May 2 Elias Boudinot, American lawyer and patriot, President of the Continental Congress, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1821) May 7 Nikolai Arkharov, Russian general (d. 1814) May 9 Giovanni Paisiello, Italian composer (Barber of Seville), born in Roccaforzata, Taranto, Italy (d. 1816) May 19 Joseph Franz Weigl, German cellist and early proponent of the 'thumb technique', born in Bavaria (d. 1820) 1739 Famous Birthdays by Year 1741