My fraternal MAY FAMILY GENEALOGY
Surnames: May, Atwell, Grinnell, Hastings, Klecka, Maughs, Cromie
        Sept 1, 2011 updated Jan. 2013

GREAT-GREAT GRANDFATHER

Peter May and Eve Smith are listed as parents on Phillip May’s certificate of marriage to Ida Mae Atwell dated November 8, 1880 in St. Louis, Missouri.  In the 1850 U.S. census, Peter M. May (born about 1805 in Germany) and Eve May (born about 1818 in Germany) were living in Preston, Virginia with children: Margaret (age 12, born ne: 1838, Maryland); Phillip (age 10, born ne: 1840, Maryland), and John (age 4, born ne: 1846, Maryland)

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GREAT-GRANDFATHER

Philip C. May, Jr. died October 7, 1890 (50 yr. 10.mo. 2 days concludes birth ne: December 5, 1839 or January 1, 1840).  His middle name may have been Christopher according to one family record.  He is buried on southeast hill in Calvary Cemetery, Denison, Texas. (Note: name spelled with two “l’s” on tombstone - Phillip and a “Jr.” status indicating there was probably some former relative named Phillip C. May - maybe an uncle or grandfather)

He married Ida Mae Atwell (August 30, 1859 – June 30, 1929, age 69), daughter of Lucinda Pike and William Atwell. Bible marriage certificate record shows P.C. May from Baltimore, Maryland and Ida from Louisville, Kentucky. They married at St. Teresa Catholic Church on Grand Ave. in St. Louis. November 8, 1880 with witnesses Thomas Tollis and Katie M.G. Kelley. Family lore is that Phil was a baker. Four children by this union: P.C., Charles, Gertie, and Daisy.

 

GRANDFATHER

1. Phillip C. May (October 21, 1881- February 4, 1963) born in St. Louis, Missouri married Lydia "Lyda" Weaver (April 11, 1886 - October 15, 1967) at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Denison, Texas November 1, 1910.  His middle name may have been Clarence according to one family record; however, he changed it to Chesterfield.  Known by grandchildren as “Tee-Taw”,  Phil called Lyda “Chief”.  Phil worked as a motorman on old Texas Electric Rail Road which ran from Denison to Dallas (1903 diary). Took Civil Service exam Oct. 25, 1905; joined post office as a letter carrier on Saturday, November 1, 1905 and was appointed a regular carrier on October 15, 1907.  He retired in 1944.  Interested  in horticulture,  he raised roses, peonies, apples, pears, grapes, black walnut and pecan trees; had horny toads and tarantula spiders as pets to eat the bugs in the garden.  He may have been left-handed from slant of his writing. Phil and Lyda are buried north side of entry road in Calvary Hill Cemetery in Denison, Texas. Two children:

1A - Frances Elizabeth May (August 23, 1911- July 22, 2005) attended Lamar grade school and Denison High School in Denison, Texas.  She married Wiley Beal Grinnell (September 21, 1911 - January 3, 1995) of Sherman, Texas on November 24, 1929.  Both are buried in Beaumont, Texas.  Five children:  

          

 1a-4   Thomas Kelly Grinnell married Sandra Lee Shepherd on May 15, 1981; they had 6 children:

1a-4-1  Brett Patrick Grinnell married Krista LynnVan Hess on January 25, 2002.
Children: Jaeden Cole Grinnell and Samrra Tailor Grinnell 

 1a-4-2  Erika Lynn Grinnell  married Matthew Rhodes on May 25, 2008.
Children:  Harper Savannah Rhodes, Liam Henry Rhodes

1a-4-3  Kevin Todd Grinnell

1a-4-4  Anthony Scott Grinnell 

1a-4-5  Brian Matthew Grinnell 

 1a-4-6  Lisa Ann Grinnell           

1a-5   Frances Margaret “Babe” Grinnell married Patrick Hugh Gallagher in 1968 and had two children:

1a-5a Lee Gallagher

1a-5b Regina Gallagher Halpert

1a-5b-1 Caroline

1a-5b-2 Garrett

 

