Olivia Yvonne May Smith (Biography)

Olivia was born in Delhi, LA on October 27, 1919 to Willie Sam and Ida Roberta May. She was the sixth child of eight children. Olivia is a direct decedent of Sam May who was the son of our founding father Theodore and Minerva Cavindish-May. Her siblings were Bill, Carrie, Mattie (passed at an early age), Joseph Benjamin (JB), Sam, Henry, Otis, Marietta, Roberta. When she was 10 her mom told her she had a vision that she would not be walking down Parish Line Road (where there home was located) anymore she would be carried in a wagon. She passed after giving birth to her youngest sibling in 1930. She lived with her grandparents for a short time after her mom passed in order to help take care of her grandmother around the house. But she went back home to be with her siblings. As a young child she attended Saint John Baptist and Fellowship Baptist church.

She attended RichlandParishTraining school up until the 11^th grade (highest at the time) when she completed there she registered and attended Southern University where graduated with a Bachelor of Science, in Home Economics in 1944. She went back to her alma mater where she taught Science for four years. She coached the basketball team as well and led them back to Southern four straight years to the State basketball tournament. There was no concrete. They played on a dirt ground. The first time her team played in an actual building was at Thomas town (below Tallulah) at night. She worked on a farm for one year after that where she taught school in a church house teaching grades 1st through 6^th in one room. They asked her to come back after she gave her students their first Christmas tree, gifts, and Christmas program. After a year of teaching on a farm she began teaching in Madison Parish at the Junior High School 7^th and 8^th grade Science. She taught there until her retirement in 1976 with 31 years of service.

Olivia married Richard Douglas Smith Sr. (deceased) on August 22, 1950 in Tijuana, Mexico because her husband was in the Naval Forces. They had three children: Beverly Ann Smith, Dr. Richard Douglas Smith Jr, and Pastor Gerald Patrick Smith sr. She has 15 grandchildren ,13 great grand children, and one surviving sibling Roberta Winters.

Olivia does not let her age of 91 slow her down. She is still an active member of Eastern Star where she serves as the matron, Christian Club, Friendly Ladies Club and teaches physical education at the Council on Aging. Still keeping to her religious roots, she is a stewardess and missionary at St. Peter AME church where she has been a member for the last 60 plus years.

In the year that Olivia May-Smith was born: The United States Congress approves the 19th Amendment for women's rights. In history the first US air passenger service starts ...
How much things cost in 1919:

Chevrolet Superior Roadster $490.00, Eggs 1 doz. 25cents,  Eight Room two-family Home, Partly Modernised $2900  

  Biography

Of

Roena Turner

Roena (Chambliss) Turner is the daughter of Margie (May) Chambliss and the granddaughter of Doctor May and the great granddaughter of Theodore Cavindish May and Minerva May. She was born in Delhi, Louisiana on May 3, 1925 to Ed and Margie (May) Chambliss, the 7^th of nine children. She received her formal education from Richland Parish Training School. She began her Christian journey as a member of the New Fellowship Baptist Church. Roena married Joe W. Turner on July 21, 1944. To their union, eight children were born: Dora, Fredessa, Jo Nell, Norman (deceased), Beverly, Willa Sue, Darlene and Ann.

After marrying Joe W., she moved her church memberships to Mt. Zion Baptist Church. She moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1964 where she currently resides and is a  member of the Victory Missionary Baptist Church and serves as the chairperson of the Mothers’ Board. Her favorite scripture passages are Isaiah chapter 61 and St. John chapter 15. Roena has seventeen grandchildren and seventeen great grandchildren. Some of her favorite things to do are Reading, Counseling, Cooking and Shopping. She was widowed in July 2004.

    During the year that Roena (Chambliss) Turner was born this happen:

United States President was: Calvin Coolidge

The Chrysler Corporation is founded by Walter Percy Chrysler.

The Cost of things in 1925

School teacher annual salary $1,299 (1925),
Shoes, kids shoes Keds converse sneakers $1.25- $4.50,  A Chrysler
   Imperial Sedan cost $2,995 & One pound of coffee cost $0.47-$1 in 1925

 Biography

Of

David E. May

David E. May was born to the late Carrie Scott May and Alfred May on March 8, 1927.

David attended Richland Parish Training School in the St. John community of Delhi, LA. He joined as was and still is, the May family church “New Fellowship Baptist”.

After leaving Delhi, David joined the U.S. Army on July 10, 1945 and was in Fort Lewis, QA for engineering training and in 1945 transferred to Naples, Italy.  In 1945 he returned to McDell Airforce Base.  The countries he traveled to were Germany, Korea and Vietnam.  He retired from the military on October 31, 1965.

He joined the U.S. States Department AID on February 15, 1966 and retired in 1976.  He went to Saudi Arabia under the Minister of Defense Aviation as a military advisor until 1992.  He return to the U.S. and moved to Las Vegas where he presently live.

He founded a school in Vietnam for 453 young men ages 8-13 and taught them allied maintenance equipment.  He received an award on foreign relations from the country of Vietnam.  David E. May, the oldest living descendant of the Jerome May Branch. 

                                              The Cost of things back in 1927
You could buy a record for $0.39, A raccoon coat would set you back $39.50, A console radio was $72.50 & A man's suit (Coat, Vest, 2 Pr. Pants) was $15.85

Biography
of
  Viola May Beals


Viola May Beals of Delhi, Louisiana is the granddaughter and oldest living descendant of Johnny May and Lora King-May. She was born September 27, 1927 in Delhi, Louisiana to Ernest May and Janie Whitney-May.  She is the second eldest of ten children with three sisters and six brothers.  She attended Richland Parish Training School in the St. John community of Delhi.

