John Wilder May (1819–1883) was an American jurist who served as chief justice of the Boston Municipal Court and District Attorney of Suffolk County, Massachusetts.
May was born on January 28, 1819, in Attleboro, Massachusetts to Lemuel and Esther Wilder May.
After college, May farmed for a couple of years before returning to Attleboro to work as a school teacher.
[2][3] May studied law in the office of Francis Hilliard in Roxbury, Massachusetts.
[2] He was appointed Chief Justice of the Boston Municipal Court on October 12, 1878.