ZACHEUS MALTBIE
(CFG-BE)
Zacheus (5) Maltbie, whose photgraph we show on this page, was born August 19th, 1774, and baptized September 18, 1774, at Norfolk Connecticut.
He was the fifth child of Daniel (4) and Margaret Munson Maltbie. [Daniel (3), Daniel (2), William (1).]
According to the record given in an old family Bible, he married Reunah Burchard, April 5, 1707; she born May 22, 1777. Possibly they were married at New Marlborough, Massachusetts, as Burchard seems to be the name of a resident family in this town.
Miss Lucy Ann Morton writes that Reunah Burchard was the daughter of David and Mercy Burchard and that she had two brothers, Ezra and Amos Burchard. David Burchard’s name appears in the New Marlborough list, census of 1790—“7 in family.’
March 1, 1808, Amos Burchard of New Marlborough, hatter, purchased land of Zacheus Maltby situated in Lee. Shortly after the marriage of Zacheus Maltbie to Reunah Burchard we find them at Lee, Mass., where their first child, Ezra Burchard, was born, April 1, 1798. Their second child, Mercy Burchard, was born Feb. 8, 1800, at Lee, Mass.
On March 1, 1802, Zacheus Maltbie was appointed a fence viewer at Lee, and elected constable and collector in 1805 and 1806. November 30, 1807, the town appointed a committee to settle with him, and chose a collector to succeed him, from which it would appear he had left town about that time. In May, 1808, his “cattle mark” was recorded for another person.
Daniel and Lester Maltbie do not seem to have been born at Lee, for their births are not recorded here.
Miss Lucy Ann Morton (CFG-BEb-c), whose mother was the Mercy Maltby born at Lee in 1800, remembers her grandfather and grandmother and says “they came overland from Lee, Mass., to Groton City, N.Y., and had to clear the land to build as it was all wooded land at that time. Mother (Mercy Maltby) was seven years old when they came from Massachusetts.” Consequently we may suppose the trip was undertaken the last of 1807 or early in 1808.
Zacheus Maltbie settled at Sumer Hill, Cayuga County, N.Y., and built himself a house that was quite complete for those days. Miss McGeer tried to obtain a photograph of this old homestead but could not, consequently we must depend upon her description.
“The house, of which only a part of the original, is still standing. Formerly there was quite a building in the rear but it has either blown or been torn down. It is one and a half stories high.
“Some of the wall decorations are still to be seen; trees, birds and pictures painted on the walls.” (All are painted not papered, you understand.) “Last summer the great big fireplace was boarded up, but I remember the old-fashioned brick oven, and what was called a ‘recess’ built off the living room. My mother, Margaret Ann Maltby (CFG-BEf ) was born here.”
Miss McGeer’s father also remembers Zacheus Maltby and says: “He was a hatter and used to trap for mink and muskrat which he made into fur hats by the old ‘hand process’ – people came from Auburn and other places to have him make their hats.”
Melville Barry Smith, prior to his death, wrote: “Grandfather Zacheus Maltby was a hat maker. I can just remember his showing me some hats he took from a shelf and telling me he made them.”
Sylvester Daniel Maltbie wrote: “Father, Ezra B., served in the war of 1812 for grandfather Zacheus – father being only fourteen or fifteen when he enlisted.”
James M. Maltbie wrote: “Grandfather was known and called by nearly everybody ‘Uncle Zack.’ I have forgotten his father’s name. I have heard him say that his parents lived in or near Lee, Mass. He moved into this state when my father was very young, locating in the town of Groton, Tompkins Co., but finally removing to Summer Hill, Cayuga Co., where he died. He was a hatter by trade, and my father worked with him. He used to hunt and trap for furs and was also a noted fisherman. He was a good ginger genial and a good story-teller, so the young people all delighted to get Uncle Zack to telling stories. He had six children, Ezra, Mercy, Daniel, Lester, Alanson and Margaret.
