Reuben May

Reuben May
Reuben May
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly; from the Vernon 1st district
	In office; January 1, 1872 – January 1, 1873
Preceded by	Joseph W. Hoyt
Succeeded by	Peter Jerman
	In office; January 1, 1870 – January 1, 1871
Preceded by	John M. McLees
Succeeded by	Joseph W. Hoyt
Personal details
Born	Reuben May; June 23, 1815; Robinson Creek, Kentucky
Died	September 26, 1902 (aged 87); Vernon County, Wisconsin
Resting place	Springville Cemetery; Springville, Wisconsin
Political party	Republican; Union Labor (1890); Greenback (1879);
Spouse(s)	Emmeriah V. A. Honaker; (m. 1838; died 1881); Phoebe Ann Dolliver; (m. 1882; died 1883); Caroline S. Johnson (Bennett); (m. 1884; died 1910);
Children	William James May; (b. 1842; died 1921); Thomas Henry May; (b. 1843; died 1920); Bell V. A. May; (b. 1849; died 1875); Alonzo Franklin May; (b. 1853; died 1943); Albert Bascom May; (b. 1855; died 1902); Richard Apperson May; (b. 1857; died 1883); Hugh Lawson May; (b. 1859; died 1958); Georgia E. May; (b. 1861; died 1865);
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army; Union Army
Years of service	1861–1864
Rank	Colonel, USV
Commands	7th Reg. Ky. Vol. Infantry; 8th Reg. Ky. Vol. Infantry;
Battles/wars	American Civil War Stones River Campaign Battle of Stones River; ; Vicksburg campaign Battle of Champion Hill; Battle of Big Black River Bridge; Siege of Vicksburg; Jackson Expedition; ;

Reuben May (June 23, 1815 – September 26, 1902) was a Union Army colonel from Kentucky in the American Civil War. Later he was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly and an unsuccessful candidate for Governor of Wisconsin.

Biography[]

Born in Robinson Creek, Kentucky,^[1] his family moved to Vernon County, Wisconsin, in 1863 while he was serving in the Union Army in the American Civil War. He was commissioned Lieutenant Colonel of the 8th Regiment Kentucky Volunteer Infantry in 1861, and briefly commanded the regiment. In 1863 he was appointed colonel of the 7th Regiment Kentucky Volunteer Infantry, leading them through the Vicksburg campaign and mustering out of the service October 4, 1864.^[2] Much of his family, however, remained in Kentucky and supported secession. His first cousin, Andrew Jackson May, was a colonel for the Confederate Army.^[3]

Political career[]

May was a Republican member of the Assembly from Vernon County's 1st district in 1870 and 1872, losing election in between to represent the district in 1871. He was an unsuccessful candidate for Governor of Wisconsin twice. First, in 1879 as a member of the Greenback Party, and second, in 1890 as a member of the Union Labor Party.

Electoral history[]

Wisconsin Assembly (1869, 1870, 1871)[]

Wisconsin Assembly, Vernon 1st district election, 1870^[4]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
General Election, November 8, 1870
	Republican	Joseph W. Hoyt	365	42.29%
	Independent Republican	Reuben May (incumbent)	325	37.66%
	Democratic	John T. Brinkermann	173	20.05%
Total votes			'*863'*	'*100.0%'*
	Republican hold

Wisconsin Assembly, Vernon 1st district election, 1871^[5]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
General Election, November 7, 1871
	Republican	Reuben May	592	53.19%
	Independent	C. C. Oleson	521	46.81%
Total votes			'*1,113'*	'*100.0%'*	+28.97%
	Republican hold

Wisconsin Governor (1879, 1890)[]

Wisconsin gubernatorial election, 1879^[6]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
General Election, November 4, 1879
	Republican	William E. Smith (incumbent)	100,535	53.19%	+8.98%
	Democratic	James Graham Jenkins	75,030	39.70%	+0.13%
	Greenback	Reuben May	12,996	6.88%	-7.84%
		Scattering	444	0.23%
Total votes			'*189,005'*	'*100.0%'*	+6.11%
	Republican hold

