The 1850 United States census showed Charles May (age 31, born in Germany, gunsmith) married to Mary (age 27, born in Germany) and living in Belleville, St. Clair County, Illinois.
The 1860 United States census showed Charles May (age 41, born in Germany, farmer) married to Mary (age 38, born in Germany) and living in Chaska, Carver County, Minnesota. Children Jacob (age 9, born in Illinois), Chas. (age 6, born in Minnesota), and Mary (age 1, born in Minnesota) also lived with the couple.
Charles May (age 43, born in Germany, farmer) registered for the Civil War on October 9, 1863.
The Brewery of Messrs. Young & (Charles) May, is up and enclosed, and they are daily expecting the arrival of the Machinery, necessary for the manufacture of beer. Fritz & Co., are also far advanced with their brewery. It is needless for us to add that with the addition of the above breweries to those already in full blast, will enable the retail dealers to keep supplied with beer, fully as good and at a less cost than St. Paul manufacture. (Valley Herald, Saturday, July 21, 1866, Page 1)
The 1870 United States census showed Charles May (age 51, born in Germany, farmer) married to Mary (age 49, born in Germany) and living in Chaska, Carver County, Minnesota. Children Jacob (age 19, born in Germany), Chas. (age 14, born in Minnesota), Mary (age 10, born in Minnesota), Fritz (age 8, born in Minnesota), and Henry (age 5, born in Minnesota) also lived with the couple.
Charles May is erecting a large barn on his farm adjoining town. Mr. May has one of the best farms and farm buildings in the county. We wish him prosperity. (Valley Herald, Thursday, January 20, 1870, Page 1)
The 1880 United States census showed Charles May (age 60, born in Germany, farmer) married to Meary (age 57, born in Germany) and living in Chaska, Carver County, Minnesota. Children Charles (age 25, born in Minnesota), Fred (age 17, born in Minnesota), and Henry (age 14, born in Minnesota) also lived with the couple.
…Charles May, south-west of section 4, adjoining the town site… (History of the Minnesota Valley, Including the Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota, Rev. Edward D. Neill, North Star Publishing Company, Minneapolis, MN, 1882, Page 358)
Peter Iltis, Esq., closed a very important bargain with Charles May, last week, whereby he becomes the sole owner of 21 acres of very valuable land, extending on both sides of his Brewery east and west, for which he paid $2150. Eleven acres of the land lying west of the Brewery is valuable for brick yard purposes, most of it being underlaid with the best of clay. He will plat the 10 acres east of the brick yards into town lots this fall, making Ilti’s addition to Chaska. These lots will readily sell to those employed on our different yards at a big advance over cost price. (The Weekly Valley Herald, Thursday, May 4, 1882, Volume 20, Number 26, Page 4)
The 1885 Minnesota census showed Charles May (age 66, born in Germany) married to Maria (age 63, born in Germany) and living in Chaska, Carver County, Minnesota. Son Henry (age 20, born in Minnesota) also lived with the couple.
For Sale! The undersigned offers for Sale his farm, consisting of 120 acres of land, of which the 50 acres are under plow, 20 acres timber land, the balance being good hay meadow and pasture land, situated in Sect. 1. Benton township. There is a good dwelling house, barn, granary, well and minor out buildings on the premises. For particulars as to terms etc., inquire of Charles May. Dated Benton, May 30th. (The Weekly Valley Herald, Thursday, July 2, 1885, Page 1)
Important Sale. We are informed by Geo. A. DuToit that the farm of Chas. May containing 108 acres, adjoining town has been sold to Messrs. Gerber & Hermeyer of St. Paul, the consideration being $13,500, possession given March 1st [1889]. This sale means much for the future of Chaska. It is well known that this property contains within its soil an immense deposit of fine clay for brick purposes, and the new owners will in early spring open up a large brick yard, and run two machines making 65,000 brick a day. We understand one of the new proprietors will make Chaska his permanent home. Welcome Gentlemen. (The Weekly Valley Herald, Thursday, February 14, 1889, Page 4)
The 1895 Minnesota census showed Charles May (age 75, born in Germany) married to Mary (age 73, born in Germany) and living in Chaska, Carver County, Minnesota.
