Gazlay Family History
 

Family HistoryFamily History - Edward C. May


Key:1.“+” before a child’s name indicates the child has their own entry in the next generation.
 2.“born xxxx” indicates the child is under 18 years of age so the birth date is not shown.
This family history features Edward C. May and five of his descendants down to the fifth generation.


First Generation
1. Edward C. May,1 born ____ (parents not determined). Edward married Margaret Matthews (born ca. 1914 in Maine, parents not determined1, 2).

Child of Edward C. May and Margaret Matthews:

+2i. Edward Carl Matthews (born Edward Carl May), born 9 January 1936 in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey; died 11 September 2006 in Hiawassee, Towns County, Georgia. Married Harriet Jane Truland.

  1. U.S. Federal Census, 1940, New Jersey, Essex County, Newark, E.D. 25-262, Sheet No. 4B, Margaret May, 26, Maine, widow, waitress, delicatessen; son Edward May, Jr., 4, New Jersey; lodger Frank Zollo, 33, New Jersey, waiter, restaurant.
  2. U.S. Federal Census, 1950, New Jersey, Essex County, Newark, E.D. 30-190, Margaret Zollo, 36, Maine, divorced; son Frank Zollo, Jr., 8, N.J.; son Edward May, 14, N.J.
Second Generation
2. Edward Carl Matthews (born Edward Carl May)2 (Edward1), born 9 January 1936 in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey;1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 died 11 September 2006 in Hiawassee, Towns County, Georgia.1, 4 Edward married Harriet Jane Truland2 (born 10 September 1922 in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey, the daughter of Nira Melbourne Truland and Harriet C. Leonard;7, 8, 9, 10 Harriet died 7 September 1997 in Sun City, Hillsborough County, Florida8, 11, 12). Their marriage ended in divorce on 20 October 1961 in Winston County, Alabama.13 Edward is buried in Florida National Cemetery, Bushnell, Sumter County, Florida.1 Harriet is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia.11

The following biographical sketch is compiled from both published and family sources.2, 7

Harriet was born in Newark, New Jersey, the youngest of four children of Nira and Harriet (Leonard) Truland. As a child, Harriet was an avid swimmer, and she used to swim in fishing ponds. Her mother told her not to swim in a fishing hole because it was dangerous, but Harriet did it anyway. One day, diving into the murky water, she cut her knee on an old broken milk bottle. She left a bloody footprint all the way home, in the house on the hardwood floors, and up the stairs. She wrapped her knee in the only bandage she could find. When her mother discovered her, her mother didn’t know whether to kill Harriet or laugh when she saw her youngest child had wrapped her bloody knee with a sanitary pad! As a result of her injury, Harriet walked with a brace on her leg for years.

Family lore suggests that during her childhood, Harriet swam with her older brother John and his friend Johnny Weissmuller, Olympic champion (1924 and 1928) and actor (Tarzan and other roles). The friendship seems improbably given their age differences; Weissmuller (1904-1984) was 15 years older than John, and another three years older than Harriet. Harriet was said to have gone to the Olympic trials (year unknown) but was disqualified when it was learned that she had been paid to teach children how to swim. Perhaps she met Weissmuller at an Olympic trial. He was known to have attended the women’s 1928 Olympic tryouts that were held at Rockaway Playland Pool, New York.

Harriet attended several schools, including Barringer High School, in Newark, eventually graduating in 1940 from Verona High School. She married her high school sweetheart, Arthur J. Anderson. When Arthur joined the Navy early in World War II, Harriet entered college and also did her part to support the war effort by working in an ammunition plant. The work was described as like the cartoon where a person tests bullets on a conveyor belt by hitting them with a hammer. Her job was so dangerous that she was the only one working in a small testing room.

After Arthur was killed in action in the War, Harriet wanted to join the Navy, but the doctor took one look at her knee brace and said she couldn’t join. She decided to come back and try to enlist in the Marine Corps, having removed her brace. A different doctor that day had her jump on one leg and then the other, and she said if he had her jump one more time on her injured leg she would have fallen flat on her face. But her enlistment was approved, and she became a Marine.

In the years following, with successive marriages to George Gottschling, Edward May, and Frank Medley, Harriet lived in various places, including her native New Jersey, Alabama, Colorado, and eventually Florida, where she settled with her last husband, Earl Tilden Johnson. Her last job was executive secretary with a western food chain (her boss was killed in a plane crash). In retirement, Harriet enjoyed square dancing, tap, Hawaiian and aerobic dancing, and was on the local synchronized swim team.

While in the Marine Corps, Harriet befriended Lieutenant General Carol Mutter, the first woman in the Marine Corps to be promoted to the ranks of both major general and lieutenant general. Years later, General Mutter honored Harriet’s memory by conducting her funeral at Arlington National Cemetery.