A December bride, Viola was united in holy matrimony to Shep Beals of Mangham, Louisiana in the late 1940’s. Together they had fourteen children:  Minnie Lee Dykes, Barbara Jean Cornist (deceased), Marilyn Theus, Delores, Florenda, Shirley Lynn, Carolyn, Melvin, James Otis, and Wilford Earl, all of Delhi; Kathy Marie of Lomita, California; Martha Ann Smith, John Edward, and Freeman of Las Vegas Nevada.

Viola has twenty-eight grandchildren, fifty-four great grandchildren, and seventeen great-great grandchildren. Her granddaughter Shephanique Na’Jay (daughter of Carolyn) and her great grandson Christian Shep (grandson of Marilyn) are both the same age and the only two of all her grandchildren to carry their grandfather’s first name.

Viola has spent her life as a homemaker and dedicated family woman. After Shep died in the late 1960’s she found herself faced with the challenges of becoming a widow with twelve of their fourteen children still in their early childhood years and having to finish the new home she and Shep had recently built.

Viola has never remarried and currently resides in Delhi in her family home. She has devoted her time to raising her children and finishing her home. She is an active and life-long member of the original May family church (New Fellowship Baptist of Delhi), where she and many of her children carry on the legacy that her parents and their forefathers kept in place for serving the Christian cause. 

During the year that Viola May-Beals was born this is what was happening: 
In 1927, Kool-Aid was invented by a black Chemist name, "Edwin Perkin"
In 1927, G.W. Carver invented the process of producing paints and stains from soybeams...

         How Much things cost in 1927
 Manual Washing Machine $15.95, Electric Washing Machine $79.00, Kodak Box Brownie Camera $2.29 & Wood Fired Kitchen Range $69.85 
 

The Biography

of

Foster May Oldest Descendant

Biography

Of

 CONSUELO WHITAKER

Consuelo Crawford (Nisby) Whitaker: the oldest child of Mildred May Crawford, the oldest grandchild of Theo. May, and the oldest great grandchild of Warren May.

Warren May’s ….Youngest son, Theodore W. May (4/30/1896 – 7/4/1995) had one child, G. Mildred May Crawford. …“Mildred”, as she preferred to be called, was born in Eudora Arkansas. (11/15/1916 – 12/14/1997) as was both her parents.  As Mildred grew older, her mother, Lula Keith May, wanted an education for her daughter. So she sent Mildred to Coffeyville, Kansas where her Father, was now living.  Mildred attended Cleveland School, Field McKinley High School and graduated from Coffeyville Jr. College in May 1936. That same year she married Clifton Crawford.

She was the Mother of seven Children … Consuelo Wandella 01/18/1937; Clifton Lewis (12/15/1938 - 04/ 1939); Theodore Jerome (Sr.) 12/20/1940; Stephanie Elaine Crawford Wright (12/26/1943 – 8/14/1975); Stephen L. Crawford 12/26/1952; Porter Omega Crawford 6/1/1954 – 11/22/92 ; George Mark Crawford (3/16/1959 – 5/15/1959.)

     Consuelo, a Blessed child of God …have been a part of five generations most of her life. Born in Coffeyville, Kansas on January 18, 1937. With the relocation on July, 4^th, 1947 to Richmond, California she and her family were welcomed by her mom’s cousin Rudy (Sr.) and his wife Oletha May.  Consuelo, finished her education in Stockton.  She married John Nisby while still in college. Consuelo and her husband relocated to Pittsburgh Penn. When her marriage ended … both her and her son, Jon Nisby and returned to California. Looking for employment, took her to the City of San Francisco California.  New beginnings …new  job … new life … later remarriage …and in time, another son…. Eighteen years of Federal Service working in three agencies. Her and her husband Willard retired and moved back to Stockton.

Five Grandchildren: Nikki, Keith, Candace, J’Aleta, and Atahjijon Nisby. Two Great- Grandchildren, Isabella Y. Nisby and Nia E. Nisby.

Being the oldest, Consuelo, knew her grandfather’s siblings: Overton May “Uncle O.T.”, Grover May, Eugene May “Uncle Hog”, and Pearlee May Keith “Aunt Pal”. Theodore’s oldest brother “Uncle Randolph” passed away before Consuelo was born.

Consuelo brother, Theodore lives in Stockton, his children: Theodore Crawford, Jr. “Teddy”, Janet Crawford and Emile Crawford. My sister had two sons:  James Wright, Jr. and Clifton Wright.

As Consuelo stated before, she is truly “Blessed”. She has seen, spent time with and have known her fore-parents. Consuelo four oldest grand children have spent time with their great-great grandfather, Theodore W. May. All of her grandchildren knew and spent time with “Grandmother Crawford”, their Great Grandmother. Consuelo grandfather use to tell her all the time, “Ask God for Wisdom, wisdom only comes from the Lord.” And remember, “You have to know where you come from to know where you’re going”.

May we as a family continue to have favor with God …..   Consuelo Crawford Whitaker

In 1937 when Consuelo Crawford Whitaker was born this is what was happening in the world: Howard Hughes sets a new record by flying from Los Angeles to New York City in 7 hours, 28 minutes and 25 seconds.

                             How Much things cost in 1937
Average Cost of new house $4,100.00, Average wages per year $1,780.00, Cost of a gallon of Gas 10 cents, Average Cost for house rent $26.00 per month, A loaf of Bread 9 cents, A LB of Hamburger Meat 12 cents, Average Price for new car $760.00 & Toothpaste 35 cents