The Mays Family

At this time, I am unable to determine who the parents of John Mays were. I have several clues, but the scant sources available are inconsistent. This family is receiving the most direct attention at this time.

Starting facts: William F. Mays was born in Franklin Co. (per family tradition), Illinois in May 1858 (per the 1880 Arkansas Census). His father was named John and had served in the Union during the Civil War, likely out of Illinois (family tradition and a bit of deductive reasoning). John was married to Sarah Beam (per my Grandfather) or Jane Sorrells (per my Grandfather's 1st cousin).

First Expectation: Census information is the easiest to access and from 1850 forward can give a lot of details. So, I figured that John Mays will be listed in the 1860 Illinois Census (residing in or near Franklin Co.) with a son named William about 2 years of age. No such luck!

Next Step: Because John had moved his family to Madison Co., Arkansas after the war, the thought was to find a "John" in the 1870 Arkansas Census with a "William" around 12 years old in the household. Instead, I find a John (no middle initial "J.") in Kings River, Madison Co., Arkansas who was age 35 (that's close enough to the 1860 age 26) born in Arkansas, with a wife named Sarah and a son named William, but he was only age 6! There were no other John's that even came close to the criteria and Kings River is rather close to War Eagle, where William later resided. The 1880 Census maintained William's age at 16.

Problems: The John in Illinois did not have children in 1860 and was born in Illinois, where the John in Arkansas was born in Arkansas. William was listed in 1900 as being born in March 1858, but the only William in previous Census was born in 1863-5. Nothing is matching up.

New Information: Contact with Peggy Baldwin, a Thomas D. Mays descendant revealed that John J. Mays (1860 IL Census) was probably Thomas' brother and that Thomas had married Mary Sorrels in St. Clair Co., Missouri in 1856. According to Peggy Baldwin, Thomas and John were both married when they first enlisted in 1862. Here was the name Sorrells, but not associated with John, instead married to his pressumed brother Thomas.

Military Records: I have not sent for any military records, but have viewed information on-line concerning Illinois units. John J. and a George both served in the Union out of Franklin Co., Illinois. John eventually attained the rank of Sergeant and was mustered out in 1865. One on-line source says he was killed in 1864. So far, military records have not helped.

Final Comment: There is no telling how this story will pan out. I am leaning towards John J. Mays being William's father and Thomas being John's brother. Also, I believe John married "Sarah Beam" and not "Jane Sorrells." Finally, I believe that William was born in 1863 and not 1858. There may have been a vanity/ego thing behind the 1858 date (I have seen this on many occassions).

1. JOHN J. MAYS was born around 1835 in Illinois and died 1928 in Arkansas. He was the younger brother of Thomas D. Mays who married Mary Sorrels in 1856. John married SARAH BEAM around 1862 in Illinois.

Children of JOHN MAYS and SARAH BEAM are:

3. WILLIAM FRANCIS MAYS was born March 1863 in Franklin Co., Illinois and died 1913 in Huntsville, Arkansas. He married MARY ANN LANINGHAM, daughter of WILLIAM LANINGHAM and NANCY "LUCINDA" MAYBERRY around 1884. She was born 4 May 1865 in War Eagle, Madison Co., Arkansas, and died 1949 in Huntsville, Arkansas.

Children of WILLIAM MAYS and MARY LANINGHAM are: