John M. May (1814-1904)

MAY

Posted By: CJeanealogy (email)
Date: 5/25/2021 at 21:21:29

Cedar Rapids Evening Gazette Wednesday January 20, 1904
Major John M. May, one of the best known and most respected citizens of Cedar Rapids, died at his home on May's Island at 10 o'clock last night. About ten days ago Major May was stricken with paralysis, with which in his enfeebled condition he was unable to cope. Relatives in Denver have been notified but until they are heard from no definite arrangements will be made for the funeral services which will be held here, interment in Oak Hill.
Concerning the life and work of Major May the Linn county autobiography says:
John M. May, for years one of the leading citizens of Cedar Rapids, was known throughout the country for his enterprise, worth, integrity and liberality. He was born in Washington county, New York, Nov. 25, 1814, the son of Ellis and Mary (Wells) May, native of Dedham, Mass., and Cambridge, N.Y. Mr. May was educated for the legal profession, and practiced chiefly in the federal courts, making a specialty of patent cases, in which department of jurisprudence he achieved marked success. His taste for this branch of the profession was awakened at an early age by listening to the great Daniel Webster in appealed patent cases, in the supreme court of the United States (full bench), in the city of Washington, notably the celebrated Woodsworth Planing Machine patent cases, so long in litigation and involving large sums of money. Thus fostered, with his skill and knowledge of the mechanical arts, he possessed great advantages.
Major May did much in inventing and bringing into use many valuable improvements of his own, besides patents for others. There have been issued to him by the United States patent office over twenty patents of his own inventions including steel plows, pumps, windmills, corn planters, quartz-rock crushing machinery, oscillating barbs for wire fence to prevent the laceration of animals coming in contact, yet retaining their repelling qualities, railroad rails and railroad wheels and axles.
When residing in Wisconsin, Major May was a successful manufacturer of agricultural implements, especially his steel plow, which obtained great popularity and was the leading plow as early as 1850, taking the first premium in the city of Chicago, in sharp competition, at the third annual fair of the Chicago Mechanics Institute. He also established a literary and family newspaper, the Northwestern Advance, n the city of Janesville, Wis., removed it to Milwaukee, conducted it successfully for three years, making it "metropolitan in every respect," and sold it to parties in that city.
He was a member of the Congregational church, and a liberal giver to all institutions of merit, and was never known in his prosperous days turn a deaf ear to true charity, a trait inherited from his revered parents. When times were hard and work difficult to procure he contrived some useful employment for willing hands, thus earning the "richest of crowns--the blessings of the poor." With the temperance movement he was never identified. He was initiated into the Sons of Temperance order at Philadelphia, Pa., at its early organization, and became the grand worthy patriarch of the grand division of Wisconsin, on his removal to that then territory, and personally organized twenty subordinate divisions. The order flourished many years, and was succeeded by the Good Templars, the more excellent ritual and efficiency of the latter meeting his hearty approbation, and he was for many years one of its worthy chief Templars. These organizations and their noble work were reminiscences that he cherished. With the Masonic and I.O.O.F. institutions Major May was also identified, and built for them their first hall in his adopted city. Later his work in the Masonic fraternity was chiefly in the chapter and commandery, ever deeming the salutary influences of these several orders second only to that of the church and the Bible,. With the republican party he was identified from its organization, and he always took a deep interest in its success, cheerfully sharing its burdens. One of his elder brother, skilled in military tactics, taught classes in the use of arms, particularly the sword practice.
Mr. May held commissions from two of the governors of the state of New York as staff officer, with the rank of major, before the memorable "go west, young man," was promulgated; and in Wisconsin in its territorial days he held a life commission, and after it became a state, and its military organization completed, he was commissioned a military engineer, on Major General Sutherland's staff, with the rank of colonel. This was during the southern rebellion, at a time when another call for troops was expected, but the rebellion was approaching its culmination and failure. In the early years of the war congress passed a law that those not liable to draft could send representative recruits if they chose, to fill the depleted ranks of the armies at the front. Col May and two of his fellow citizens sent each a recruit at a cost of $1,000 each, besides contributing freely for the boys in blue.
Major May was for years a bold and sagacious real estate operator, first at Belmont on the Geness river, at a point where N.Y. & E. railroad crosses that stream, where he laid out a town on the opposite side of the river from Belmont, which was afterward incorporated into the town of Belmont, and is now one of the finest portions of the city. Here was his first and successful experience as a railroad contractor under the original N.Y. & E. railroad corporation; next at Janesville, Wis., by laying out an addition to that city, and building extensively; next in Cedar Rapids in 1852, when he came to this city and purchased land and lots, remaining but a short time, returning annually and making more purchases, and finally in 1871 came here to reside permanently, taking an active part in the development of the city. He laid out one addition to the city of Cedar rapids, and eight or more additions to West Cedar Rapids, a name that he secured for the west side by an act of the legislature in 1855, at its last session in Iowa City. He also secured an act for the first free bridge in the city, which was built and used to great advantage, but was afterward destroyed by ice and flood. He also laid out the plat of May Island on May's Island. On this island he has expended, it is said, about $25,000. He also laid out a town--Mayfield--on the B.C.R. & N. railroad, adjoining this city on the south. The name Mayfield is given in honor of the beautiful and wealthy English village of that name a few miles south of London, to which his family ancestry is traced to the early date of 1640. This is gleaned from an elaborate volume, entitled "Genealogy of the May Family."
In Fairview township, adjoining the city of Anamosa, in Jones county, Iowa, Major May owned farming, timber and quarry lands, the latter traversed three-fourths of a mile by the C.M.& St. P. railroad. His benevolent disposition is indicated by his having given ten city lots as sites for manufacturing industries and for church and Sunday school purposes without denominations bias.

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