Sacramento County
Biographies
HUGH MAULDIN
An inheritance of the chivalrous traits of
a long line of southern ancestors has given to Mr. Mauldin a personality
reflecting the qualities of his gallant forefathers, while his almost lifelong
association with the west has endowed him with the physical and mental
attributes inbreathed with the air and sunshine of the Pacific Coast.
Supplementing other qualifications are the sagacious business judgment, the
keen commercial sense and the quick comprehension of detail that presage
success in any avenue of labor; and to the possession of these traits may
be attributed much of his rise in the jewelry business in San Francisco, while
the same qualities have assisted him in the profitable management of his
personal holdings since his return to Sacramento, where now he devotes his
entire attention to the oversight of his property interests.
The founder of the Mauldin family in
California was Benjamin Francis Mauldin, who was born in Cecil county, Md., May
26, 1813, and received a fair education in that locality, where, May 5, 1845,
he was united in marriage with Miss Millicent R. Brown, a daughter
of Hugh Brown, one of the defenders of Baltimore. Their son, Hugh, was
born at the family home in Cecil county February 9, 1848, and the second son,
Lopez, was born in the same county during September of 1849. Mr. Mauldin
joined General Lopez' filibustering expedition to Cuba, was dubbed colonel, and
made his escape back to New Orleans and then up the Mississippi River. During
1850 he came to California by way of Panama and after landing at San Francisco
in the month of July proceeded to Sacramento on the bark Winthrop. He was
much pleased with the country, and the same fall returned to Maryland, in 1851
bringing his family and settling in Sacramento. Later he took up land and
embarked in ranching pursuits. For a considerable period he devoted his
attention closely to ranching, but during 1867 he leased his farm and removed
to the city of Sacramento, where he interested himself in real estate and
political enterprises. When somewhat advanced in years, but still very
active in business, he died while on a trip to Montana, June 10, 1882.
Through all of his life he had been loyal to the doctrines of the Methodist
Episcopal church and to the principles of the
Democratic party. He was a member of the Territorial Society of
California Pioneers. His son, Lopez, who settled in Sacramento, entered
the government service as a mail carrier and continued in that capacity until
his death, which occurred June 12, 1894. The third son, Brown, born in
Sacramento in 1852, still makes his home in his native city.
After having completed the studies of the
Sacramento grammar and high schools, Hugh Mauldin went to San Francisco and
secured employment with the jewelry house of John W. Tucker. From a
humble position he rose to be a trusted salesman and eventually was chosen
manager of the establishment, which position he was filling at the time of his
final resignation May 1, 1883. He then engaged in the manufacture of
jewelry in San Francisco and later opened a jewelry store in Los Angeles.
His place of business in the Bryson block was considered the finest of its kind
in the state. Subsequently he returned to San Francisco, the headquarters
of his jewelry operations, and there continued until 1894, when he returned to
Sacramento to look after two large property interests, and has since made this
his home. With his wife, formerly Miss Eve Gaylord, whom he married in
San Francisco December 15, 1880, he has a host of warm personal friends among
the most select social circles of Sacramento. Like his mother, he cherishes a
deep devotion for the doctrines of the Methodist Episcopal denomination, and
like his father he upholds Democratic tenets with his influence and ballot.
Transcribed by Sally Kaleta.
Source: Willis,
William L., History of Sacramento County,
California, Pages 778-780. Historic
Record Company,
© 2006 Sally Kaleta.