In 1901, at the Hunsinger School, a petition was signed by the majority of legal voters of Congressional Township 134, R31 for the organization into a civil township to be called May Township. At the same time, the majority of legal voters of Fractional Township 133, R31 petitioned to be attached to May Township.

May Township, a township and one-half, is located in the southwest corner of Cass County with State Highway 64 running north and south and State Highway 210 running east and west. The Crow Wing River borders the southern boundary of the township.

The 1901 Officers of May Township were: Supervisors: W.E. Peitz, George Gates, and Ed Sipes; Clerk: C.H. Williams; Treasurer: Neal Tralson; Assessors: W.F. Roberts; Justices of the Peace: C. Walblom and Frank Weston; Constables: W.E. Horn and Ed Sipes.

There were eleven country schools in May Township, offering classes in first through eighth grades. The names of these schools were: Olinger, North Kentucky, Sunrise, Fairview, May, Bridgeman, Birch Hill, Wheelock, Oak Knoll, Hunsinger and Taft. Herbert Converse was the superintendent of Cass County Schools. All of these schools were closed in 1952.

May Township Hall, built in 1940 by the WPA, is still used today by residents for regular township meetings as well as for community and family gatherings.

There were four churches in May Township:

• Birch Hill Union Sunday School was organized in 1933 with Mrs. Sam Hix as Superintendent and Maritte Barnett as secretary/treasurer. In 1935 they joined the Welcome Sunday School and held Sunday school classes at the Bridgeman School. It is unknown how long the church was active.
• Full Gospel Assembly Church was organized in 1922. They held their first services in the Sunrise School. A.B. Peterson donated land for the church sometime in 1922. A small church building was erected. Sunday services are still held there in a new building. The church name was changed to Casino Church sometime around 1936.
• St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church of Bridgeman was organized in 1926 and was Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri denomination. Church services were held at the Bridgeman School until 1928 when a church as built at the corner of highway 64 and C.A.R. #22. In 1941 the church resolved to relocate in Motley.
• Welcome Union Sunday School was organized in 1928. They were affiliated with the American Sunday School Union. In 1935 the Birch Hill Union Sunday School joined with the Welcome Union Sunday School. They held services in many of the school houses in May Township. It is unknown how long the church was active.

There is one cemetery in May Township. Bridgeman Cemetery was established in 1886 before the township was organized. Two acres of land was donated by Jesse Monroe Barnett. Over 200 persons have been buried there. J. Barnett was a Civil War vet. Enoch Mannin was the first person buried in the cemetery and was J Barnett’s fatherin-law. Mary Bryant (wife of Allen R Bryant) died in 1888, shortly after coming to Cass County; she has the oldest marker in the cemetery.

Reference: Cass County Historical Society

If you have any “history” to add to this page please send it to the Clerk of May Township.