Samuel Joseph May: Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Sept. 12, 1797 : Died in Syracuse, New York, July 1, 1871

Samuel Joseph May: Born In Boston, Massachusetts, Sept. 12, 1797 : Died In Syracuse, New York, July 1, 1871This memorial pamphlet, published in 1871 by the Syracuse Unitarian Congregational Society, offers a biographical account of Samuel J. May, a prominent Liberal Unitarian minister and reformer. It traces his early life in Boston, his Harvard education, and his ministry across Brooklyn, Syracuse, Lexington, and Scituate. The text highlights his belief in personal virtue over rigid creeds, his opposition to slavery and his active abolitionism, and his leadership in education, temperance, peace, and women’s rights. It references his anti-slavery work with the Underground Railroad, his role as educator and pastor, and his influence on civic reforms and popular education. The memorial includes obituaries, tributes from figures such as Gerrit Smith, William Lloyd Garrison, and Bishop Loguen, and detailed accounts of his death, funeral, and enduring legacy. It presents a portrait of a life devoted to humanitarian principles, education, and social reform.