R. G. May
Various important business interests have at different times
claimed the attention of R. G. May, and all have profited greatly
by his energy, enterprise and ability. Today he is not only one
of the progressive farmers, successful stock-raisers and
extensive landowners of Iowa township, where he has resided since
1879, but he is likewise prominent in local politics and is
classed with those citizens whose sterling worth, earnest purpose
and fidelity to duty make them valued members of the community.
Allamakee county numbers Mr. May among her native sons, his birth
having occurred on May’s Prairie in 1858, his parents being
John and Juliana May, the former a native of Ohio and the latter
of Delaware. Their marriage occurred in Ohio, and in 1852 they
came to Iowa, settling in Lansing township, Allamakee county,
where the father engaged in farming, buying a large tract of
land, which he improved and developed until his death, which
occurred when he was sixty-five years of age. His wife has also
passed away, having survived her husband for a number of years.
Of their family of thirteen children five still survive: Henry
and Roan C., of New Albin; Margaret, who married Charles
Feuerhellm, of May’s Prairie; and Lois E., the wife of E. W.
White, of Nebraska.
R. G. May was reared upon his father’s farm on May’s
Prairie and acquired his early education in district school No.
2, supplementing this by a course in business college at New
Albin. After laying aside his books he turned his attention to
farming, having already gained a practical knowledge of the best
agricultural methods by aiding his father with the work of the
homestead. He had also learned the carpenter's trade and this he
followed in conjunction with agricultural pursuits until 1885,
abandoning both lines of activity in that year in order to
establish a drug store in New Albin, an enterprise which he
successfully conducted for two years. At the end of that time he
engaged in carpentering and contracting in that city and secured
a large and profitable patronage as his ability and skill became
widely known. In 1891 he disposed of all his business interests
in New Albin and purchased, in partnership with C. N. Steel, a
portion of the farm which he now owns. Their association still
continues, and together they are the proprietors of over twelve
hundred acres of well improved land, upon which they make a
specialty of raising stock, their animals being of high grade and
commanding a ready sale on the market. Mr. May owns also a great
deal of improved property in New Albin and is connected with many
of the most important business concerns in that city, being
secretary of the New Albin Cooperative Creamery, secretary and a
stockholder in the New Albin Manufacturing Company and a director
of the New Albin & Irish Hollow Telephone Company. His
business interest are at all times carefully and capably
conducted and have been a source of great individual prosperity
besides constituting valuable elements of community advancement.
Mr. May is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and
fraternally is connected with the Yeoman and the Masonic lodge.
Although he is a successful, reliable and discriminating business
man, he has not by any means confined his attention to this one
field, but has extended the scope of his activities to include
participation in public affairs, his influence being at all times
on the side of right, reform and progress. He gives his political
allegiance to the republican party and has held various important
positions of trust and responsibility, being at the present time
secretary of the school board and city clerk of New Albin. His
interest are largely identified with those of this section of the
state, where he has resided since his birth, and at all times he
is ready to lend his aid and cooperation to any movement
calculated to benefit the section or advance its development.
-source: Past & Present of Allamakee County; by
Ellery M. Hancock; S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.; 1913
-transcribed by Diana Diedrich
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