Samuel Erastus May was born in Pawtucket (at that time part of Massachusetts). In our family, he was called Black Sam, but we do not know the origin of the nickname.
Sam's mother was Sarah Eliza "Sally" Fisher May, burial place unknown.
BIRTH 28 SEP 1800 • North Attleborough, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA
DEATH 7 APR 1826 • Cumberland, Providence, Rhode Island USA
After Sally's early death when Sam was just a few months old, his father Elisha married her sister Olive Fisher.
Sam received an academic education and worked in cotton manufacturing as assistant to his father until September 1849 when he went to California. In 1851, he moved to Oregon where he established an agency of the Adams Express Company. He likely met his wife Rebecca Parrish around this time. They married in 1852 and lived in Salem, Oregon where they had three children.
From 1855 to 1858, he worked as chief clerk of the commissary department of Oregon Territory. He served as Secretary of State in Oregon from 1862 to 1870. During his tenure, it became his duty to report by telegram to the state department at Washington, DC that the Oregon legislature had ratified the anti-slavery 13th amendment.
Sadly, Sam May was later disgraced by being charged with stealing $25,000 from the state of Oregon. This caused the demise of his friend and bondsman who lost everything he owned due to the bond. Sam's wife Rebecca divorced him. He returned to Chicago and in 1884, married Emma Adams Gale, who was more than 30 years his junior. They had one child, a son named Samuel Ellis May, born in 1890. Sam worked as an insurance salesman and notary.
Sam died in 1891 in Chicago. His funeral was held at the Methodist Episcopal Church and burial took place at Oak Woods Cemetery. Two years following Sam's death, his widow Emma married his son Frank Benton May. They had four children and were married until Emma's death in 1905.
A good portion of this biography is paraphrased from "A Genealogy of the Descendants of John May", available on Ancestry. Parts of the bio are taken from news clippings of the time.
Sam's mother was Sarah Eliza "Sally" Fisher May, burial place unknown.
BIRTH 28 SEP 1800 • North Attleborough, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA
DEATH 7 APR 1826 • Cumberland, Providence, Rhode Island USA
After Sally's early death when Sam was just a few months old, his father Elisha married her sister Olive Fisher.
Sam received an academic education and worked in cotton manufacturing as assistant to his father until September 1849 when he went to California. In 1851, he moved to Oregon where he established an agency of the Adams Express Company. He likely met his wife Rebecca Parrish around this time. They married in 1852 and lived in Salem, Oregon where they had three children.
From 1855 to 1858, he worked as chief clerk of the commissary department of Oregon Territory. He served as Secretary of State in Oregon from 1862 to 1870. During his tenure, it became his duty to report by telegram to the state department at Washington, DC that the Oregon legislature had ratified the anti-slavery 13th amendment.
Sadly, Sam May was later disgraced by being charged with stealing $25,000 from the state of Oregon. This caused the demise of his friend and bondsman who lost everything he owned due to the bond. Sam's wife Rebecca divorced him. He returned to Chicago and in 1884, married Emma Adams Gale, who was more than 30 years his junior. They had one child, a son named Samuel Ellis May, born in 1890. Sam worked as an insurance salesman and notary.
Sam died in 1891 in Chicago. His funeral was held at the Methodist Episcopal Church and burial took place at Oak Woods Cemetery. Two years following Sam's death, his widow Emma married his son Frank Benton May. They had four children and were married until Emma's death in 1905.
A good portion of this biography is paraphrased from "A Genealogy of the Descendants of John May", available on Ancestry. Parts of the bio are taken from news clippings of the time.
Samuel Erastus May was born in Pawtucket (at that time part of Massachusetts). In our family, he was called Black Sam, but we do not know the origin of the nickname.
Sam's mother was Sarah Eliza "Sally" Fisher May, burial place unknown.
BIRTH 28 SEP 1800 • North Attleborough, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA
DEATH 7 APR 1826 • Cumberland, Providence, Rhode Island USA
After Sally's early death when Sam was just a few months old, his father Elisha married her sister Olive Fisher.
Sam received an academic education and worked in cotton manufacturing as assistant to his father until September 1849 when he went to California. In 1851, he moved to Oregon where he established an agency of the Adams Express Company. He likely met his wife Rebecca Parrish around this time. They married in 1852 and lived in Salem, Oregon where they had three children.
From 1855 to 1858, he worked as chief clerk of the commissary department of Oregon Territory. He served as Secretary of State in Oregon from 1862 to 1870. During his tenure, it became his duty to report by telegram to the state department at Washington, DC that the Oregon legislature had ratified the anti-slavery 13th amendment.
Sadly, Sam May was later disgraced by being charged with stealing $25,000 from the state of Oregon. This caused the demise of his friend and bondsman who lost everything he owned due to the bond. Sam's wife Rebecca divorced him. He returned to Chicago and in 1884, married Emma Adams Gale, who was more than 30 years his junior. They had one child, a son named Samuel Ellis May, born in 1890. Sam worked as an insurance salesman and notary.
Sam died in 1891 in Chicago. His funeral was held at the Methodist Episcopal Church and burial took place at Oak Woods Cemetery. Two years following Sam's death, his widow Emma married his son Frank Benton May. They had four children and were married until Emma's death in 1905.
A good portion of this biography is paraphrased from "A Genealogy of the Descendants of John May", available on Ancestry. Parts of the bio are taken from news clippings of the time.
Sam's mother was Sarah Eliza "Sally" Fisher May, burial place unknown.
BIRTH 28 SEP 1800 • North Attleborough, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA
DEATH 7 APR 1826 • Cumberland, Providence, Rhode Island USA
After Sally's early death when Sam was just a few months old, his father Elisha married her sister Olive Fisher.
Sam received an academic education and worked in cotton manufacturing as assistant to his father until September 1849 when he went to California. In 1851, he moved to Oregon where he established an agency of the Adams Express Company. He likely met his wife Rebecca Parrish around this time. They married in 1852 and lived in Salem, Oregon where they had three children.
From 1855 to 1858, he worked as chief clerk of the commissary department of Oregon Territory. He served as Secretary of State in Oregon from 1862 to 1870. During his tenure, it became his duty to report by telegram to the state department at Washington, DC that the Oregon legislature had ratified the anti-slavery 13th amendment.
Sadly, Sam May was later disgraced by being charged with stealing $25,000 from the state of Oregon. This caused the demise of his friend and bondsman who lost everything he owned due to the bond. Sam's wife Rebecca divorced him. He returned to Chicago and in 1884, married Emma Adams Gale, who was more than 30 years his junior. They had one child, a son named Samuel Ellis May, born in 1890. Sam worked as an insurance salesman and notary.
Sam died in 1891 in Chicago. His funeral was held at the Methodist Episcopal Church and burial took place at Oak Woods Cemetery. Two years following Sam's death, his widow Emma married his son Frank Benton May. They had four children and were married until Emma's death in 1905.
A good portion of this biography is paraphrased from "A Genealogy of the Descendants of John May", available on Ancestry. Parts of the bio are taken from news clippings of the time.
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