Sarah May, above mentioned, a resident of Pike County and state of Kentucky, aged 86 years, who being first duly sworn makes the following declaration:  That she is the widow of John May who was in the Artillery service in the Virginia Continental Line of the Revolutionary War.  She is not able to state the exact year that he entered but they may be informed from the statements herein after contained.  He entered the service in the county of Berkley and in the state of Virginia and recollection is that his Captain's name was Gherry, and a portion of the time she thinks he was under the command of General Lee and she has a recollection of hearing him frequently speak of being on the opposite side of the river from the Battle of Long Island and also of General Washington's Retreat over the river.  She recollects being in Martinsburg, Berkley County, Virginia when he returned from the army, and she saw two young men, one by the name of Jacob Orr, the other by the name of Jacob Pike, with many others, take him into Skinney Tavern in Martinsburg and treat him to something to drink and they seemed to be rejoicing together, and on inquiring as told that it was John May who had just returned from the army.  Of this she is certain.  This was in the month of April and to the best of her recollection was in the year 1779 or 1780. 

In March of the following year, John May and this applicant were married.  Her husband frequently told her that he entered the service in his seventeenth year, and he was in his twentieth year when he and the applicant married he having returned from the army in April and we being married in the March following, which was in the year 1779 or 1780, as before stated.  The certificate given her by the preacher that married them was lost with other records of the family.  She does not recollect from any information that services he rendered further than that above stated or whether he was in any engagements or not.  The reason of her not recollecting more fully as to his services is that she was not in that section of the country when he enlisted in the service but came there (to Berkley County) while he was in the service.  She herewith sends a certificate from the audition office in Virginia as evidence of his service and she thinks she can explain why the expression is made use of in said certificate "delivered to widow".  That said, John May lived with a widow May in Martinsburg, Virginia, at the time he entered the service, who was his aunt as she understood and returned to live there.  On his return from the army and soon after his return, purchased the house and lot on which the said widow May lived, and she has no doubt, save his wages in payment as part payment for the place as his means was then limited, and supposedly gave an order for said wages.  She further states that she recollects having frequently seen his discharge and that it was lost or destroyed many years since, with other papers and records of the family, but she cannot state certainly how it was lost or destroyed or the exact time when.

She refers to the office of the Secretary of War where she presumes his name may be found registered.  She further states that her husband, John May, died January 25, 1813, and that she has remained a widow ever since as will appear by the proof herein subjoined.  She was married to him after the expiration of the last term of his service at the time before stated, and prior to the January 1, 1794.  She further states that she is satisfied that he must have been in the service 2 years and she has a distinct recollection of frequently hearing him speak of having had charge of the artillery, whether as an officer or not she has no distinct recollection.  She further states that her name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state, and that she hereby relinquishes all claims to any annuity except the present.  The above declaration was made in the Court of Pike County, Kentucky, John D. Mims as Clerk.

John D. Mims, Clerk of the Court of Pike County, Kentucky certifies the within declaration of Sarah May and stated that the proceedings were held in open court and sworn to by the said Sarah May, who is a woman of undoubtable character for truth and veracity.  Made September 15, 1845, James Bevins, presiding Justice of the Pike County Court, certified the statement made by John D. Mims.

Joseph Ford of Pike County, Kentucky, aged 97 years announced that he was personally well acquainted with Sally May of Pike County, Kentucky, widow of John May, for 55 or 56 years, and that both were reputed to be man and wife and also to be of very good character as for truth and veracity.

In the Clerk's office at Prestonsburg on the 19 day of September, Samuel May made the following disposition.  He recollects having frequently seen in the lifetime of his father, John May, what he called his discharge.  This was prior to the time I was large enough to take notice of such things.  Until about my nineteenth year he kept his papers in a sack or small bag and when he wished to examine them he poured the papers out and it was on such occasion that I noticed the paper called by him his discharge.  It has been 41 years since I was in the company of my father, any of a notice and it has been about 32 years since his death.  I recollect of having heard him speak of having served in the Revolutionary War.

Thomas c. Brown, of Floyd County, Kentucky stated that while Sheriff of said county he served a unit on Sarah and John May for slander and that John May treated the subject as a man would a case against his wife and that they were living together as man and wife and were reputed as such in their neighborhood.

Theopolard May, the son of John May and Sarah May, born in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and five, July the twenty-sixth, his name was taken from Homer Theopolard, the son of Hercules and King Rodiah or Rodes.  The above was taken from a birth certificate.

The discharge papers delivered to Hon. Richard French, January 12, 1848 were returned May 1848.  Case of suspension given as "Service and marriage not fully proved; claim withdrawn."