House of Second Samuel May

This is a photograph of the house of Samuel May (1820-1904), the so-called Second Samuel May, who was a son of Thomas May (1787-1867). It stood on the bank of the Big Sandy opposite the mouth of Abbott Creek. Samuel and his brother, William James May (1819-1883), occupied their uncle's land after it was purchased by their father in 1842. After the brothers were married, the younger Samuel took possession of the north half of the May Farm. The photograph shows the house in 1936, just before it was torn down. Note that a section of the steel frame of the bridge crossing the Big Sandy River can be seen at the right of the house. The photo was probably taken by Tress May Francis, the Prestonsburg school teacher, who was the first Floyd Countian to begin preserving the history of the May family. Professor Perry found this photograph in an album of May family photographs once owned by Mrs. Francis. Today the album is the property of William James May of Prestonsburg, who was kind enough to let him copy it.