Greenbrier County, West Virginia Biography: Jonathan MAYS ************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: Material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor. Transcribed and submitted by Valerie Crook, , 1998. ************************************************************************** JONATHAN MAYS - born in Greenbrier County, May 4, 1828, was a son of Jesse and Jane (REID) MAYS, and a grandson of James REID, one of the earliest and prominent among the settlers of Greenbrier County. He was a lawyer by profession, and entered a great deal of land in this county. In 1833 his family sold out and moved to Missouri. His daughter Jane, mother of Jonathan MAYS, was born in Greenbrier County, and died here. The father of Jonathan MAYS, was born in Bedford County, Virginia, and died in Greenbrier County. In this county, February 5, 1861, were recorded the marriage vows of Jonathan MAYS and Susan L. BELL, and the children of their wedlock have been four. Charles S., born in October, 1861, and Mary, born in April, 1863, who are deceased: J. Brownie, born November 13, 1865, and Guy Bell, born April 25, 1871, who live at home. Thomas A. and Mary D. (DICKERSON) BELL are the parents of Mrs. MAYS, and she was born in Bath County, Virginia, April 23, 1839. Her father was born in Rockbridge County, Virginia, in 1807, and is now living in Greenbrier County; her mother is deceased. Jonathan MAYS was first lieutenant in Company I, 60th Virginia Infantry about twelve months, resigning on account of ill health. He had two brothers in the same regiment, the eldest, Marshall, serving through the war, and the younger, William Henry, taken prisoner at the battle of Cloyd's Farm, sent to Fort Morton, Indiana, and there seized with illness, from which he died. His death did not occur until after his release at the close of the war. Marshall died some years after the war. Jonathan MAYS was elected clerk of the circuit court of Greenbrier County in 1872, entering upon a six years term of office January 1, 1873. He served with such satisfaction as to secure his re-nomination and re-election, and is now filling his second term in the office, the term expiring at the close of 1884. Lewisburg, Greenbrier County, West Virginia, is his postoffice address. Source: Hardesty, Henry H. Hardesty's Historical and Geographical Encyclopedia. New York: H.H. Hardesty and Company, 1884. Rpt. in West Virginia Heritage Encyclopedia. Ed. Jim Comstock. Richwood: Comstock, 1974.