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Submitted: 5/1/13 • Approved: 5/2/13 • Last Updated: 5/22/13 • R871127-G871125-S3
WF
Pennsylvania Volunteers
Civil War Union
July 17, 1842 - May 25, 1917
*Obituary
Rogers Democrat
Thursday, May 31, 1917
MAY, W.F. - Mayor W.F. May died last Friday morning at ten o'clock at his home on West Poplar street. He had been failing rapidly for several weeks and his death had been hourly expected for several days. Death was the result of cancer of the stomach. Funeral services were held at the Christian church at three o'clock and were under the auspices of the Masonic order of which he had been a member for many years. The services were conducted by Rev. Pinkerton, assisted by the pastor, Rev. Bowles and Rev. T.E. McSpadden of the Presbyterian church. In spite of the rain of the afternoon the church was packed and many were forced to stand. Had it been a pleasant afternoon not half of the friends would have been able to gain admission to the church. It was a visible token of the esteem in which the deceased was held by the community. Mr. May was a blacksmith by profession - and a good one. During his 27 years residence in Rogers we never heard his honesty or integrity questioned and he was a man of his word. He was industrious and until failing health caused him to give more care to himself was one of the hardest workers of the town. Mr. May was first elected mayor of Rogers in 1910 and served for two years. Defeated for re-election in 1912 and 1914 he was again chosen as mayor in the March city election of 1916 and at the time of his death was serving the second year of his term. Mr. May was born at Pottsville, Pa. July 17, 1842. He enlisted in the Pennsylvania volunteers and served three years in the Union army. The writer well remembers a talk with Mr. May 15 years ago when he told of standing on the walls of Fort Monroe and watching the battle between the Monitor and the Merrimac at Hampton Roads. After the war Mr. May went to Cedar City, Callaway Co., Mo. where he was married July 11, 1870 to Miss Mary Jane Riggs who survives him. To them were born five children, all of whom are living: Mrs. Lizzie Hays of Rogers; Mrs. Emma Smith of Florence, Ala.; Mrs. Susie Wallace of Harrison, Ark.; Mrs. Gertrude Dyer of Denver and Cloe May of Rogers, who was associated with his father in business. All were with their father when he died save Mrs. Dyer. Mr. May and family lived at a number of points in Missouri, coming to Brightwater, Ark. in 1883. Seven years later they moved to Rogers where they have since made their home.
Mary
Dec 25 1853 - Jan 30 1920
*Obituary
Rogers Democrat
Thursday, February 5, 1920
MAY, Mary Jane RIGGS - Mrs. W.F. May died Friday morning at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Maurice Hays, on West Poplar street, after an illness of some length. She had been steadily failing for some time and her death was not unexpected. Funeral services were held at the Christian church Saturday afternoon and were conducted by the pastor, Rev. J.W. Shockley. Interment was in the Rogers cemetery by the side of her husband, the late W.F. May, who died May 27, 1917. The services were under the auspices of the Eastern Star, Martha Chapter, No. 215, of which Mrs. May had for many years been a leading member until failing health compelled her to give up the work. Mary Jane Riggs was born at Wheeling, West Va., December 25, 1853. With her family she went to Missouri where on July 11, 1870 she married W.F. May at Linn in Osage county. They lived at a number of points in Missouri, coming to Benton county in 1884, locating at Brightwater where Mr. May was blacksmith for the steam shovel gang that was filling the big cuts there. Mrs. Maggie Peel's father was engineer for the same gang. Eight years later, in 1892, Mr. May and family came to Rogers where Mrs. May had lived until her death, most of the time at their home on West Poplar. She was a member of the Christian church and was popular among a large circle of friends and neighbors. She is survived by five children: Mrs. J.C. Smith of Florence, Ala.; Mrs. Maurice Hays of Rogers; Mrs. J.R. Wallace of Sedalia, Mo.; Mrs. F.W. Dyer of Denver, Colo. and Cloe May of Rogers. All of the children were here before the death of their mother save Mrs. Dyer, who is not only ill herself but both children have also been sick.
Contributed on 5/1/13 by wfields55
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Record #: 871127