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We have copies of two accounts
of the an annual meeting of the May Family held on Sunday, August
25, 1935 at the home of Bascom May of Prestonsburg. At the time
of the gathering the local paper, The Floyd County Times,
reported that "the register showed 260 present."
The article tells of the origin of these annual reunions,
which date back to the first of the series in 1929 at the home
of Dr. W. B. Robinson of Mt. Sterling, Ky.
Only brief minutes
were written by the secretary, George P. Hereford. He noted that
about 178 members were present, but the newspaper article tells
us many more attended and a variety speakers addressed the large
gathering.
On Sunday Aug the 25th 1935 the Sixth Reunion of the May family
was held at Bascom May's in Prestonsburg, Ky. The day was fine
and everyone enjoyed the (??). After the
prayer by David May a fine dinner was served, as only the May
women know how. Later a business meeting was called and the present
officers were elected for the next year: Dr. Bill Robinson, pres.;
Ida May Shropshire, vice pres.; G. P. Hereford, sec.
After several addresses by Mays present, the meeting adjourned
to meet at Dixie may polly, Winchester, Ky., August 23rd 1936
G. P. Hereford, Sec.
From the Times article
we see that the festivities of the day followed a familiar agenda
that had been established over the ensuing years: family members
and guests arriving early in the morning with baskets of food
to be spread on a large table in the yard for the noon meal;
a solemn prayer offered by Rev. David May of Nicholasville, Ky.;
appetites fully sated from the fine country cooking, "as
only the May women know how"; a brief business meeting,
reelecting Dr. Robinson as president and selecting other officers;
interesting talks by family members and local dignitaries; scheduling
of the next year's meeting; and final farewells in the late afternoon.
The speakers for the day were Rev. David May, Frank May, William
May, H.F. Patton, Tom H. Lauhon, Rev. Issac Stratton and R. A.
Burke. The 1936 annual reunion was scheduled to be held at the
home of Dixie May Polley, Winchester, Ky, a daughter of William
May of Pike County.
Notes:
- Rev. David May (1847-1943)
was a son of Samuel May (1820-1904) and a grandson of Thomas
May (1787-1867). Frank May (1869-1949) was David's oldest
son and Ida May Shropshire (b.1894), vice president of
the group, was his daughter.
- William May probably was William Reuben
May (1860-1951) of Pike County. He was the father of Dixie
May Polley (b. 1896), the hostess for the 1936 reunion.
- H. F. Patton was
a local Prestonsburg business man and friend of the May family.
- Tom H. Lauhon
(b. 1889) was a business man from Catlettsburg, Ky. who was the
widower of Southie May (1892-1925), my aunt. [Fred T. May]
- Rev. Isaac Stratton was
a highly respected minister of the Free Will Baptist Church in
Floyd Co. and a resident of Banner, Ky.
- R. A. Burke was
probably an in-law of the May family in Floyd Co.
- The host, Bascom May (1867-1958), the youngest son
of Samuel May (1820-1904), was born on the May farm and owned
and operated a dairy on May's Branch for many years.
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