Henry Maltby’s Oakwood stock farm has its origin in the very early days of the settling of Brighton, Genoa and Green Oak Townships. His father, Almon and Uncle Maynard (both teachers) were among the first to take up land in these townships. Born in New York, they came to the area in 1832. Within two years they had built a saw mill on Ore Creek southwest of town on what became later known as the ‘Old Pentlin Farm’ at the head of Brighton Lake. Many early structures were built of lumber sawn at the Maltby Mill. The brothers’ first house, of logs, served often as a refuge for settlers.
Maynard, who had married Sarah in New York in 1834, had two children. He was the first Justice of the Peace and performed the first marriage in Brighton Township. He was also the first director in the school district. He died in 1840.
By 1875, Almon owns over 400 acres, Sec. 7 Green Oak, west of Rickett, south of Maltby Rds. This became the family farm. Six of his children grew up there. Both of Henry’s older brothers, Richard and Albert (sons of Almon’s first wife, Eliza Jane), enlisted to serve in the Civil War March 18, 1865; 11th Cav., Co. I. Albert died of disease in a Tennessee hospital about six weeks later. He had two younger brothers, George and Everett J, and a sister, Cynthia, who married Wilson Abrams, a Brighton boy.
Henry, after attending a commercial college in Chicago in 1866, managed his parents’ farm for several years. January 19, 1876, he married Mary J. Knabb, who had come to Michigan with her parents from Pennsylvania several years earlier. They had two sons, Almon H. & Robert D. Who were a big help on the farm. Henry is noted as having a ” . . . fine farm, a good house and barns . . and he takes great interest in raising good grades of stock. He has a fine flock of registered Shropshire sheep and a very fine herd of Jersey Cattle, which is considered one of the best specimens of that popular breed in this vicinity. . .”
Henry died July 23, 1927. Both he and Mary are buried in the Green Oak Plains Cemetery, as are his parents. The 1961 Atlas notes E.F. Fisher as the owner of most of the Maltby land. He raised Championship stock, continuing the tradition. The 1979 Atlas records the Huron Clinton Metropolitan Authority as owner of all, including the old farm house, but about 50 acres in Ray and Betty Maltby’s name.
Compiled by Marieanna Bair from Livingston County atlases and census records; Early land owners and settlers in Livingston County and obituaries compiled by Milton Charboneau; the 1891 Portrait and Biographical Album and the 1880 History of Livingston County.