May Family
HISTORY OF THE MAY NAME :
Although the name MAY has an ancient Norman origin, it first arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name MAY is derived from the Old French work mai. This name was also a nickname for a person with a particularly sunny disposition or a person who had an anecdotal connection with the month of May. Often this connection would be the time that feudal obligations were owed. Nicknames, such as MAY, that described the time or season of the birth, baptism or conversion of the original bearer were frequently adopted in the medieval era. The name has been spelled May, Maye, Mays and Mai.
The first evidence of the MAY family appears to be in Sussex, in southern England. Sussex was once a part of the kingdom of the south Saxons, which was founded in the late 5th century. In 1825, Sussex became a part of the kingdom of Wessex. By the 12th century, the MAY family had expanded in size and branched to Sutton Cheyney in Leicestershire, Rawmere in Sussex, and the county of Berwickshire. Early records of the MAY family reveal that in 1296, William May swore an oath of allegiance to King Edward I of England, who conquered Scotland that year.
A number of early immigrants to North America bore the name MAY or a variant including Cornelius May who arrived in Virginia in 1616, Dorothy May who arrived on the "Mayflower" in 1620, William May settled in St Christopher in 1634 and Peter Maye who landed in the Bay of Bulls, Newfoundland in 1675.
OUR MAY FAMILY of Cornwall
Including Treweek, Trelease and Williams :
Most of the following information was received from Otto Palfenier, Alberta, Canada who answered a query I had posted regarding May families in Cornwall, England. As with all the information on my genealogy pages, some may yet to be confirmed or may not be accurate.
Nicholas May (snr)
Nicholas was born about 1727 in St Mawgan-in-Ryder, Cornwall, England. His parents were noted as William MAY and Mary BENNY or BERRY. Nicholas married Jane THOMAS on 5 July 1752 in St Mawgan-in-Ryder, Cornwall and children included Nicholas born in 1762.
Nicholas was born in 1762 in St Mawgan-in-Ryder, Cornwall, England. He married Ann Treweek on 12 December 1785 at St Clement, Cornwall and children included Abraham born in 11 January 1788. Ann died in February 1788 and was a descendant of Christopher TREWEEK born 1650.
On 18 July 1793 Nicholas married Mary WEARNE at St Stephen, Cornwall. Mary was born about 1766 in St Mawgan-in-Ryder, Cornwall.
Nicholas died about 1794.
Abraham was born 11 January 1788 in Cornwall. He was employed in the mines in Cornwall. He married Jane Trelease on 14 December 1809 in Gwennap, Cornwall and they had twelve children.
Children of Abraham and Jane :
1. Ann born in 1810. Ann married George ILIFF in Gwennap, Cornwall on 23 June 1832.
Ann died in Gwennap on 19 October 1875.2. John Trelease born 20 September 1812.
3. William born in 1814. William married Eliza MITCHELL in Gwennap, Cornwall on 25 March 1837. Eliza was born around November 1810.
4. Joanna born 2 June 1816 in Gwennap, Cornwall and married Samuel DUNSTAN in Gwennap on 24 March 1842.
Joanna died in Kea, Cornwall on 20 June 1874.5. Jane born 12 September 1817 in Gwennap, Cornwall. She married George ELLIOTT on 21 August 1836.
6. Elizabeth born 13 June 1819 in Gwennap, Cornwall and married Thomas DARLINGSTONE on 2 May 1839 in Gwennap.
Elizabeth died in Gwennap on 1 January 1893.7. Abraham born 12 February 1822 in Gwennap, Cornwall. He married Harriet KENT in Kea, Cornwall on 5 June 1842. Their children included -
- Harriet born around 1858 in Gwennap.
- William born around 1863 in Gwennap.
8. Richard born 14 July 1825 in Gwennap, Cornwall and died about January 1827 in Kea, Cornwall.
9. Harriet born 30 December 1826 in Gwennap, Cornwall and married Nicholas PAUL 26 April 1847. Children were -
- Harriet born 23 February 1848 in Perranarworthal, Cornwall. She married William Holmes WALKER on 22 April 1865 in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. Harriet died on 20 January 1897 in Utah.
