Mr. Maybury was born in Detroit on November 20, 1848, the son of
Thomas Maybury in whose parlor Henry Ford’s parents had been
married. He attended the public schools of Detroit and graduated
from old Capital High School in 1866. Later, he attended the University
of Michigan studying Literature and Law; he graduated in 1870. The
following year, he began practicing law in Detroit and in 1876 was
elected City Attorney. In 1883, he was elected to Congress from
the First District of Michigan and served until 1888. While a member
of the national legislative body, he was able to do many things
for his home city. He drew up a bill that secured the right to build
the Belle Isle Bridge and the site of the present Federal Building
was purchased and work was begun.
In 1888, Mr. Maybury returned to Detroit and, again, associated
himself with the firm of which he had been a member since 1882,
Conely, Maybury & Lucking. In 1897, he was chosen to succeed
Hazen S. Pingree as Mayor of Detroit, finishing out the unexpired
term of Mr. Pingree who had been elected Governor. Mr. Maybury served
the City as Mayor until 1905 and his administration was of a thoroughly
practical and progressive character. In his middle forties, heavy-set
and thick-moustached, he was a popular baby-kissing Democratic politician.
He was a member of the Masonic fraternity, the Detroit Bar Association,
the Detroit Board of Commerce and a Judge in the Wayne County Circuit
Court
.
His death on November 21, 1909 saddened the entire community, causing
many bodies to draft resolutions in his honor. Among them was the
Common Council of the City of Detroit that said in part “In
no capacity in which he ever served the people was there a flaw
upon his public record”. But beyond, and more than all else,
he was ‘the noblest work of God’ and that his work was
well done is attested by everyone. A large part of his life was
spent in public service and he performed the duties of every position
he occupied creditably to himself, serviceably to his City and County
and most acceptably to his constituents as was evident by his steady
advancement. He was a most effective and accomplished speaker. His
eloquence was the eloquence of truth. No man who ever heard him,
regardless of what subject was under discussion, ever doubted the
absolute sincerity of his every utterance, compelling attention
and controlling thought when he lived and moved among us. Study
him from whatever angle we may, the deeper reading only brings out
in fuller relief greater beauties and better traits. He possessed
all the strong and rugged qualities of a manly man. He had the grace
and gentleness of a tender woman. He was chivalrous, polished and
courtly. His charity was unostentatious but as boundless as the
universe and went out to all classes and conditions of mankind.
For such as him, there is no everlasting farewell but a hopeful
Good Night”. When he died, local citizens took up a collection
to build a bronze statue of him which still stands downtown in Grand
Circus Park. Mr. Maybury never married.
