Greenbrier County, West Virginia Biography of JONATHAN MAYS. This biography was submitted by Sandy Spradling, E-mail address: This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. All other rights reserved. 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 WVGenWeb Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://www.usgwarchives.net/wv/wvfiles.htm History of Greenbrier County J. R. Cole Lewisburg, WV 1917 p. 109-110 JONATHAN MAYS. One of our oldest county officials was Jonathan Mays. He was clerk of the Circuit Court of Greenbrier county for thirty-five years. He was the son of Jesse and Jane Reed Mays, and was born May 4, 1828. His father-in-law, James Reed, was most prominent among the early settlers of Greenbrier county. He was a lawyer and entered a great tract of land in this county, but sold out and moved to Missouri. His daughter, Jane, mother of Jonathan, was born in Greenbrier county and died here. Jesse Mays was born in Bedford county, Virginia, and died in Greenbrier county. His widow, Susan L. Bell, is still living. He died January 26, 1908. Their children were Charles S., born October, 1861; Mary D., born April, 1863; J. B., born November 13, 1865; Guy Bell, born April 25, 1871. Thomas A. and Mary B. (Dickerson) Bell were the parents of Mrs. Mays. She was born in Bath county, Virginia, April 23, 1839. Her father was born in Rockbridge county in 1807. Jonathan Mays was first lieutenant in Company I, Sixtieth Virginia Infantry, about two months. His two brothers were also in the war; William Henry served throughout the war. He was taken prisoner at the battle of Cloyd Farm, sent to Ft. Morton, rndiana, and there was seized with illness from which he died, but after his release from imprisonment. Marshall, the eldest brother, also served throughout the war. Jonathan Mays was elected clerk of the Circuit Court of Greenbrjer county in 1872, and from that time be was re-elected to the office until his death in 1908. He served the county with great satisfaction to all the people. He was a noble man.