The 1900 census for Omaha, Douglas county Nebraska gives May's age as 26, born January 1874. May Emeline Barnum Obituary: Mrs. L. O. Barnum, Ex-Tacoman, Dies. Mrs. L. O. (Mary Ludlow) Barnum 88, a former resident of Tacoma, died Jan 31 at Weed, Calif. where she had lived the past 10 years. She was born in Omaha and came to Tacoma at the age of 17. (corr: error) She was the daughter of Civil War Capt. Oliver Cooper Ludlow and Jennie Gard Ludlow, who homesteaded in the Spanaway area. The original home still stands at Orchard Hill. Mr. Barnum, who died in 1943, was a former railroad man connected with the Northern Pacific shops in South Tacoma. The family traveled widely through the United States and Canada in his railroad work. Mrs. Barnum was a charter member of Cedar Chapter, Order of Eastern Star and was a Methodist. Surviving are two sons, Louis O. Barnum of Weed and J. R. Barnum of Grenada Hills, (corr: error) Calif., five daughters, Mrs. Adelaide Busselle and Mrs. Dorothy Dunlap, both of Tacoma, Mrs. Maude Smith of Seattle, Mrs. Alma Dugan of Clyde, Tex. and Mrs. Mary Welday of Coronado, Calif; 13 Grandchildren, 35 great-grandchildren and two Great-great-grandchildren; and a sister Mrs. Floyd Smith of Paradise, Calif. Services were held Sunday at Weed. Burial: Wineme Cemetery, Weed, Siskiyou County, California.
According to descendant Diane Kienholz, May loved to watch wrestling. She had a neighbor who was a wrestler, and she couldn't bear to watch him wrestle because she didn't want him to get hurt. (Tacoma newspaper article of her death) Mrs. L . O. Barnum Dies. At age 88 in Weed California, where she had lived the past 10 years. Came to Tacoma when she was 17. Daughter of Capt. Oliver Cooper Ludlow and Jennie Gard, who homesteaded in Spanaway area. The original home still stands at Orchard Hill. She was a Charter member of Cedar Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star and was a Methodist. At the time of her death she had 13 grandchildren, 35 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great-grandchildren. Buried at Winema Cemetery in Weed, California. She was living with her son, Louis, in California. She lost a set of twins in a miscarriage or to diphtheria.