Sacramento County
Biographies
GEORGE F. MAY
GEORGE
F. MAY.--A native son of California whose life has
been spent near the scene of his birth is George F. May, who was born at Stockton,
May 2, 1878, the son of George and Sophie (Beckman) May, both parents being
natives of Germany. One of San Joaquin
County’s early pioneers, the father came to California
across the plains in 1854 and Mrs. May arrived here soon after, their marriage
occurring in Stockton. Mr. May engaged in teaming from Stockton
to the mines and in later years farmed near Galt and also ran a hotel there
which has since burned down. He lived to
be seventy-four years old, the mother passing away when fifty-three.
George
F. May went to the Henderson school south of Lodi
in his boyhood and when fifteen years old started out for himself,
working on the Saner ranch on Dry Creek in Sacramento
County for about nine years. He then started in the drayage business, at
first using horse-drawn trucks but now using motor
trucks for both his local and long-distance hauling. He has now been engaged in this business for
sixteen years, and in addition handles ice, wood and coal, having built up a
splendid patronage. Mr. May is one of a
family of seven children, his brothers and sisters being as follows: Fred G., Mrs. Kate Fox and Henry T., all of
Galt; William, who died at the age of twenty-six; Mrs. Myrtle Crosby of Reno,
Nev.; and one child who died in infancy.
At
Sacramento, March 10, 1907, Mr. May was married to Miss Louise Biederman, born
in Sacramento, the daughter of Henry and Magdalena (Auwater) Biederman, the
father a native of Connecticut, while the mother was born in Wittenberg,
Germany. The parents came to Sacramento,
Cal., in 1876, and here the
father was engaged as a cabinet-maker for many years; he passed away at the age
of sixty-five, but the mother still lives in Sacramento. They were the parents of seven children: Theresa, residing at Sacramento;
Mrs. May of Galt; Mrs. Alice Haven of Sacramento;
Henrietta and Etta, deceased; John Henry of Dunsmuir; and Richard George, who
died in childhood. Mr. and Mrs. May have
one son, George Henry, and they reside in the old May home at Galt. In fraternal affiliation Mr. May is a member
of Lodi Lodge, Foresters of America, is president of Galt parlor, N. S. G. W., is
a past grand of Galt Lodge, I. O. O. F., and with his wife belongs to the
Rebekahs. He takes a strong interest in
the civic life of the community and has served an unexpired term as justice of
the peace and has been deputy constable.
In politics he is a Republican.
Transcribed by Barbara Gaffney.
Source: Reed, G. Walter, History of Sacramento County, California With Biographical Sketches,
Pages 667-668. Historic Record Company, Los
Angeles, CA. 1923.
© 2007 Barbara Gaffney.