Biographical Sketch of Henry May, Johnson County, Missouri, 
Jefferson Township

>From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell,
Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918.
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Henry May, one of Johnson county's most successful farmers and stockmen,
is the representative of a prominent pioneer family of Pettis county,
Missouri.  He was born in 1865 in Pettis county, son of George and 
Susan May, who in a very early day came from Kentucky to Missouri and
settled on the farm, where George May is now residing.  The education 
of Henry May was obtained in the public schools of Pettis county.  The
schoolhouse was built of logs and the children followed a trail across
the prairie to reach it.  The trail was made by dragging a log across 
the tall grass, using a yoke of oxen to do so.  The benches inside were
made of puncheon, as was also the floor, and on one side of the room
was a puncheon shelf upon which the older boys and girls could write.
Educational opportunities were necessarily limited in so new a country
fifty years ago and in the pioneer homes there was always much work to
be done, so that it was impossible for the larger boys to attend school 
when the school was in session, which was only for a few months each
year.  Early in life, Henry May began working for himself on the farm.
In 1894, Henry May and Annie E. Balke were united in marriage.  Annie
E. (Balke) May is the daughter of John Balke, a well known farmer re-
siding in Henry county, Missouri.  To Henry and Annie E. May have been
born two children: Mary and Elvis.  Mary, born April 22, 1896 is the
wife of Charles Neal Cooper, a son of Charles Cooper, of Jefferson 
township.  Elvis May was born October 25, 1901.  In 1899, Mr. and Mrs.
May came to Johnson county, where Mr. May purchased 240 acres of land
in Jefferson township.  Mr. May devotes most of his attention to stock
raising and most of his farm is now in grass land, having nearly 200
acres in meadow.  He handles Shorthorn cattle and Duroc Jersey hogs, 
having at the time of this writing about 30 head of hogs.  The May 
place is well watered and improved.  An overflow spring, of twenty feet
depth, is located on this farm, furnishing plenty of fine, clear water
for the stock.  One very pleasing feature of the May stock farm is the
splendid orchard, consisting of 100 bearing apple trees, the quality of
the fruit being exceptionally good.  For more than a half century,
Henry May has been a resident of this section of the state and he re-
calls the open condition of the country in the days of his boyhood. 
Pasture land was unlimited and wild game was to be found in abundance.
When a lad, he frequently participated in deer chases, hunted wild
turkey, and killed prairie chickens.  Wages were not to be compared
with those paid at the present time, but a young man then was glad to
be paid in cash, and Mr. May many times split rails for twenty-five
cents a hundred.  He was an ambitious youth, industrious and willing to
do any work obtainable.  He has succeeded remarkably well in life and
no man in Johnson county is more deserving of success than Henry May.

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