Mays Lick ( Mayslick, originally known as May's Lick) is census-designated place and unincorporated community located in Mason County, Kentucky, United States, about nine miles southwest of Maysville.
Demographics
History
Local Government Officials:
The Mayor of May's Lick is Joe Jolly. The Vice Mayor is Devin Hull. The Constable is Joe Collins.
May's Lick was founded in 1788 by the following six families from Scotch Plains, New Jersey.
# Abraham Drake (1751–1805)
# Cornelius Drake (1754–1833)
# Isaac Drake (1756–1832), father of (i) Daniel Drake (1785–1852), American physician and author, and (ii) Benjamin Drake (1795–1841), American historian, editor, and writer; Daniel Drake's son, Charles Daniel Drake (1811–1892), was a United States Senator from Missouri and an anti-slavery politician
# David Morris (1746–1798) and wife, Mary Shotwell (1748–1806)
# John Shotwell (1753–1826) and wife, Abigail Shipman (1754–1835)
:: Note 1: Abraham, Cornelius, and Isaac Drake were brothers
:: Note 2: John and Mary Shotwell were siblings
The group purchased 1,400 acres of land from William May (for whom the community was named) near the salt lick in southern Mason county and began to build a community. The Mays Lick Post Office opened in 1800. Kentucky's first consolidated school and first school transportation – consisting of a horse and wagon – was founded in Mays Lick.
When May's Lick was founded (1788), Kentucky was part of the Commonwealth of Virginia. That year (1788), the Commonwealth of Virginia established Mason County. May's Lick became the name of the town after first being called May's Spring.
Mays Lick Consolidated School
The Mays Lick Consolidated School was constructed in 1909–1910 for $32,500 The building was the first high school in Mason County and until 1960, was the only public high school to serve the Mays Lick District. In 1982, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Also see: May's Lick Negro School
The May family
The same May family for whom the Mason County Seat (Maysville) is named is also the namesake for May's Lick.
Mays Lick is named after John's brother, William May.
Maysville is named after John May ( –1790).
;The May brothers
George May ( –1795), a surveyor
William May
Charles May
John May ( –1790)
Gabriel May (1751–1813), married to Sallie Stokes (Susannah May Stokes, 1759–1815), niece of Ethan Allen (1738–1789), the hero of Ticonderoga and Crown Point
Notable residents
Joseph Desha (1768–1842), a US Representative and the ninth governor of Kentucky
Daniel Drake (1785–1852), American physician, author
Benjamin Drake (1795–1841), American historian, editor, and writer
John McLean (1785–1861), Associate Justice, US Supreme Court from 1830 to 1861
William McLean (1794–1839), Ohio legislator
Charles Young (1864 - 1922), Third African-American graduate of West Point, first black U.S. national park superintendent, first black man to achieve the rank of colonel in the US Army.
