Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/797

 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 691 is ever ready to lend a helping hand to those less I'ortunatel}' situated than himself. Henry Allen May. Too much honor and esteem cannot be given to a physician who counts his time and pleasure as naught in comparison with the aid he can give to sutfer- ing humanity, who foregoes his night's rest, perhaps, and buffets a driving snowstorm to render assistance to one of our loved ones. Dr. Henry Allen May, of this review, has passed his entire life in Franklin county, Missouri, and has, doubtless, during the last decade and more, done just such service for many who will read this history. Robert H. May, grantlfather of our subject, was the founder of this Franklin county fam- ily and the progenitor of all the older mem- bers of this family. He was born August 7, 1792, in Charlotte county, Virginia, and re- moved from that state to Jlissouri. locating at Gray Summit, where he lived until March 13, 1870, when he was called to the Great Beyond. This old pioneer married Mary R. Portwood, of Virginia, and to them were born seven sons and two daughters, as follows: Stephen T., William H., Robert H., Jr., John R., James A., Joseph F. and Edward B. P., the two daughters, IMary A. E. F. and Martha, dying unmarried. James A. May. one of the large family of Robert H. jIay, was born in 1827, on a farm near Gray Summit, Franklin county, ^Mis- souri, and he followed his father's vocation, that of farming, while he lived. His allegi- ance to the Southern cause precluded his en- listing in any other than the Confederate army when hostilities broke out. and he had many thrilling adventures during his war record. He was a prisoner of war in the hands of the Federals, and was wounded at the liattle of Gettysburg. James A. May mar- ried Sarah Frances Hundley, a daughter of W. A. Hundley, a pioneer of Franklin county from the Old Dominion state, the locality from whence also came the Mavs. The chil- dren born to this union were James Arthur, a lawver of Pacific, Missoiiri : Annie Lee, the wife of W. H. Miles, of Grav Summit ; and Henry Allen, the subject of this sketch. The mother of these children died July 23. 1880, whpu she was but little more than thirty-one years of age: the father had died nine years previouslv, in December, 1871. Dr. Henry Allen ^lay was thus left with- out parents at a very tender age. his birth having occurred at Gray Summit, Franklin county, Missouri, on the 14th of April, 1872, At the death of his mother, this eight-year- old boy was tpken care of by his relatives, and he spent the first two years in the home of his uncle, Edward B. F. May. Upon the death of this gentleman he went to live with another uncle, Thomas B. North, where he remained for some years, acquiring his edu- cational training in the common schools of that locality. After finishing the prescribed work of the public school he spent two years in the State University of Missouri, and, hav- ing decided that he would become a physi- cian, he took up the study of medicine at Beamnont Hospital jMedical College, a school which later was merged with the St. Louis I'niversity, and graduated from that institu- tion, receiving his certificate of Doctor of Medicine in 1894. The next year young Dr. May located at Washington, where he has since successfully practiced his profession, attaining a consderable clientele and an ever- growing circle of admirers, who have every confidence in the skill and professional acu- men of Henry A. May. The Doctor holds memliership in the Franklin County Medical Society, the Missouri State Medical Society and the American Medical Association. Fra- ternally he is affiliated with the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and the Modern Wood- men of America, while in politics he, like his ancestors, is a supporter of the principles and policies of the Democratic party. Dr. May is also one of the proprietoi's of that interesting sheet, the Franldin Count}! Observer. On February 5, 1895, our subject married Miss Clara Ming, who was born Setember 8, ] 868. a daughter of the late Judge James M. Ming, an honored citizen of Frankilu county. Judge iling was born in Virginia, in 1824, where he married Jemimah Osborn, a native also of that state, and from there they removed to Missouri early in life. He rendered invaluable and und.ying .service to the citizens of Franklin county when he, as county judge, declined to make the levy of taxes for the payment of the bonds of the fraudulent Budd and Decker road, and, be- cause of such refusal, he was imprisoned by the court and thus suffered for his loyalty to his county and his allegiance to the prin- cinles of rierht. The children of Judge James M. and Jemimah (Osborn) Ming were as fol- lows: Eugene, who has sat upon the bench of the county court of Franklin countv and wore the ermine which his father graced and rendered hallowed by his righteous decisions.