FATHER

Margaret Evelyn May

1B -  Philip Chesterfield “Doc” May (January 24, 1913 – April 12,  2003) married Margaret Evelyn May (December 16, 1917 – 13 December 2016, Dallas, Texas) at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Denison, Texas on November 2, 1940.  Doc served in World War II with the 136^th Division Signal Co.; he worked 32 years as railway postal clerk, retiring June 30, 1972.  They are buried on the north side of the entry road in Calvary Cemetery in Denison, Texas.  Margaret is a daughter of James Joseph May and Margaret “Maggie” Camp May of Denison, Texas. Three children:

1b-1   Karla Margo May married January 23, 1965 to Martin Anthony Warborg from Iowa (8 children: Tanya Lee, James Michael (1967- 1992, work accident), Jason Thomas (1968 - 1984 cancer), Martin Anthony “Marty, Heather Lynn, Chad Aaron, Jonathan Daniel, and Trudy Gayle

1b-2    Philip Kyle May married Bettye Faulkner and had 2 children: Christopher Todd & Amy Michelle.  They divorced and Philip then married Cindy unknown on December 16, 198? . They adopted Matthew Jacob.

1b-3   Adre Ann May married December 22, 1979 to Thomas Knight Bower. The couple divorced in 1997. Three sons: Thomas Elliott, Philip Knight, Adrian Edward

2. Charles G. May (September 16, 1883 – September 26, 1884) was born in St. Louis, Missouri.

3. Gertrude “Gertie” Elizabeth May (December 2, 1885 – November 7, 1962, age 77) was born in St. Louis, Missouri. The family moved to Denison,Texas when she was 3 years old, according to newspaper obit.  Gertrude adopted the surname of Maughs when she was 7 after her mother remarried. She attended St. Xavier Academy and Denison High School.  She worked in Dallas,Texas 20 years for Southwestern Bell Telephone and then 32 years for Texas & Pacific treasurer’s office. She retired in 1952, returning to Denison to live with her sister “Daisy”.  She never married and had no children. She is buried on the south side of entry road in Calvary Hill Cemetery in Denison, Texas.

NOTE: In correspondence to her niece Frances, Gertie refers to a cousin named Lynn Flory (pronounced Flor-ee) who lived in New Orleans who was Daisy’s age. Gertie used monogrammed stationery with GEM in gold letters.

4.  Elsie Margaret “Daisy” May (May 27, 1888 – June 10, 1971) born in St. Louis, Missouri; her mother must have returned to St. Louis for the birth; she also adopted the surname Maughs at age 4 when her mother remarried.  Daisy married George Roy Hastings (1882 – August 20, 1927, age 45).   Daisy was a registered nurse.  Daisy & Roy are buried on the south side of the entry road in Calvary Hill Cemetery in Denison, Texas. Three children:

4a - Philip Roy Hastings (1914-2003) married  Kathryn “Kaki” Elizabeth Welty (1912-1989). Second marriage - Marie Aase.  Phil is buried in California. One daughter, Latrelle Hastings Nation, born February 9, 1938 and had 3 children: Philip,Theresa Kathryn, Aaron 

4b - Harold Thomas Hastings (March 29, 1918 - June 2, 1999) was a bachelor; he was a decorated World Waw II  “ace” fighter pilot serving in the Pacific theatre.  He lived in New York and Greece; following the war he flew for TWA airlines for over 30 years.  He retired and lived in Denison. There is a statue in his honor at entry of Perrin Air Force Base between Denison and Sherman. He is buried on the south side of the entry road in Calvary Cemetery Denison,Texas. 

4c -  Lura Hastings (May 2, 1923 – November 29, 1998) married in 1945 to Major Theodore A. Klecka from Quero, Texas. Lura was a nurse and Theo was a bone-specialist doctor. Both are buried in San Antonio, Texas. Six children:

4c-1 Candace Anne “Candy”, a veterinarian, married Terry Wesley Anderson in 1976. Divorced. Son Thomas Ray “Tommy” Klecka

4c-2  Daryl married Laverne Unknown  Divorced. 4 children .  Second marriage to Unknown.

