May Family Papers Finding Aid MS233

May Family Papers Finding Aid MS233


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Local History and Special Collections Branch, Alexandria Library

717 Queen Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
Business Number: 703-746-1791
lhsc@alexlibraryva.org
URL: http://alexlibraryva.org/lhsc

Rochelle Boslego

Repository
Local History and Special Collections Branch, Alexandria Library
Identification
MS233
Title
May Family Papers (MS233) 1846-1949 (Bulk, 1876-1913)
URL:
https://alexlibraryva.libraryhost.com/repositories/2/resources/21
Quantity
1.01 Cubic Feet, 3 boxes
Creator
May Family
Creator
May, William H., 1822-1910
Creator
May, John W., 1855-1930
Creator
May, Effie H. (DeVaughn), 1859-1903
Creator
May, Emily
Creator
May, Carroll Hackney, 1882-1950
source
DeVaughn, James H. , 1816-1899
Creator
DeVaughn, Mary
Language
English .

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

[Item identification], May Family Papers, MS233, Alexandria Library, Local History/Special Collections, Alexandria, Va.


Biographical / Historical

The May Family operated the William H. May & Son Company, begun in 1852 and located just south of the Carlyle House on the one hunred block of North Fairfax Street, and later at 201-203 King Street. There are pictures of the company on its letterhead in the collection. The company manufactured plows, wagons and fertilizers and sold agricultural implements and seeds. It disappeared from the Alexandria City Directories after 1934. The Mays represented in this collection are William H. May (1822-1910), his son John W. May (1855-1930), John's wife Effie H. DeVaughn May (1859-1903), daughter Emily May, and son Carroll Hackney May (1882-1950). Effie May's father, James H. DeVaughn (1816-1899), and sister, Mary DeVaughn, also have materials in this collection.

Content Description

This collection includes records and correspondence relating to the William H. May & Son Company, including an undated four page list of supplies available from the company. There are also flyers with information and pictures relating to nineteenth century farm equipment from other companies. Other correspondence shows William H. May's involvement with the International Silver Company and the Alexandria Home Insurance Company. There is also a letter to William H. May from a Russian banker, caught embezzling in Europe and incarcerated in Madrid, Spain, asking for help with funds for his daughter in the United States. John W. May is represented in this collection by some deeds and correspondence. There are two 1845-1846 letters to John from cousins Isaac and Hoziah Hook of Cumberland, Maryland. Carroll H. May was not only involved with the William H. May & Son Company until its demise, but correspondence in this collection shows that as Lieutenant of Company G, First Regiment, Infantry, Virginia Volunteers, Alexandria, he was active in organizing a parade for the dedication of a park and laying the cornerstone of a monument to George Washington. The George Washington Monument Association is mentioned. Carroll resigned his commission in 1912. There are also some papers relating to Carroll as president of the Bethel Cemetery Company. Other correspondence to Carroll includes items from an 1899 gramophone company, the YMCA, advertisements of a magic book, the Improved Order of Red Men of Virginia and North Carolina, and Robinson Moncure (a Virginia House delegate). Carroll was a medical doctor and Sanitary Inspector for the City of Alexandria. Letters from 1943 offer consolation for the death of his son in World War II. There are several pieces of correspondence to May women. One is a 1903 letter to Effie DeVaughn from Palais Royal of Washington, D.C., and the other is a 1936 letter from Laura P. Sullivan of the Business and Professional Women's Club of Alexandria, Virginia, to Emily R. May. There is also an 1846 letter to William and his mother from his sister, Margaret May. There is an 1856 autograph album of Mary DeVaughn. Emily R. May's English literature scrapbook of 1901-1902 and her correspondence are in this collection. There is also some correspondence to and from James DeVaughn, a furniture manufacturer, who was Effie DeVaughn's father.

Arrangement

The material is arranged either under the May Company or under the name of the family member concerned.

Related Material

See Boush/Asher Family Papers (Box 234) for Mary May who married Samuel Boush. See also Alexandria vertical file, biographies - M for information on William H. May.

Subjects and Indexing Terms


Significant Persons Associated With the Collection

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Container List

Text box: 1 folder: 1
Mary DeVaughn Autograph Album
1856-1863
Text box: 1 folder: 2
William H. May & Son advertisements
Text box: 1 folder: 3
William H. May, correspondence
1843-1910
Text box: 1 folder: 4
William H. May & Son Company, correspondence from
1865-1913
Text box: 1 folder: 5
William H. May & Son Company, correspondence to
1867-1918
Text box: 1 folder: 6
William H. May & Son Company, International Silver Company correspondence
1907-1910
Text box: 1 folder: 7
John L. May of Winchester, correspondence from cousins Isaac S. Hook and Hoziah Hook and Cumberland, Maryland
1845-1846
Text box: 1 folder: 8
John W. May, correspondence, business and legal papers
1897-1919
Text box: 1 folder: 9
Mrs. J.W. May [Effie DeVaughn], correspondence
1903
Text box: 1 folder: 10
J.W. May correspondence to Carroll H. May during a business trip
1904
Text box: 1 folder: 11
W.H. May, Alexandria Home Insurance Company
1906-1913
Text box: 1 folder: 12
Emily R. May, English literature scrapbook
1901-1902
Text box: 1 folder: 13
Emily R. May, correspondence
1906-1935
Text box: 1 folder: 14
Carroll H. May, Washington School certificates
1890-1894
Text box: 1 folder: 15
Carroll H. May, Potomac Academy certificates and Potomac Academy Catalogue
1890-1899
Text box: 1 folder: 16
Carroll H. May, miscellaneous personal correspondence
1897-1909
Text box: 2
Alexandria Home Fire Insurance Company Policies
1907
Text box: 3 folder: 17
Carroll H. May, business correspondence received
1899-1935
Text box: 3 folder: 18
Carroll H. May, correspondence advertising a magic book
1897
Text box: 3 folder: 19
Carroll H. May, correspondence with Martha H. Swan [May]
1905
Text box: 3 folder: 20
Carroll H. May, correspondence relating to George Washington Monument/parade
1905-1913
Text box: 3 folder: 21
Carroll H. May, correspondence from Mary C. May [Lovey]
1907-1909
Text box: 3 folder: 22
Carroll H. May, correspondence relating to Red Men
1908-1913
Text box: 3 folder: 23
Carroll H. May, Bethel Cemetery papers
1898-1913
Text box: 3 folder: 24
Carroll H. May, Jr. and John May to their mother, Martha Swan May
1929
Text box: 3 folder: 25
Carroll H. and Martha (Mrs. Carroll) May, letters of sympathy on the death of their son John in World War II
1943
Text box: 3 folder: 26
Alexandria first day covers
1949
Text box: 3 folder: 27
May family genealogical material
Text box: 3 folder: 28
Carroll H. May, correspondence relating to military service in Company G, First Regiment, Infantry, Virginia Volunteers
Text box: 3 folder: 29
DeVaughn family correspondence
1891
Text box: 3 folder: 30
James DeVaughn, business correspondence
1870-1900