General Notes

When James and Betsy were married, they owned a farm, but sold it and took
the money to move from Canada to the U.S. to purchase another farm for them to live. He was never heard of again, and was presumed killed by the Indians.  (note was from Gertrude May's files.)
Betsy and the children ,(the ones that weren't married yet), moved in with her son Timothy and his wife, Mary Tobin May, who were living in Petersborough, near Toronto, Ontario, Canada.  They lived with Timothy and Mary until the family was  pretty well grown, moved to the U.S. with them, and then later purchased their own home in Ackley, Iowa. At the time of James' disappearance, their youngest child, Hariett, ( Hattie) )Bridget?) was six months old.
My original notes showed name was Harriet. Other updated notes showed it as Bridget

Terrence May wrote:  The Mahoneys and Tobins were Irish immigrants who settled in Douro, Petersborough, Ontario, Canada
in 1825.  A number of Irish families were selected by Peter Robinson,
under the authority of and with funding from the English Crown, to settle in Ontario.
Ireland was experiencing tough times due to crop famines and was under
British occupation then.  The British were anxious to populate the parts of
Canada under their control to keep the French from gaining the upper
hand. They encourage Irish settlers.  There are books about the
Robinson expedition, including the names of the passengers on board
the seven ships that crossed the Atlantic from Ireland to Canada.

James and Elizabeth may have had a son Peter.  There is a Peter who is staying with Timothy may and Mary tobin May in the 1870 census of Hardin county, IA, age 25.
May have also had a Jennie as daughter, abt 1822

In some handwritten notes of Clare McHale's, she has james' father as James.