Dale County AlArchives Biographies.....May, Duncan January 12 1858 - living in 1893 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/alfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Ann Anderson alabammygrammy@aol.com May 18, 2004, 7:38 pm Author: Brant & Fuller (1893) DUNCAN G. MAY, merchant of Ozark, was born in Helicon, Lowndes county, Ala., January 12, 1858. He was a son of Simon and Linnie (Dennis) May, the former of whom was born in Autauga county, Ala., in 1819. Early in life he engaged in farming, continuing in this course of life after, his marriage, which event occurred when he was twenty-three years of age. Later in life he engaged in buying cotton in connection with his farming. A portion of his property consisted in slaves, of which he freed fifty at the close of the war. He had a large plantation in Lowndes county, and was considered a model farmer as well as a model man. He was a man of superior intelligence and a member of the Masonic fraternity. He continued to follow farming after the war, until his death, which occurred in 1878. His wife was born in Coweta county, Ga., in 1823. She was a daughter of Judge Dennis, of Eufaula. She was liberally educated, was married at the age of nineteen, and was the mother of eleven children, ten of whom now survive. She now lives in Crenshaw county with her daughter, the wife of John D. Bailey. Early in life she became a member of the Missionary Baptist church, and has ever since been a faithful and consistent christian woman. The subject of this sketch was brought up on the farm until he was seventeen years old, when, being of a restless turn of mind, he ran away from home and went, to Dallas, Tex. Here he at first worked on a farm for eighteen months, when he became clerk in the store of Cone & Co., and worked for them nearly three years. Then, after a short experience on a cattle ranch in the west, he went to Waco, Tex., and there became a clerk in the store of Lessing, Lyons, Salomon & Co., remaining with them two years. He then accepted a position as salesman for the firm of A. D. Mittenthall Co., of Waxahatchie, which he held two years; he was then salesman for A. Kisert, two years, and then returned to Lowndes county, Ala. He was then salesman and superintendent of a cattle ranch for C. W. Bailey, of Baileyville, Texas, one year, returning to Alabama in 1888, and with a cash capital of $6,050, engaged in merchandising for himself at Union Springs, Bullock county, Ala., and was so successful that he opened a branch store at Ozark. He is now worth from $20,000 to $30,000 and does an annual business of about $60,000, and employs from ten to fifteen people. Mr. May was married March 19, 1890, to Mrs. Elder, widow of K. F. Elder, by whom he had one child, John D. Mrs. May was a daughter of Hon. Thomas J. Devine, one of the most eminent and respected citizens of Texas. This distinguished gentleman was born in Nova Scotia, February 28, 1820. He was of Irish parentage, but was reared mainly in the United States. His early education embraced a fair knowledge of Latin, French, and the classics generally, and in his fifteenth year he became a clerk in a store in Tallahassee, and in 1838 he began reading law in Woodville, Miss. In 1840 he went to Lexington, Ky., and for three years read law and attended lectures at Transylvania university, graduating in the same class with Frank Blair and James B. Clay, in 1842, and he was licensed to practice law by the supreme court of Kentucky. He then removed to Texas, locating at La Grange, Fayette county, and in 1843 he selected San Antonio as his home. In 1844 he was married to Miss Helen Ann Elder, daughter of Thomas G. Elder, a prominent planter of that locality. Judge Devine has resided in San Antonio since 1843, and has acquired a reputation as a jurist second to none in the state of Texas. In 1844 he was elected city attorney, and was re-elected every year, until 1857, inclusive. In 1851 he was elected judge of Baxter district, and in 1856 he was elected district judge, performing the duties of that office until 1861, when he espoused the Confederate cause, and was appointed judge for the western district of Texas, entering upon his duties in 1862, and discharging them until the close of the war. In 1862 he went to Mexico, in company with Col. McKinney, at the request of Gen. E. Kirby Smith, and amicably arranged threatening difficulties with that country. In 1864, he repaired to Gen. Smith's headquarters in Arkansas and amicably adjusted threatening difficulties between the government of the United States and the state of Texas, in reference to conscriptions and trade with Mexico. In 1873 he was appointed, by Gov. Coke, one of the justices of the supreme court of Texas, but he soon resigned this position in order that he might be able to give his attention to his own private business and to the practice of law. The wife of Mr. May was born in San Antonio, Tex., February 27, 1858, where she grew to womanhood and where she received a liberal education. By her last marriage she has one child, Helen L. She is a member of the Catholic church, and is a lady of varied culture and great social prominence. Duncan G. May is well and favorably known throughout southeastern Alabama. He has contributed largely to the growth and developement of his town and county and takes great pleasure in assisting the poor. He is thoroughly progressive, public spirited and popular, and in manners he is cordial and courteous. Additional Comments: from "Memorial Record of Alabama", Vol. I, p. 828-830 Published by Brant & Fuller (1893) Madison, WI This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/alfiles/ File size: 5.8 Kb