Child of Edward Carl Matthews (born Edward Carl May) and Harriet Jane Truland:

+3i. Bonnie Anne Medley (born May), born 6 May 1957 in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey. Married Steven K. Atkinson.

  1. Find a Grave (website). Florida National Cemetery, Bushnell, Sumter County, Florida, Edward C. May, born: 9 January 1936; died: 11 September 2006 (from record, which includes a note SP3, US Army; Korea).
  2. Email from Bonnie Medley Atkinson to Lee Gazlay, various dates in November and December 2012.
  3. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), Social Security Applications, Edward Carl May, born: 9 January 1936 in Newark, NJ; father: Edward C. May; mother: Margaret Matthews.
  4. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), Death Files, Edward C. Matthews, died: 11 September 2006; born: 9 January 1936; residence zip code: 30546 [corresponding to Hiawassee, Georgia]. [Note: his social security number in this death record matches the social security number in his application. His last name here is that of his mother’s maiden name.]
  5. U.S. Federal Census, 1940, New Jersey, Essex County, Newark, E.D. 25-262, Sheet No. 4B, Margaret May, 26, Maine, widow, waitress, delicatessen; son Edward May, Jr., 4, New Jersey; lodger Frank Zollo, 33, New Jersey, waiter, restaurant.
  6. U.S. Federal Census, 1950, New Jersey, Essex County, Newark, E.D. 30-190, Margaret Zollo, 36, Maine, divorced; son Frank Zollo, Jr., 8, N.J.; son Edward May, 14, N.J.
  7. Women Marines Association, Volume 1, by Pamela Wood and Turner Publishing, 1992. Page 90, entry for Harriet (Truland) Anderson-Medley-Johnson. The entry provides brief vital and biographical information.
  8. Social Security Death Index (SSDI), Rootsweb (website). Johnson, Harriet T., no. 144-12-2981; born: 10 September 1922; died: 15 September 1997; last residence: Hillsborough [County], Florida.
  9. U.S. Federal Census, 1930, New Jersey, Passaic County, Clifton City, Enumeration District 16-91, Sheet No. 19B, family of Harriet Truland (39, New Jersey, widow); daughter Mary Truland (13, Pennsylvania); son John Truland (11, New Jersey); son Leonard Truland (9 7/12, New Jersey); daughter Harriet Truland (7 6/12, New Jersey).
  10. U.S. Federal Census, 1950, New Jersey, Essex County, Verona, E.D. 7-352, Sheet No. 5, George Gottschling, 29, New Jersey, salesman, auto parts, sales and service, retail automobile; wife Harriet J. Gottschling, 27, New Jersey; daughter Anne K. Gottschling, 2, New Jersey; son George W. Gottschling, 1, New Jersey; father Albert Gottschling, 76, Germany, Sep[erated], painter-paper hanger, interior decorator.
  11. Cemetery Record, Arlington National Cemetery (military website); Johnson, Harriet A., born: 10 September 1922; died: 7 September 1997; US Marine Corps; Court 4, Section MM, Column 4, Niche 2.
  12. Email from Helen Anderson Rickard Glass to Lee Gazlay, various dates in March 2014, providing information about her brother Arthur J. Anderson, his wife Harriet, and other relatives.
  13. Google Groups, soc.adoption.adoptees; Post on 19 October 1996, Edward Carl May, bio-father; indicates that he divorced Harriet Anderson May on 20 October 1961 in Winston County, Alabama.
Third Generation
3. Bonnie Anne Medley (born May)3 (Edward,2 Edward1), born 6 May 1957 in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey.1 Bonnie married, 16 June 1979, Steven K. Atkinson1 (born 12 November 1959, parents not determined1). Bonnie was adopted by Francis Mertin ‘Frank’ Medley.

Children of Bonnie Anne Medley (born May) and Steven K. Atkinson:

+4i. Diane Christine Atkinson, born 28 September 1981. Married Marco Bernard Albert.
+5ii. Timothy Craig Atkinson, born 18 April 1984. Married Amy Blickenstaff.

  1. Email from Bonnie Medley Atkinson to Lee Gazlay, various dates in November and December 2012.
Fourth and Fifth Generations
4. Diane Christine Atkinson4 (Bonnie,3 Edward,2 Edward1), born 28 September 1981.1 Diane married Marco Bernard Albert1 (born ca. 1971, parents not determined2).

5. Timothy Craig Atkinson4 (Bonnie,3 Edward,2 Edward1), born 18 April 1984.1 Timothy married Amy Blickenstaff (born 13 July 1982, parents not determined2).

Child of Timothy Craig Atkinson and Amy Blickenstaff:

 6i. Liam Conner Atkinson, born xxxx.

  1. Email from Bonnie Medley Atkinson to Lee Gazlay, various dates in November and December 2012.
  2. This is publicly viewable information found in various public information repositories, people finding websites, and/or social media.