Pierce W. Mays was the son of Robert Mays of Amherst County and his second wife, Susannah Wade Mays, who was born in Amherst County about 1784.

Pierce married Polly Fulcher in Amherst on 30 Sep 1805. They had children John J., Robert H. Editha Edwin Mariah (Maria)

Pierce bought land in Monroe Co., W V in 1820. On 25 Jan 1821 he married Nancy Robinson in Amherst. In 1822 they had a daughter, Martha A. According to family history, Pierce was killed by Indians at the mouth of the Muddy Creek in Monroe County. He apparently was serving in the militia at the time. He died intestate sometime before December, 1822, in Monroe County. His widow, Nancy, remarried John Alderson, (who was the administrator of Pierce W. Mays estate and the son of the Rev. John Alderson who founded Alderson WVA) had six more children and died in 1847. Maria was put under the guardianship of her father's brother, Jesse Mays.

Maria married Thomas Smith on 21 Jan 1825.

John J., Robert H., Editha and Edwin were under the guardianship of Robert Wingfield.

On 17 Jan 1832 John J. married Ruth Ann Gregory.

On 17 Nov 1834 Robert H. married Mary Jane Padgett

On 8 Jan 1838 Editha married John W. Padgett.

Edwin P. Mays, who, according to census records was born about 1820, married Martha A. Carter on 16 Oct 1837, with guardian Dr. Wingfield consenting in person. Martha died of consumption in 1854 in Monroe Co. Edwin then married Sarah Howard about 1862 and settled near Pence Springs in what later became Summers County. The youngest child, Martha A., was under the guardianship of John W. Lanius, married Addison Perry.

Pierce Mays left a sizeable estate. The following is the separate inventories done on the estate. On 9 June 1827 Thomas Smith, husband of Mariah Mays Smith, claims an interest in the estate as a result of his marriage to Pierce's daughter.

Inventories for Pierce W. Mays, deceased

Monroe County (West Virginia) Will Book 2, Page 214

Agreeable to an order of the County Court of Monroe we Michael Alexander & Robert Colter Jacob Ellis have appraised the personal Estate of Pierce W Mays deceased that was shon to us by Joseph Alderson the administrator thereof as follows (to wit)

1 Beauroe	7.00
1 bed & furniture	10.00
1 Lot of books	2.50
1 bed & furniture	12.00
2 trunks	1,50
1 smooth gun & hand saw	12.00
2 Sotz Chairs	6.50
1 Falling leaf table	4.00
2 flak wheelz & lott of Crockz	2.00
1 square table	4.75
1 weemenz reus?
1 hat & bootz yar	5.00
1 sette of spinning wheels	5.00
1 lot Cupboard were Knivez & forkz, spoonz & c	5.00
1 manz saddle & martinjile & bridle & e	5.00
1 big Kettle Hale	5.00
1 coffe mile "	.1/4
1 Sette of Pottz	4.75
1 bunch of wool	2.00
2 Churng water carry palz & coolerz	1.25
1 bed & furniture	7.50
1 umbrillah "	.25
1 old side sadle	1.50
1 log chain	4.00
2 Bar Shear plows	9.00
4 Shovel plows	2.00
4 axez	4.00
1 Lott oald hoez clevez ? & c	2.50
1 foot adze	2.50
1 Grubbing hoez & other hoe	2.00
1 pair Shelyardz
1 Shovel & bell	1.00
2 halter chainz	1.50
1 sythe & cradle	1.00
1 grind stone	1.25
1 carry all or little wagon	12.00
1 waggon & stretches	40.00
4 horz collars & 2 pair hand shearz	8.00
four blind bridlez	6.00
2 pair shearz & hipstropz	5.50
1 half bushel	5.25
1 cribs of corn at 33 cts.Plus 4 of bushels	162.36
1 book	12.00
1 Muly Cow	8.50
1 dark brown 4-year old steer	11.00
1 pided cow	11.00
1 black heifer	7.00
1 black cow with white back	10.00
1 Brinole steer	7.00
1 white heifer	6.00
1 small red steer	5.00
1 red steer with wide hornz	5.00
1 red heifer white back	7.00
1 black steer with white back	7.50
1 black steer with white face	6.00
1 pided 4-year-old steer	7.00
1 small red briole steer	6.50
1 bell cow	10.00
1 old black cow	8.00
2 calvz	2.00
Hay oatz & wheat	10.00
1 sett of hogz	82.50
4 sheep	2.00
1 yearling colt	30.00
1 white mare & colt	30.00
1 gray mare	35.00
1 Blind gray horse	5.00
1 bay mare & colt	50.00
1 mule	30.00
1 Black woman - Betty	400.00
1 Black woman Sophey	400.00
1 Black woman & child Jinny	400.00
1 Black boy named Jorden	175 00
1 Black boy 2 yearz old named Sam	100.00
1 Black child named Sally	100.00
1 Large bay horse	85.00
a great quantity of tobacco hanging around the house	12.00
Razor, horne, strap brush	1.00
	2146 25
	141 81
	2288 06
2 Socus ? & sapposed 14 shots	500.00
	2274.06 1/4
1 manz bridle sent from Amherst	45.00
	2337.6 1/4
1 Record of Hynz and Ellis rec corn div. To Pierce Mays which was immediately Paid to Elisha Jonez to the amount of	1,8.88 3/4
Amount of notes found among papers of Pierce W Mays
IOU Sam Miller	23.46
IOU Samuel	4.50
IOU Joseph Mays Due 15 Sept 1813	210.40
IOU Sam Miller due Oct. 1822	18.06
IOU James Hill	4.66 2/3
1 receipt of James Hill 3^rd 1821 on account of a debt got from P.W. Mays	100.00
James McDowell accounting as stated to	$2337.66 1/4

