His death certificate records John W. Mays, age 70, birthdate blank, born in Elliott Co., died 16 Oct 1926 in Lytten, Devils Fork precinct, Elliott Co., Ky, farmer, single, father Nathan Mays, mother’s maiden name Rachel Howard, both born in Elliott Co., Ky, cause of death measles, informant Elihu Reynolds, Lytten, burial in Mays Cemetery.

The reported age at death would imply a birthdate about 1856, but he does not appear in the 1860 census, and in the 1870 census he is listed as age 8, and in the 1880 census as age 18.