The Hugo Maulhardt memorial statue at Santa Clara Cemetery is one of the half dozen or so impressive monuments in the old section to the back of the cemetery. The day I was there, the skies were brilliant blue, the cross on the Maulhardt statue reached heavenward, and a seagull came to rest at the very top, breaking the solemnity of the surroundings with his presence. Who was this young boy who died at the age of 17 years, 10 months, and 3 days? Who was Hugo Maulhardt? I discovered that the young man was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Heinrich Maulhardt. His father was a successful "pioneer of the valley" and owned much property in Ventura County. One evening, young Hugo was taking some horses into a barn on the property of his father in the Del Norte district and in passing between two of them to unfasten part of the harness, one of them kicked him in the stomach. A newspaper account describes it thusly: "He staggered away from the team into the open air and his brother, Gustave, who was working in a nearby field saw that he was injured and ran to his assistance. The boy was taken to the home of Mr. Wucherpfennig and Dr. Livingston was summoned and did all that was possible to save his life. The kick caused the tearing of a number of the intestines, however, and peritonitis was the direct cause of death." Hugo Maulhardt was born "in the valley" and loved by everybody who knew him because of his quiet and sincere manner. His funeral at Santa Clara Catholic church was one of the largest that ever occurred in the community.
The Hugo Maulhardt memorial statue at Santa Clara Cemetery is one of the half dozen or so impressive monuments in the old section to the back of the cemetery. The day I was there, the skies were brilliant blue, the cross on the Maulhardt statue reached heavenward, and a seagull came to rest at the very top, breaking the solemnity of the surroundings with his presence. Who was this young boy who died at the age of 17 years, 10 months, and 3 days? Who was Hugo Maulhardt? I discovered that the young man was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Heinrich Maulhardt. His father was a successful "pioneer of the valley" and owned much property in Ventura County. One evening, young Hugo was taking some horses into a barn on the property of his father in the Del Norte district and in passing between two of them to unfasten part of the harness, one of them kicked him in the stomach. A newspaper account describes it thusly: "He staggered away from the team into the open air and his brother, Gustave, who was working in a nearby field saw that he was injured and ran to his assistance. The boy was taken to the home of Mr. Wucherpfennig and Dr. Livingston was summoned and did all that was possible to save his life. The kick caused the tearing of a number of the intestines, however, and peritonitis was the direct cause of death." Hugo Maulhardt was born "in the valley" and loved by everybody who knew him because of his quiet and sincere manner. His funeral at Santa Clara Catholic church was one of the largest that ever occurred in the community.
