April 29th On the way home, The May family marker near Mays Crossroads SC

A little further down the road from the Benjamin Mays marker is another marker for the May family, the original settlers of the area: 

Here's what I found about the families:  Pretty long lineage!!

Name: Captain John MAY

Birth: 1590 in Mayfields, Sussex, England Death: Abt. 1655 in Roxbury, Massachusetts 
Event: Occupation Ship Captain, Ship owner

 Primary Home Unknown Sussex, England / Roxbury, Mass. 1
John May spent his early life at his father's home in Mayfields, Sussex, England. He had Master's papers (ship captain) and Admiralty records indicate he was Captain of a vessel named "The James" which made two voyages from the Port of London to New England.  In 1640, John May, his wife, and two young sons, were settled in Roxbury,  in the Massachusetts Colony. They lived in a part of the town called
Jamaica Plains. It is now called Roxbury, Massachusetts. He owned a ship and brought some of the first settlers to New York City. In 1641, records show John May as a member on the church of which John
Eliot, the "Apostle to the Indians" , was pastor. Also in the same year, there is a record of his becoming a Freeman of the Colony, making him eligible to vote and hold public office, which at that time was
considered an honorable distinction.

And his son, John May:

CHARLES MAY (JOHN, JOHN was born Abt. 1775 in N. Carolina, and died Aft. 1850 in Good Hope, Edgefield County, SC. He married (1) MARY HUSKEY 29 Jan 1798 in Wake County, NC. She was born Bet. 1774 - 1984, and died Abt. 1799 in Wake County, North Carolina. He married (2) MARY ANN LOVELESS Abt. 1799. She was born Abt. 1781 in NC, and died 1870 in Good Hope Community, Edgefield, SC.

Notes for CHARLES MAY:
Editor Note: This history does not contain all children names, other than the Asa May line. Please refer to the Charles May book for other children.

Charles May married first married Mary Huskey and then about a year later married Mary "Polly" Loveless. It is assumed Mary Huskey died shortly after the marriage either of disease or complications of childbearing. Charles and Polly Lovelass had 11 children. All were raised in Edgefield District, South Carolina. In a letter, a Grandson of Charles May wrote, in part, that Charles May and family came to South Carolina from near Charlotte, North Carolina. All of the children had large families except William and John -they never married. Most of the family lived to be upwards of 80 years old, and:

"All of the family was of a high tone, a truthful, honest family. I never heard of any of them ever to be in court. Their motto was to tell the truth and act honestly. Of the children that each raised, all conducted themselves nicely as good citizens. All of this large May family were reared in Edgefield County. I can gladly say that I am proud of the lives of the May Family..."

Charles bought a 300 acres tract of land at Good Hope, SC, at May's Cross Roads. He was buried there in the old May Family Cemetery where they settled. It is about a mile from May's Cross Roads. This is about two miles from the Good Hope Baptist Church, nine miles north of Saluda on the Saluda-Greenwood Highway. This church was the center of activity for the May's at that time. In 1947, the May Family Association installed a monument to Charles May on the Saluda-Greenwood Highway leading to May's Cross Roads. Source: "Charles May and His Descendants" 1956, The May Family Assn.

Charles & his wife were in the 1800 census in Wake Co., NC with 1 son. He bought from the estate sale of John TILLEY in 1811, along with John MAY, Sr. He was on the 1810, 1811 & 1812 Tax List of Lick Creek District with 50 acres & 1 poll. He was on the 1814 Tax list of Lick Creek District, but that list did not contain any further information. In 1820 when he given power of attorney for disposing of land for John HUSKEY in Brunswick Co., VA. He was the administrator of the estate of Joel “Joseph” HUSKEY in Edgefield Co., SC in 1831.

He was in the 1820-30 census of Edgefield Co., SC. Living with him in 1820 is a male b. bef. 1775, who may be his brother, John. In the 1830 census, Polly appears to be living with a Sarah MAY. Polly is in the 1850 census of Edgefield Co., SC. Living with her was her granddaughter, Sarah RAUTON.