Maria May died December 16, 1899, in Chaska, Minnesota. She was born July 3, 1823, in Germany.
Death of Mrs. Charles May. Maria May, wife of Charles May, died at her home in this city, on Saturday, December 16, 1899. Maria May, was born July 3, 1823, in Hessen, Germany. About the year 1843, she came to America, where she was married to her widowed husband at Belleville, Illinois, in 1849. In the year 1851, they moved to St. Paul, where Mr. May followed his profession of locksmith. In 1853 they moved to Chaska, on what is now the Klein farm, where they resided until 1889, when they retired from active life to the city of Chaska. They had five children, four sons, Jacob, Fred, Charles and Henry and one daughter, Maria, who married Frank Barris and who, some years ago, preceded her mother into eternity. After many years of intermittent sickness, she on Saturday morning was released from all pain by the Angel of Death. She attained the ripe age of 76 years, 5 months and 13 days. Deceased settled on the old homestead adjoining Chaska, when it was a wilderness and still inhabited by the Indian. She toiled as all the old pioneer (pioneers) did who settled here in the early fifties, but lived long enough to enjoy the fruits of hard labor and privations and has earned immortality in the world beyond the skies. Her funeral from the Moravian church, of which she was an earnest communicant, on Monday, was very largely attended, the Rev. Abel, officiating. (The Weekly Valley Herald, Thursday, December 21, 1899, Page 1)
The 1900 United States census showed Charles W. May (age 80, born in July 1819 in Germany, retired farmer) living in Chaska, Carver County, Minnesota. Charles lived with his son Henry (age 34, born in November 1865 in Minnesota, saloon keeper) and Henry’s wife Bertha L. (age 22, born in February 1878 in Minnesota).
Charles May of this city celebrated his 81 birthday anniversary last Thursday, and is still hale and hearty and as vigorous as many much younger. He was the recipient of many appropriate gifts from his relatives, and was heartily congratulated by his many old time friends and acquaintances. He reminded us that when he first settled here in 1853, the townsite of Chaska, was thickly dotted with majestic oak and maple trees, and that only a few claim shanties marked its site. The change from that time to the present, is so marked that it seems like a dream to him. (The Weekly Valley Herald, Thursday, July 12, 1900, Page 3)
Charles May died October 2, 1902, in Carver County, Minnesota.
Charles May an Aged Pioneer Settler Passes Away. Charles May, died at his home in this city Thursday evening Sept. 25, of paralysis, aged 83 years, 2 months and 22 days. Deceased was born at Eisenberg, Rhein-phalz, Germany, July 3, 1820. Emigrated to America in 1848, and located in Illinois. Later he moved to St. Paul, from where after a short stay he came to Carver county in 1853, settling upon a homestead adjoining this city on the north, where he resided for nearly fifty years. While residing in Illinois, he was married to Miss Mary Henning, which union was blessed with eleven children, all of whom, including his wife have preceded him to the other world, except three sons, viz: Jacob May of this city, Frank May of Wisconsin, and Charles May of Oregon. Deceased was very thrifty and when he sold his farm had accumulated a snug little fortune, the greater part of which had been scattered to the four winds in late years. He was one of the oldest residents of this section, and was a man of sterling integrity and enjoyed the respect and confidence of a large acquaintance. Notwithstanding his advanced age he enjoyed rugged health until August last when he was attacked by paralysis and gradually declined from that time to the day of his death. Funeral took place from the Moravian church, Sunday afternoon and interrment (interment) in Mt. Pleasant cemetery. There was a profusion of floral offerings most beautiful in design. The pall-bearers were F. E. DuToit, H. W. Strobach, John Hoen, Henry Degen, Joseph Ess and William Pfuhl. (The Weekly Valley Herald, Thursday, October 2, 1902, Page 1)