar 1829 . 2 James (Turkey Jim) MAY b: 16 Mar 1811 Floyd Co., KY ...... +Matilda WHITAKER b: Abt. 1810 d: Bef. 1850 age at d: 40 est. . *2nd Wife of James (Turkey Jim) MAY: ...... +Elizabeth POWERS b: 26 Feb 1818 d: 1876 m: Aft. 1849 age at d: 58 est. . 2 Margaret MAY b: 10 Jul 1813 Floyd Co., KY d: 1870 Magoffin Co., buried in May Cemetery near Salyersville age at d: 57 est. ...... +Prior BAILEY . 2 Samuel MAY b: 25 Jul 1815 Floyd Co., KY d: 29 Dec 1885 age at d: 70 ...... +Celia POWERS b: 2 Apr 1824 . 2 Martha MAY b: 23 Nov 1817 ...... +James F. GULLETT m: 15 Feb 1836 . 2 Sarah (Sally) MAY b: 9 Aug 1820 Floyd Co., KY ...... +George Washington BAYS m: 11 Oct 1838 . 2 Caleb MAY, Jr. b: 5 Mar 1823 Floyd Co., KY ...... +Sarah PELPHREY m: 30 Oct 1843 Three of Caleb May's sons married daughters of Lewis and Elizabeth Prater Power(s). The youngest daughter of the Power(s) family was Cynthia, who married William James May, a grandson of John May. This is one of the few marital connections between families of the descendants of Caleb and John May. Cynthia is my great-grandmother. You can contact me for addresses of genealogists researching the family of Caleb May.