4c-3  Diane married Don Nunley.

4c-4  Lura Frances “Pepi”, a veterinarian, married James R. Braden September 1, 1977. Divorced. Daughter Amanda Jane Braden, who received BBA in 2002 from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Amanda’s son - Ryan.

4c-5 Tedra Marie 

4c-6 Wren married Douglas Edmund Knapp March 13, 1983 (twins: Matthew Arthur and Sarah Ashley)

 

NOTE: Daisy Hastings married Carl Parish April 18, 1839 in Atoka, Oklahoma.  He was age 55 and she was age 50. The marriage was annulled.  The married name of Daisy Parish appears on 1940 US census (familysearch.org Film 2210200 dig folder 004532328 image 00694).

NOTE: Entry on family Bible records page for John May born March 14, 1869 is listed after Elsie May.  No other records for him - do not know relationship. Could he be a nephew of Phillip C. May (1840-1890) or a son by a possible earlier marriage? Could this be a death date rather than a birth date? Mystery relative!!!  
NOTE: 1850 census lists John May born ne: 1846 as brother of Phillip C. May (1840-1890)

MAUGHS NOTE: After Phillip C. May died in 1890, Ida M. Atwell May remarried.  On October 5, 1892 she was united in marriage to Leonidas Linville “Major” Maughs (January 28, 1839 – September 8, 1898) by Fr. Crowley, witnessed by Mr. & Mrs. W.M. Peck and Mr. & Mrs. A.S. Buchard in St. Patrick Catholic Parish parsonage in Denison,Texas.  Maughs was from Lexington in Calloway County, Missouri. He was a lawyer, credited with bringing first gas lights to Denison, served as postmaster, and was a charter member of Rod & Gun Club.  Maughs owned “Evening Dispatch Printing & Job Office” which he sold to Mort Scholl on August 15, 1899. Ida and “Major” Maughs are buried on the south side of the entry road in Calvary Hill Cemetery in Denison, Texas. Three children:

1.  Leonidas “Leo” or “Lee” L. Maughs born in Denison,Texas April 2, 1894, died Nov. 16, 1942 in Los Angeles, California.  He was a Navy veteran of World War I.  In the U.S. 1940 census for California, Lee is married to Esther (b. ne:1899, Illinois) and had two daughters living with them: Jewell Patterson (b. 1920, California ) and Jennetta Patterson (b. 1921, California). They are buried in California.  

2.  Ida May (Mae) “Mitzi” Maughs was born in Denison,Texas on November 29, 1895; she died in 1968. She married Frank Elmer Shappy on September 14, 1918 in Waxahachie, Texas. He was a 1^st Sgt. in the 868th Aero. Rep. Squadron in Dallas, Texas.  Citing mental and physical cruelty, she filed a divorce petition on January 13, 1921, and it was granted by the courts on May 26, 1921 in Dallas County, Texas.
In Manhattan, New York on November 11, 1922 she married David “Dave” Bennett Cromie (November 2, 1888 - 1958). Dave became a naturalized citizen April 21, 1944. They lived in New York, Baltimore, Maryland, and Florida.  They had no children. Dave died 6 months after moving to Florida.  Ida returned to Denison,Texas for nursing care (brain tumor) and to be near family shortly before she died. Both are buried in Boyton Beach Cemetery, Florida.

   
  3.  Roderick “Rocky” Atwell Maughs born in Denison,Texas September 24, 1897/1899) and died September 12, 1950 at Vallejo, California; she fell off of a train and was run over according to newspaper article on file while on his way to visit family in Denison, Texas.  He was employed by the government at Mare Island, California and was a Navy veteran of World War I. In 1940 U.S. census for Scotia, Humboldt, California, Rodrick A. Maughs and wife Edith Ammonette (b.1900, Texas) had one son Rodrick, Jr (born 1925, California).  Rocky is buried in California.

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Biography Index
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