James May
1832-1910

James May was born June 1, 1832 in Chievely, Berkshire, England, a son of George May and Hannah Hobson.

His father was of the laboring class, being a shepherd the greater part of his life. James was a common farm laborer. At 9 & 10 years of age he received 25 cents a week, at 12 years of age he received 50 cents per week, and at the age of 17 was earning 75 cents per week.

Religion
About the year 1844 his father joined the Methodist religion. He was a very zealous worker in this religion for about four years. A man by the name of Allen came to their home with Mormonism which they gladly accepted.

In the fall of 1851 Elder Eli B. Kelsey, Franklin D. Richards, Erastus and Lorenzo Snow who were laboring as missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, visited the May family and offered a chance for the family to migrate to Zion on these conditions, that after arriving in St. Louis, Mo. they would labor for three and a half years, food and clothing furnished.

Journey to ZionPreparations were soon made for the Journey and on January 10, 1852 the family consisting of father, mother, and seven children namely Elizabeth, James, Harriet, Richard, Thomas, William, and Emily saw the last of their native land and sailed on the sailing vessel Kennebac for America.
It took 63 days to cross the ocean with head winds and bad weather. Before reaching St. Louis they were almost out of food and water, the only food remaining was rice and oatmeal that had to be cooked without salt in the brackish water of the great Mississippi River, where the Kennebac was grounded fast in the mud. At the end of ten days and after having three large steam tugs pulling at the ship they were put on one of the tugs and taken 110 miles to New Orleans leaving their ten week home stuck in the mud at the mouth of the Father of Waters.

Saluda Disaster
The family stayed in New Orleans for a week after which they sailed on the boat Saluda for the Bluffs.

At Brunswick, James, his father, Eli B. Kelsey and ten others left the boat and went overland to the Bluffs. They left their family in the care of a young man by the name of Henry Ballard, a very good friend of the May family. About a week later they received word that the Saluda had blown up with all on board. But learned shortly that the family was safe with the exception of Harriet who had her foot and ankle badly burned. They were transferred to another boat, which landed them safely at the Bluffs where they were all thankful and happy to be together again.

Family DeathsThe family remained at the Bluffs most of that summer. Here the father, youngest and oldest sisters died of the dreaded disease cholera.

About the first of July the rest of the family started for the ferry on the big river, here his little brother died. The next day as they were crossing the river the mother died, and was buried on the river bank without a coffin, within eleven days, the father, mother, and three children had died, leaving four orphan children.

Journey to Utah
The four children started to Utah in Eli B. Kelsey's company. James walked most of the way driving a team of two yoke of oxen, and two yoke of cows. This was a long tiresome journey; it took three and a half months arriving in Salt Lake City Oct 14, 1852.

Jobs
The winter of 1852 & 53 he spent herding stock across the Jordan River opposite the hot springs in Salt Lake County. In April 1853 he helped Abraham Hunsaker 13 miles on the west side of the Jordan. He was never hungrier in his life as on that trip. He drove cattle on foot from early morning until late at night without one bite to eat. And to break his fast he had some buttermilk and some buttermilk with flour boiled in it sour as swill.

He worked for Lorenzo Snow for two months in Salt Lake City. In July he went to Bountiful and hired out to Joseph Holbrook for $12.00 per month for one year.

August 1, 1854 he was called to go on the plains with a company with teams and provisions to meet emigrants, returned Oct. 17, 1854. He was given credit in labor tithing for his time, these were hard years.

Married Martha AllenAugust 24, 1856 he married Martha Allen daughter of Jude and Mary Ann Allen. In the spring of 1857 the young couple rented a small farm from Bro. Anson Call of Bountiful, it was located in Box Elder county. On Nov. 29, 1857 their first baby James Ira was born.

Mormon WarIn the fall of 1857 the Mormon war occurred when the president of the United States sent troops to Utah to clean up the unlawful Mormons. President Brigham Young was appointed Governor of the Territory. He put the territory under martial law. Every able bodied man had to fall into line. The companies of Calvary were organized and equipped under the leadership of Captain Lat Smith, Porter Rockwell and others. They burned wagons, run off with stock, burned the grass, and harassed the troops in every conceivable way for several months until the soldiers went into winter quarters at Fort Bridger. Thomas L. Kane sent by the government to find out what the trouble was, learned that reports sent to Washington were false. His message to the government cleared up the trouble.

