Joseph H. May Biography This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography, including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & Co., Chicago, 1899. Pages 618-619 Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://usgwarchives.org/sd/sdfiles.htm JOSEPH H. MAY, a prosperous agriculturist, and one of the prominent pioneers of Jerauld county, is a native of England and was born February 2, 1832. His home is located on the southwest quarter of section 6, in Alpena township, where he is surrounded by the comforts which go to make farm life pleasant. The parents of our subject were natives of Cornwall, England, and his father was by occupation a miner and also engaged in farming to some extent. His mother's death occurred when he was but twelve years of age and his father passed away two years later, leaving our subject with relatives, with whom he remained about four years and attended the country schools, which in those days were subscription schools. At the age of eighteen years, in company with an older brother, he emigrated to America, and landed at New York, January 13, 1850. They immediately proceeded to Wisconsin, and for two years worked at mining at Mineral Point. Our subject removed to La Fayette county in 1852, and the following year purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land and engaged in farming and mining. About sixty acres was tillable and the balance was brush and timber land. He had a well-kept orchard of apple trees, and his farm was well improved. He removed to South Dakota in 1884 and located on his present farm. Many who settled near have gone to other parts and the region is not as thickly settled at the present time as when our subject took up his residence here. He has been one of those who withstood the hardships of pioneer life and has succeeded in acquiring a good property. His effects when he went to Dakota consisted of three hogs, twenty-five chickens, four cows, three horses, a few household goods and some little farm machinery. He erected a comfortable dwelling and barn, and has otherwise improved the farm. Good water is obtained from a well sixty-six feet deep, and a windmill attached aids greatly in the labor incident to farm life. His-property comprises one hundred and sixty acres, and he cultivates about one hundred and ten acres, and he has a small but flourishing orchard of apple trees. He is interested in the Farmers' elevator at Alpena, and is president of the corporation. Our subject was married in 1852 to Miss Joanna Kinsman, a native of England, and the only daughter of a prosperous farmer of Wisconsin, who located at Mineral Point about 1841. Mr. and Mrs. May have been the parents of eight children, two of whom are deceased. Mrs. May died in 1869. Our subject was elected county judge in 1896, in which capacity he served two years. He is at present a township supervisor and for six years has been justice of the peace. His active public spirit and sound judgment have called forth the praise and esteem of all with whom he is acquainted. He has taken an active part in political affairs during the past eight years, and identifies himself with the Populist party, although he was formerly a Republican. He is a prominent member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.