WILLIAM COTTER MAYBURY (November 20, 1848 – May 6, 1909) was a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan. He was born in Detroit, Michigan, attended public schools and graduated from the academic department of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor in 1870 and from the law department in 1871. He was admitted to the bar in the latter year and commenced practice in Detroit. He was city attorney of Detroit from 1876 to 1880 and lecturer on medical jurisprudence in the Michigan College of Medicine at Detroit in 1881 and 1882. In 1880, Maybury ran as a Democrat for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 1st congressional district, losing in the general election to Republican Henry W. Lord. Maybury was elected in 1882 to the 48th and again in 1884 to the 49th Congresses, serving from March 4, 1883 to March 3, 1887. He was not a candidate for re-election in 1886. Maybury resumed the practice of law in Detroit. He served as Mayor of Detroit from 1897 to 1905. He was an unsuccessful candidate for Governor of Michigan in 1900, being defeated by Republican candidate, Aaron T. Bliss. William C. Maybury died in Detroit and was interred in Elmwood Cemetery. There is a statue of Maybury in Grand Circus Park in downtown Detroit, which was completed by Adolph Alexander Weinman for $22,000 and unveiled to the public in 1912.[1] Source: Wikipedia 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. Source: Elmwood Historic Cemetery (http://elmwoodhistoriccemetery.org/pages/maybury.html)