Wisconsin gubernatorial election, 1890^[7]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
General Election, November 4, 1890
	Democratic	George Wilbur Peck	160,388	51.86%	+8.05%
	Republican	William D. Hoard (incumbent)	132,068	42.71%	-6.83%
	Prohibition	Charles Alexander	11,246	3.64%	-0.42%
	Labor	Reuben May	5,447	1.76%	-0.83%
		Scattering	105	0.03%
Total votes			'*309,254'*	'*100.0%'*	-12.82%
	Democratic gain from Republican

References[]

^ "Reuben May". Political Graveyard. Retrieved 2011-11-05.
^ "Col Reuben May". Find a Grave. Retrieved 2011-11-05.
^ "Reuben May". Retrieved 2014-03-11.
^ "Official directory". The legislative manual of the state of Wisconsin (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. 1871. pp. 384–385. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
^ Turner, A. J., ed. (1872). "Official directory". The legislative manual of the state of Wisconsin (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. p. 458. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
^ Warner, Hans B., ed. (1880). "Election statistics". The Blue Book of the state of Wisconsin 1880 (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 270–271. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
^ Cunningham, Thomas J., ed. (1891). "Part III. Election statistics". The Blue Book of the state of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 256–257. Retrieved December 26, 2019.

Party political offices
Preceded by Edward P. Allis	Greenback nominee for Governor of Wisconsin 1879	Succeeded by Edward P. Allis

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[1] "Reuben May". Political Graveyard. Retrieved 2011-11-05.

[2] "Col Reuben May". Find a Grave. Retrieved 2011-11-05.

[3] "Reuben May". Retrieved 2014-03-11.

[4] "Official directory". The legislative manual of the state of Wisconsin (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. 1871. pp. 384–385. Retrieved December 26, 2019.

[5] Turner, A. J., ed. (1872). "Official directory". The legislative manual of the state of Wisconsin (Report). Madison, Wisconsin: State of Wisconsin. p. 458. Retrieved December 26, 2019.

[6] Warner, Hans B., ed. (1880). "Election statistics". The Blue Book of the state of Wisconsin 1880 (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 270–271. Retrieved December 26, 2019.

[7] Cunningham, Thomas J., ed. (1891). "Part III. Election statistics". The Blue Book of the state of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 256–257. Retrieved December 26, 2019.

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Reuben May

Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Vernon 1st district
In office January 1, 1872 – January 1, 1873
Preceded by	Joseph W. Hoyt
Succeeded by	Peter Jerman
In office January 1, 1870 – January 1, 1871
Preceded by	John M. McLees
Succeeded by	Joseph W. Hoyt

Personal details
Born	Reuben May (1815-06-23)June 23, 1815 Robinson Creek, Kentucky
Died	September 26, 1902(1902-09-26) (aged 87) Vernon County, Wisconsin
Resting place	Springville Cemetery Springville, Wisconsin
Political party	Republican Union Labor (1890) Greenback (1879)
Spouse(s)	Emmeriah V. A. Honaker (m. 1838; died 1881) Phoebe Ann Dolliver (m. 1882; died 1883) Caroline S. Johnson (Bennett) (m. 1884; died 1910)
Children	William James May ^{(b. 1842; died 1921)} Thomas Henry May ^{(b. 1843; died 1920)} Bell V. A. May ^{(b. 1849; died 1875)} Alonzo Franklin May ^{(b. 1853; died 1943)} Albert Bascom May ^{(b. 1855; died 1902)} Richard Apperson May ^{(b. 1857; died 1883)} Hugh Lawson May ^{(b. 1859; died 1958)} Georgia E. May ^{(b. 1861; died 1865)}
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army Union Army
Years of service	1861–1864
Rank	Colonel, USV
Commands	7th Reg. Ky. Vol. Infantry 8th Reg. Ky. Vol. Infantry
Battles/wars	American Civil War Stones River Campaign Battle of Stones River Vicksburg campaign Battle of Champion Hill Battle of Big Black River Bridge Siege of Vicksburg Jackson Expedition