Miami Union

November 30, 1911 

MAY, CONRAD - The funeral of Conrad May, prominent Piqua citizen who died Friday of apoplexy, was held Monday afternoon at the May home on West Water street, Piqua.  The service was conducted by the Rev. Dr. W. F. Simon, and Dr. John Montgomery at two o'clock.  Interment at Forest Hill cemetery.  Mr. May was a native of Germany.  He was born in Hessen, on November 12th, 1830, being 81 years of age at his death.  Mr. May came to the United States in 1847, when a youth of seventeen years of age and to Miami county one year later.  He commenced work near Troy in the fall of 1848 as a field hand, husking corn by the day.  The year following he began to work on the Knoop farm, where in 1848, he bound the first sheaf of wheat cast by a reaper machine in Miami county.  He remained working on the Knoop farm until 1856, when he started a grocery store in Troy.   Thirteen years later in 1869, he sold his store and removed to Piqua where he remained until his death.  From 1869 until 1873 he held an interest in the drug store of May brothers and in that year purchased his brother, Henry May's interest in the business which he operated until November 1879.  In 1877 he purchased the hotel at the corner of Main and Water streets, then known as the Leland house, later run as the Bassett house, and under several other names.  He always retained his interest in the affairs of the city and looked after the management of his real estate personally until almost his last days.  He was married in 1858 to Miss Francisca Henne of Troy,  In April 1908, the couple celebrated their golden wedding at their handsome home on West Water street.  Mr May was a life long member of the St. Paul's German Lutheran church and for four years was president of the church board.  He is survived by his widow and seven children.  Four sons, Charles H. May, Henry May, Louis May, and Albert May and three daughters, Mrs. Kate Miller, Mrs. Charles Loeffler, and Mrs. Handy Crump, all of Piqua.  Six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren are also living.

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