Given under our hand this 6^th Dec. 1822 having been first sworn before William Graham Esq, a justice of the peace for Monroe Co. Michael Alexander Robert Coalter

The foregoing is a true inventory of all the personal Estate together with all the debts due the estate of Pierce W. Mayz that haz come into my possesion on this 1rst day of Jan 1824

At a Monroe March Court 1824

Will Book 2, Page 344

The following is a list of the personal Estate of Pearce W Mays, dec., sold in Dec. 1822.

1 shovel plow.John Alderson
3 shovel plows William Graham	1
1 ax Thomas Smithson	1
1 ax Jonathan Newman	1
1 oald ax Isaac Cardin
1 broad Ax Joseph Ellis	1
1 sprouting hoe Jesee Beard	1
1 grubing hoe George Smithson	1
1 broad hoe James Hill	1
1 broad hoe Thomas Smithson
1 broad hoe Lewis Curtner
1 broad hoe George Smithson	1
1 broad hoe Christly Hoake	1
1 Colter Joseph Alderson	1
1 foot ads John Alderson
1 pr Stelyards Saml Winkleblack
1 Log chain Leah Graham	3
1 Big plow James Hill	6
1 Carshear plow Pat Donelly	3
Cleris & old ? Thomas Smithson	1
Fork & shisel William Hickman	1
1 Big Kettle Saml Winkleblack	5
1 old saddle Isaac Cardin	1
1 Carryall Levy Alderson	27
1 Hand Saw Jonathan Newman	1
1 Waggon James Ellis	55
1 Pr Strechers Joseph Ellis	2
Hind Gears Joseph Ellis	14
2 pr Gears John Ellis	9
2 Blind bridles Joseph Alderson	2
2 blind bridles Joseph Alderson	2
1 Sorrel Colt Jese Beard	30
1 Gray Mare Issac Cardin	37
1 mule And. Beirne	35
1 Colt Curtis Alderson	13
1 Gray Mare Jese Beard	21	.82			1/2
1 small Colt Curtis Alderson	10
1 blind gray Horse Jese Beard	14	.50
1 Large Bay Horse Jas. Hill	87
4 Sheep Henry Alford	4
	404	.92			3/4
1 Bay Mare James Ellison	42
1 Muly Cow James Miller	8	.06			1/4
3 Winsa Chairs John Alderson	2	.30
1 Small wheel Barnet Edward	1
3 chairs Benj Blune	1	.62			1/4
1 Beauroe Nancy Mays	4
1 smooth Gun Alexander Ketchem	10	.80
Holter Chains John Alderson		.62	1/2
1 Bridle Bit Wm Johnson	35
1 rasor & strap Thos Smithson	1	.02
1 Brush C Thompson	25
1 pr Boots N Caldwell	2
1 Hat B Edwards	1	.62		1/2
2 Vols B. Sermons John Alderson	2	.75
2 Books N. Caldwell	1	.25
1 Book Jonathan Newman		.75
1 half Bushel Wm Kippers		.65
1 Bed Wm Kippers	6	.25
1 Bed Sted John Alderson		.75
1 saddle James Walker	5
1 Black Gurkird (?) Jonathen Newman	50
1 do Betty P J Jure	57
1 do Jimmy Thos McCarty	21
1 Boal John Alderson	7	.57		1/2
1 Cow Frank Hill	11	.26
1 Cow James Alderson	9
1 Cow Wm Kippers	12
1 Heifer William Graham	6	50
1 Heifer Benjm Blune	6	.25
1 White heifer Wm Graham	3	.75
1 Brindle steer Thos McCarty	4
8 Steers Curtis for G Alderson	53	.05
2 Sows & Shoats Thos Smithson	5	50
1 Sow 4 Shoats Rote & Pine	4
Hogs in pen Henry Stewart	21	.12		1/2
40 do Joseph Alderson	12
40 do Andrew Miller	12	.20
40 do Joseph Alderson	13	.20
40 do Andrew Miller	13	.40
40 do same same	13	.40
40 do Joseph Alderson	10	.80
40 do Jos Alderson	12	.40
40 do C G Thompson	13	.60
1 Bottle Joseph Alderson		.34
3 Calvs C G Thompson	5	.01
Hay Oats John Alderson	5	.15
10 Shotes A Swope	16
10 Do same	21
80 bushels corn Joseph Alderson	26	.46
12 Bush Corn Thos Smithson	3	.96
5 shoats James Hill	2	.50
	207	.82

Joseph Alderson admin Of the Estate of PW Mays

And of the whole $997.94 1/2

Monroe November Court 1827

This sale bill of the Estate of Pierce W Mays was presented in Court and ordered to be recorded. A Copy Teste. Isaac Hutchison CM