- Jane born 28 December 1849 in Capetown, South Africa. She married John Thompson ROWLEY on 23 May 1868 in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. Jane died on 28 January 1908 in Bingham, Idaho, USA.
- Elizabeth born 3 November 1851 in Capetown, South Africa. She married Edwin STOTT on 18 February 1876 in Millard, Utah, USA. Edwin was born in 1836 in Lancashire, England. Elizabeth died on 2 March 1918 in Duchesne, Utah, USA.
- William born 27 May 1854 in Capetown, South Africa. He married Miranda Jane ST-JEOR on 23 December 1876 in Tooele, Utah, USA. William died on 29 November 1943 in Millard, Utah.
- Joseph born 29 July 1856 in Capetown, South Africa. He married Odianna TREMBLAY. Joseph died on 11 September 1934 in Provo, Utah, USA.
- Hyrum born 2 June 1859 in Capetown, South Africa and died on 11 November 1859.
- Mary Frances was born aboard the ship "Mary Pierce" upon the Atlantic Ocean on the way to the United States of America. Mary died in November 1868 in Millard, Utah.
- Emma born 20 October 1862 in Millard, Utah. She married Elias McClellan SMITH on 29 September 1884 in Beaver, Utah. Emma died on 14 November 1915.
- Eliza Ann born 19 December 1864 in Millard, Utah. She married Hyrum YOUNG on 2 June 1890 at White Pine, Nevada, USA. Eliza died on 6 June 1891.
- Lavinia May born 6 May 1866 in Millard, Utah. She married William BUTSON on 15 December 1904 at White Pine, Nevada. She married Henry ALLEN on 30 March 1916 also at White Pine. Lavinia died on 22 August 1950 in Lincoln, Nevada.
- Josephine born 28 January 1870 in Millard, Utah. She married Louis Henry CHERRINGTON on 17 October 1887 in Millard, Utah. Louis was born in 1867 in Utah, USA. Josephine died on 9 October 1938 in Alameda, California, USA.
Harriet died on 6 June 1894 in Millard, Utah. Nicholas died around 31 May 1901 also in Utah.
10. Lavinia was born 22 February 1829 in Gwennap, Cornwall. Lavinia married Paul WILLIAMS in St Ives, Cornwall on 30 November 1848 and they had six children.
Paul and Lavinia immigrated to New Zealand around 1864 and settled in Thames.
Lavinia died on 24 February 1898 and was buried at the Shortland Cemetery, Thames. Paul died on 9 February 1891 and was also buried at Shortland Cemetery.11. Eliza born 25 June 1831 and married John HARVEY in Gwennap, Cornwall on 25 June 1846.
12. William born about 1833 in Cusgarne, Cornwall. He married Emily MONCKTON on 14 September 1870 in Brenchley, Kent. Emily was born around August 1837 in Kent.
Abraham died in Coombe, Gwennap, Cornwall on 4 December 1863. I believe Jane died in 1836.
Lavinia was born 22 February 1829 in Gwennap, Cornwall, England. She married Paul Williams in St Ives, Cornwall on 30 November 1848.
Paul and Lavinia with sons John Paul and Thomas arrived in New Zealand from England on the 16 October 1864 aboard the ship "Eaglespeed". Paul travelled to the gold fields in Victoria, Australia in 1866 and from there to South Australia in 1868. Around 1871 the family settled in Thames, New Zealand.
Lavinia died in Thames on 24 February 1898. Paul died in Thames on 9 February 1891. They were both buried at the Shortland Cemetery in Thames.
Marjorie was born in Raetihi, New Zealand and was the wife of Harry Williams, a grandson of Paul Williams.
For information about Marjorie and her family ( including PICKFORD ) please refer to the link below.
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