Maupin bears the name of one of the most celebrated of Oregon pioneers. Howard Maupin was born in Clay Co., Kentucky in 1815, and when he was about 15 years old moved to Missouri. He came to Oregon in 1863 and after spending a short time in the Willamette Valley, went to central Oregon. He first settled in Antelope Valley.
The famous central Oregon Chief Paulina and his renegade Indians stole all of Maupin's stock shortly after he settled in Antelope Valley.
Maupin established a stopping place for travelers and in 1871 was the first postmaster of the town of Antelope. He had a farm at the forks of Trout Creek and it was near that location that Paulina stole more of his stock. Maupin pursued the Indians and surprised them near Paulina Basin, where he killed the old chief, who had been the terror of settlers for several years.
Maupin was a veteran of the Mexican War and was said to be a crack shot. Later he had a ferry on Deschutes River near the mouth of Bakeoven Creek, which was subsequently owned by W.E. Hunt. The place was then called Hunts Ferry. W. H. Staats bought the town site when the railroads were built up Deschutes Canyon and named the place Maupin Ferry, but the postal authorities cut off the last word and since about 1909 the place has been called Maupin.
-- Source: Oregon Geographic Names, Sixth Edition, 1992, Lewis L. McArthur, Oregon Historical Society Press, ISBN O-87595-237-2.