improved, and on it are a handsome and commodious barn and a beautiful farm residence. He commenced life for himself at the age of fifteen years without a dollar, and by his own industry, enterprise and frugality has become one of the leading agriculturists of this region, and has a competency which places him far beyond the reach of want. He was married to Miss Emma Kelley, a native of Indiana, born March 20, 1848, but her early education was received in the State of Iowa, whither she had moved with her parents at an early day. To them a family of nine children have been born: Nellie (who is fitting herself for a school teacher), Ada (wife of H. M. Bennington, a farmer of Story County), Nora May (still living and devoting her leisure time to music), Eddie (who died in infancy), Ina and Ola (who also died in infancy), Willie (aged ten years), Sylvia (aged six years), and Mildred (who died in infancy). On the 1st of August, 1862, Mr. May enlisted at Des Moines in the three years' volunteer service, becoming a member of Company A, Twenty-third Iowa Volunteer Infantry, in the Fourteenth Division of the Thirteenth Army Corps, and was assigned to the Western Division, under command of Gen. U. S. Grant. Mr. May was in two general engagements—Magnolia Hill, near Vicksburg, Miss., May 1, 1863, and on the 17th of May, 1863, at Black River Bridge. While his regiment was making a charge, he received a musket ball in his right arm, and on the 18th of May, amputation was found to be necessary, and the arm was taken off a little below the shoulder joint. After remaining in the hos pital three months, he was honorably discharged at St. Louis, Mo., and returned home. He now receives a good pension from " Uncle Sam." He has always voted the Republican ticket, and is now filling the office of township trustee, a position he has held two terms, and has also been a school director for three years. He is a member of G. A. R. Post No. 234, at Cambridge, and he also belongs to the Farmers' Alliance, and thinks that organization an excellent one for the promotion of the interests of the farmers, providing they will cling together. He has always been a public-spirited citizen, and he and wife support all worthy enterprises.
Samuel J. Michaelson. A history of the prominent men of Story County would in no measure be complete without mention of the subject of this sketch, Samuel J. Michaelson, a most popular and influential merchant of Roland, Iowa, and a member of the firm of Johnson & Michaelson. Born in Story County, April 10, 1863, he here grew to manhood and received a thorough education at both the common and high schools, later graduating at the Keokuk Business College after completing a course there most satisfactory to himself and his instructors. For five terms he experienced the pleasure of " teaching young ideas to shoot," for a time teaching in the schools where he was educated. From this he turned his attention to trading in stock, and being a young man of unexceptional business capacity, succeeded equally well at each occupation, and April 19, 1890, he led to the hymenial. altar Miss Sarah Boyd, the charming daughter of K. P. Boyd. Mr. Michaelson and wife belong to the Lutheran Church, and here, as elsewhere, are conspicuous for the fulfillment of the obligations placed upon them. In 1854 John Michaelson, father of Samuel, came to America from the shore of his beloved Norway, and settling in Kendall County, Ill., married Miss Betsy Simmons, who was also a native of Norway. They settled in Story County in 1857, being the worthy parents of an equally worthy son. Jefferson Miller is a progressive hardware