Statewide County AZ Archives Obituaries.....May, Dennis 1907
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
D. Joshua Taylor http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00006.html#0001358 and Elizabeth Burns  July 16, 2005, 9:02 pm

Arizona Republican-Oct. 14, 1907
DENNIS MAY
Arizona Republican Newspaper
October 14, 1907

Dennis May of Congress, one of the best known old timers 
in the territory who once owned an interest in the 
Congress Mine, died yesterday morning at the Sisters 
Hospital of pneumonia.  The remains were taken in 
charge by Mohn and Driscoll waiting word from his 
relatives who are said to be a brother and sister 
in Buffalo New York. 

Several old timers, yesterday, said they knew Dennis May 
well and most of them agreed that he came to the territory 
as early as 1866, forty one years ago.  At that time 
Phoenix had not been born, and the Apache Indians were 
roving all over the country.  May began in a short time 
to prospect over the territory and was as well posted as 
any man on the different districts and it is said by his 
associates that he hardly ever recommended a property 
but that it turned out all right.  He was interested at
different times in a number of mining properties and 
sold one mine on the Colorado to eastern parties.  
However, his biggest transaction was in the sale of 
the Congress Mine.  May owning a share in the property 
and receiving, according to some stories, something 
like $30,000 for his share.

After the sale he went east and bought a home near 
Buffalo for his parents and paid  several thousand 
dollars for it and also purchased two farms of 135 
and 160 acres near the same city.  Arizona, drew him 
back, however in a couple of years and he came back 
to the territory.  He took part of the money and began 
prospecting and developing other claims.  He was also 
interested later in the Alaska Mine near Congress.  
In a few days he was to have received $5500 as a 
further payment on the property.  An informant 
yesterday stated that on the first of the month 
he received $8000 for the same of a mine.  His 
business lately has been looked after by A. Iben 
of the Star Lodging House.  The farms in the east 
are left by his will to his brother and sister, 
his parents having died some years ago.

J.B. Milsap of Congress yesterday stated that he had 
known May for over thirty years.  Mr. Milsaw came here 
in 1879 and May was here before him.  They bunked and 
worked together for many years, followed mining and 
prospecting.  He says that May was not the first one 
to locate the Congress Mine, but that he relocated it 
after it had been abandoned by the first prospector, 
did the first real development work on it and hauled 
ore 60 miles, there being at the time no railroad in 
that section.  He began to work the mine in 1883 and 
sold it in 1887.

May was one of the hardy pioneers of the early days, 
rough in exterior and hardened by the life in the open 
and of few comforts but big hearted.  In his first days 
of affluence he spent freely and enjoyed life.  The body 
will be sent back to Buffalo where his parents are buried.  

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/az/statewide/obits/m/may197gob.txt

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