“My father, Daniel, married Desire Howland and her sister, Mary Howland, married a cousin of my father’s James Maltby and he had a brother, Seth Maltby, who resided in Syracuse and I think was a banker. He had two daughters.
Note. – Allen, Seth, Bridsey and James Maltbie were children of Jehiel (CFG-BB) and Phoebe Maltbie and Jehiel was the oldest brother of Zacheus, consequently James and Seth were first cousins of Mr. James Maltbie’s father, as stated.
Mr. James R. Maltbie also writes: “Grandfather had a younger brother named Daniel, who came into this state with him. He studied medicine for a while but became ill and settled on a small farm in Groton and lived a hermit life there for forty years, but finally came to my father’s and spent his last days with us. I think Seth Maltbie of Syracuse removed to Oswego before he died.”
The children of Daniel (4) and Margaret Munson Maltby were:
Anne (or Anna), b. 1765, at Goshen, Conn.
Jehiel Merriman, b. at Goshen, Conn.
Daniel Munson, b. 1770, at Norfolk, Conn.
Sally, b. 1772, at Norfolk, Records wanted.
Zacheus, b. 1774, at Norfolk, Conn.
Hannah, b. 1776, at Norfolk, Conn.: d. Oct. 14, 1777.
Anne married Samuel Stevens of New Marlboro. Descendants wanted.
The children of Zacheus (5) (CFG-BE) and Reunah Burchard Maltbie were:
1. Ezra Burchard, b. April 1, 1798, at Lee, Mass.
2. Mercy Burchard, b. Feb. 8, 1800, at Lee, Mass.
3. Daniel, b. May 22, 1802.
4. Lester, b. Oct. 5, 1806.
5. Thomas Alanson, b. Jan. 21, 1809. (see below.)
6. Margaret Ann, b. Oct. 8, 1817.
Zacheus Maltbie died July 10, 1856, and his wife, Reunah Burchard Maltby died march 15, 1864, in Summer Hill, Cayuga County, New York.
The photographs which accompany this article were kindly furnished by Miss Clara E. McGeer (CFG-BEf-ba) and are:
1. Zacheus Maltby, , b. 1775: d. 1856.
2. Reunah Burchard (his wife), b. 1777; d. 1864.
3. Ezra Burchard Maltby, b. April 1, 1778.
4. Margaret Ann Maltby Wilson, b. Oct. 8, 1817.
5. Daniel Maltby, b. May 22, 1802.
6. Mercy B. Maltby Morton-Knapp, b. Feb. 8, 1800.
The photograph of the Maltby heirlooms shows the walking stick which belonged to Zacheus Maltby. It is a hickory stick mounted in ivory and has the initials “Z. M.” on the top.
The cover on the stand was woven by Reunah Burchard Maltby and is a yellow and white check-linen. The candlestick also belonged to Mrs. Zacheus Maltby. The cherry stand with glass knobs and the chair (of maple or birch) with a woven cord seat (woven like split bottom and probably replaces a split bottom one) were both the property of Margaret Maltby Wilson.
The second son of Thomas Alanson Maltby was Corydon Oscar Maltby (CFG-BEE-D), born in Homer, Genesee Co., N.Y., May 15, 1838. In early life he moved with his parents to Kenosha, Wis., and later to Lake Co., Illinois. On the 22nd of May, 1859, was married to Mary R. Gilbert. At the outbreak of the Civil War Mr. Maltby enlisted as a private in Co. F. 37th Illinois Infantry. He was engaged with his regiment in many of the important campaigns of the western army and was honorably discharged Sept. 22, 1864. After the war he moved to Allamakee Co., Iowa, and later to Winneshiek Co., where he lived till his death.
He was for many years one of the prosperous agriculturists of the county until his retiring from active life, since which time he made his home with his children.
For many years he took an active part in the polities of the county, ably serving the people for several years as assessor and as a member of the Board of Supervisors. He was also a valued member of the G.A.R., keeping in close touch with his comrades, who will feel the loss of their comrade.
He died Aug. 11, 1915, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Fannie Whitney.