When Brigham Young first heard the army was coming he ordered all the people to leave their homes and move south leaving everything to be burned by the few men remaining behind, if the troops entered the valley. It was not necessary to burn the homes and they moved back, finding fine crops on nearly all the farms, wheat had grown without plowing or sowing.

While south they with many others were camped on the Provo Bottoms. They had just arrived and had no tent or wagon cover, so they laid some canes over the top of the deep wagon box. It rained all night, in the morning they were wringing wet, but none of them suffered any ill effects.
ChildrenTheir second son, Jude Allen was born in Bountiful, Davis County, Utah Oct. 14, 1859. In 1861 they moved to Calls Fort, their first home was a dugout in which they lived for fifteen months, and was very happy, another baby boy George came to gladden their home Nov. 28, 1861.

Another son, Henry Lyman was born Jan. 25, 1863, but died shortly after from a cold Feb. 8, 1863. This same year they moved from the dugout into a two room log house.

On March 14, 1865 a daughter Martha Ellen was born, another daughter Sarah Margaret was born Sept. 23, 1867.

That same year in Sept. they finished their barn 30 x 40 ft. On June 26, 1869 another daughter, Evaline, was born. That same season they put up a rock house, just the walls and roof and finished the kitchen part.

MissionIn the fall of 1869 he was called on a short mission, laboring in New York and Ohio, arriving home Mar. 4, 1870. On Feb 22, 1871 another son Andrew was born, they had a small bunch of sheep the wool from them was made into clothing and bedding for their family needs.

Nov 18, 1872 another baby boy Frank was born.

Prior to 1874 they took stock in the Brigham City Co-op to the amount of $1900.00 receiving for their investment only $100.00

On Aug 7th 1874 a daughter Harriet was born.

Cotton Mission
In Sept 1874 he was called on a Cotton mission. They located a place six miles west of Washington, Utah. They built a dam in the Virgin River which took 135 loads of brush, 500 loads of rock to make a dam 5 feet high 10 feet wide 130 feet long, and 10 feet deep. This dam is still in use for irrigation purposes today. He was engaged in this work for three years.

On June 27, 1876 another son Richard Charles was born.

Married Rhoda Ann Lang
On Nov 3 & 4 he did temple work in the St. George Temple for his Father, Mother, and brother Thomas. Nov 21 of the same year of 1877 he married Rhoda Ann Lang daughter of William and Mary Lang of St. George, Utah.

April 20, 1878 baby Mary Ann was born, and on Sep 19, 1880 Emma was born and on May 24 1882 their last baby a boy was born they named him Joseph Eugene bringing into the world a total of 8 sons and 6 daughters. They were all reared to man and womanhood except Henry Lyman who died at the age of 2 weeks.

Persecution for Polygamy
In 1886 he served a six months term in the state penitentiary and paid a find of $100.00 for polygamy.

Moved to Canada with Rhoda and Family
To escape further punishment for polygamy, on Sept 20, 1888 he loaded his wife Rhoda and four children, Minnie, Missia, Ben and Agnes into a light wagon and started out to find a new home, settling in Cardston, Alberta, Canada, after traveling twenty three days.

At this time his third son George who was living in Rockland, Idaho, having just lost his wife, was called home with his three children to take care of his mother.

Returned to Idaho critically ill
After spending twenty two years with his second family in Canada, James failed in health, becoming critically ill, requested that he might finish his last days in peace and love in the old rock home, that he and his first wife had labored so hard and diligently those many long heart aching years ago, built in the springtime of their young and tender love. In Feb 1910 the youngest son Joseph Eugene was sent to Canada to bring him home. He lived but a few weeks passing quietly away on Mar 29, 1910. In the old home that he loved so dear.

James May a pioneer of the west, was the father of 18 children.