660     HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.
 
  
Mr. Keach is indeed a valuable citizen in building up his church
and sustaining the moral element of his community.
 
REUBEN MAY was born October 26, 1796, in Bath County,
Va.  In 1817 he moved to Dearborn County, Ind., lived there
two years and moved to Washington County. In 1827 he moved
to Jackson County, where he has lived ever since and is now in
his ninetieth year and enjoys the name of being about the old-
est living man in Jackson County. He has been a farmer by
occupation, which he has always followed except when he was
engaged as assessor of his township, which office he held for four
years. He was also justice of the peace eight years. He was
United States mail carrier for a term of six years. He has been
a member of the Missionary Baptist Church since 1820. In
1815 he was married to Elizabeth Downing, daughter of Michael
Downing. To them were born eight children: Henry, Michael,
Ellen, Thomas, Elizabeth, Alexander, Andrew L., Mary J.  In
1858 he was married to Mrs. Elizabeth Morgan, daughter of
Amos Ross. To this union have been born four children: L. A.,
Elizabeth, Reuben A. L. and an infant deceased. Reuben A. L. was
born in 1865, and at an early age took a deep interest in educating 
himself, and is now one of the teachers in the public schools and
bids fair to lead in his chosen profession. Reuben May, Sr., was
early in life a flatboat man, having gone to New Orleans with a
cargo starting from "Sogis landing or ferry." He is a Democrat
in politics.
 
JOHN Z. RUSSELL was born in 1816 in Lee County, Va.,
near Jonesville. When he was just one year old - the 16th of
October, 1817 - he together with his parents came to Jackson
County, Ind., and settled near Tampico, or rather where Tampico
now is. He is the first of a family of two children born to James
and Elizabeth (Zion) Russell. The Russells are of English
descent and the Zions of German descent. Mr. Russell is one of
the most successful farmers of his time, and is the owner of 550
acres of very valuable land. October 25, 1838, he was married
to Barbara Kelley, daughter of Joshua Kelley, of Jackson County,
who came to Indiana from Tennessee in 1828. Mrs. Russell was
born in 1821. To them have been born twelve children: Kinchen
(deceased), James K., Jesse, Elizabeth, Joseph, Joshua, Robert