Biography of George May, pages 810/811/812.  History of 
DeKalb County, Indiana; B. F. Bowen & Company, Inc., 
Indianapolis, 1914.



It is proper to judge of the success and the status of a 
man’s life by the estimation in which he is held by his 
fellow citizens. They see him at his work, in his family 
circle, in his church, at his devotions, hear his views on 
public questions,  observe the outcome of his code of 
morals, witness how he conducts himself in all the 
relations of society and civilization and thus become 
competent to judge of his merits and demerits. After a long 
course of years of such daily observation it would be out 
of the question for his neighbors not to know his worth, 
because, as has been said, “Actions speak louder than 
works.” In this county there is nothing heard concerning 
the subject of this sketch but good words. He has passed so 
many years here that his worth is well known, but it will 
be of interest to run over the busy events of his life in 
these pages. George May was born on January 5, 1854, in 
Erie county, New York, and is a son of Valentine and 
Magdalene (Kuhn) May. Both of these parents were born in 
Alsace, France, where Valentine grew to maturity and spent 
seven years in the French army. About 1850 he came to 
America with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Rhinehart May, 
locating in Erie county, New York.  There, after reaching 
the years of maturity, he married Magdalene Kuhn, the 
daughter of Anthony and Christina Kuhn, and there he spent 
the remainder of this life, being engaged in farming, his 
death occurring on May 1, 1903. His widow is still living 
and resides at the old home in Erie county, being now 
eighty-two years old.  Mrs. May’s mother, Christina Kuhn, 
died on May 1911, at the remarkable age of one hundred and 
three years. Christina, the mother of Mrs. Christina 
(Steinmetz) Kuhn, lived to be one hundred and ten years 
old. She died three days after  the battle of Wurth, where 
the Prussians so decisively defeated the French, her death 
being caused by fright when the house in which she was 
living was shot to pieces over her by the cannon balls of 
the conflicting armies.  She had practically been free of 
illness during her entire life.  George May remained a the 
parental homestead in Erie county, New York, until twenty-
four years old, having received his education in the 
district schools of that locality.  In young man hood he 
learned the blacksmith’s trade and was busily engaged at 
the forge, his early life being characterized by persistent 
industry. In February, 1877, he came to DeKalb county, 
Indiana, locating in Smithfield township, where for a year 
or two he farmed on shares. In April of the year of his 
arrival here he married Agnes Shoudel, the daughter of 
Matthias Shoudel and sister of Michael L. Shoudel, whose 
sketch appears in this work. She was born in Chicago and 
was brought to this locality when about two weeks old, her 
parents settling in Smithfield township among the early 
pioneers. About five years after his marriage George May 
bought the farm where he now resides in section 14, 
Smithfield township, and to this he has since devoted 
himself with the most persistent energy and with very 
gratifying results. The land which he owns is characterized 
by great fertility, a quality which he has maintained by 
careful rotation of crops and fertilization when necessary 
and he has made many substantial and permanent 
improvements, having erected most of the buildings and 
rebuilt the barns.  The general condition of his farm 
bespeaks for the proprietor a spirit of thrift and 
progress, which have won for him a conspicuous place among 
the county’s most enterprising agriculturists.  Mr. May is 
a citizen of broad views and of public spirit and one who 
take pride in the progress of this township and the 
enhancement of the public weal. In 1900 he was elected 
township assessor and served in this office four years and 
also served one year as a member of the county council, 
having been elected in 1904, but resigning at the end of 
one year’s service. He is the solicitor for Smithfield 
township for the Mutual Fire Insurance Company for DeKalb 
county and also for the Mutual Cyclone Insurance Company of 
Indiana, and in this line is building up a large business. 
Politically, he is a Democrat just as long as his party 
insists on putting up good men for office, but is 
independent when it comes to the choice of men for whom he 
shall vote.  To Mr. and Mrs. May have been born the 
following children: Mike, who lives in Buffalo, New York, 
married Carrie Housworth, and they have three children, 
Marian, Gertrude and Arthur; Lena is the wife of Andrew 
Zircher, who lives north of Summit in Smithfield township, 
and they have three children, Michael, Christina and Mary; 
John, who lives west of his father, married Mary Dapp, and 
they have two children, Agnes and Esther; Kate at home with 
her parents; Annie is the wife of George Delucenay, of the 
northern part of Smithfield township, and has four 
children, Frances, Elmer, Leo and Mary; Mary is at home 
with her parents. Mr. May and his family are active members 
of the Catholic church, of which he was the youngest member 
when it was organized in this locality and of which he has 
been an earnest supporter and attendant since.  Mr. May and 
his wife move in the best social circles of the community 
and are extremely popular.  Mrs. May is a lady of 
refinement and culture, her unassuming manner, charming 
personality and excellent traits of character gaining for 
her the friendship of all who meet her. Mr. May  is an 
honest and upright man of the strictest integrity and nobly 
has he earned the wholesome reputation which is his.

Submitted by:

Arlene Goodwin

Auburn, Indiana

Agoodwin@ctlnet.com