Brief Life History of John
When John May was born on 23 March 1756, in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America, his father, John May Jr, was 33 and his mother, Bathsheba Blackwell, was 31. He married Mercy Foster on 30 May 1778, in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States. They were the parents of at least 8 sons and 3 daughters. He died after 28 September 1818, in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States.
Photos and Memories (0)
Do you know John? Do you have a story about him that you would like to share? Sign In or Create a FREE Account
Family Time Line
Sources (20)
- John May, "Massachusetts Marriages, 1841-1915"
- John/May in entry for George/May, "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001"
- John May in entry for Lucy M Harris, "New Hampshire Death Records, 1654-1947"
Spouse and Children
+6 More Children
Parents and Siblings
+2 More Children
World Events (6)
1776
Thomas Jefferson's American Declaration of Independence endorsed by Congress. Colonies declare independence.
1776 · The Declaration to the King
"At the end of the Second Continental Congress the 13 colonies came together to petition independence from King George III. With no opposing votes, the Declaration of Independence was drafted and ready for all delegates to sign on the Fourth of July 1776. While many think the Declaration was to tell the King that they were becoming independent, its true purpose was to be a formal explanation of why the Congress voted together to declare their independence from Britain. The Declaration also is home to one of the best-known sentences in the English language, stating, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."""
1789
George Washington elected first president of United States.
Name Meaning
English: from the Middle English male personal name May, a pet form of Matthew (see Mayhew ).
English, Dutch, and German: from a personal name or nickname taken from the month of May (Middle English, Old French mai, Middle High German meie, from Latin Maius (mensis), from Maia, a minor Roman goddess of fertility). This name was sometimes bestowed on someone born or baptized in the month of May; it was also used to refer to someone of a sunny disposition, or who had some anecdotal connection with the month of May, such as owing a feudal obligation then. In England, this name was possibly also a pet form of Mary or Margaret. This surname is also found in France (Alsace and Lorraine) and Denmark.
English: nickname from Middle English mey, may ‘kinsman’.
Dictionary of American Family Names © Patrick Hanks 2003, 2006.
Possible Related Names
Discover Even More
As a nonprofit, we offer free help to those looking to learn the details of their family story.