Biographical Sketch of Isaac Kauffman, Johnson County, Missouri, Warrensburg Township >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** Isaac Kauffman, of Warrensburg, Missouri, is a citizen of Johnson county who is universally respected and esteemed. He was born in 1842 in Stark county, Ohio, the son of Abraham and Anna (Leib) Kauffman, the former a native of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. Abraham and Anna Kauffman were the parents of the following children: Anna, marri- ed Daniel Harley, of Indiana, and is now deceased; Henry, who died in early boyhood; two children died in infancy; Isaac, the subject of this review; Mrs. Elizabeth Longenecker, Otsego, Michigan; Andrew, who enlisted in the Civil War in the 19th Ohio Infantry and died in a hos- pital in Evansville, Indiana, and was buried in Ohio; Mrs. Mary Kram- erer, who resides in Starke county, Ohio; Jacob, who was drowned at the age of 18 years; Mrs. Sarah Witsaman, who died in Michigan; and Mrs. Ellen Fox, who resides in Branch county, Michigan. Mr. Fox is a member of the state Legislature of Michigan. Both the father and the mother died in Starke county, Ohio. Isaac Kauffman was born March 2, 1842 and was reared in Starke county, Ohio. He attended the district schools of Starke county and later worked at making shoes to earn money to attend Greensburg Seminary in Summit county. At the age of 18 years he had learned the shoemaker's trade, working nights when the only lights were tallow candles. For his first two years of work he received thirty dollars in money. In those days the shoemaker made the shoes as well as repaired them. After leaving the seminary, Mr. Kauffman taught school two terms, one term at Uniontown, Ohio and then for about sixteen years followed his trade of shoemaker. In 1866 Mr. Kauffman became interested in the mercantile business in Hartville, Ohio, conducting a store at that place for a short time. From Hart- ville he moved to Randolph, Ohio in Portage county and from there came to Warrensburg, Missouri in the fall of the year 1868. For five years after coming to Warrensburg, Isaac Kauffman worked at his trade of shoemaker in the employ of Mr. Heberling, the veteran shoemaker of Warrensburg. While he was working for Mr. Heberling, Mr. Kauffman spent the early morning and late evenings caring for a small garden. Later, he was a member of the firm, Smith, Scott & Kauffman, afterward Smith & Kauffman. He was employed in the grocery store of both Stewart & Redford and Kelly & Robinson and engaged in the real estate business with Ray Hill. Kauffman was appointed administrator of his father-in- law's estate upon his demise and in 1890 he left the store in order to settle this estate. Before the estate was settled it became necessary for Mr. Kauffman to return to Ohio in order to care for his aged father and he remained in Ohio nearly six years, until August, 1896. He has settled a number of estates as administrator or executor. The Kauffmans resided near Canton, Ohio, the home of President McKinley, and were personally acquainted with the president. Isaac Kauffman returned to Warrensburg in 1896 and since that time has resided on the small tract of land he purchased in January, 1869, from W. K. Morrow. This land comprises one and one-fourth acres, which for eight years after he bought it lay outside the city limits, but are now within the corpora- tion at 422 South Holden street. In April, 1866, Isaac Kauffman was united in marriage with Lucy A. Brown in Canton, Ohio. Lucy A. (Brown) Kauffman was born in January, 1837, in Stark county, Ohio. To Mr. and Mrs. Kauffman was born one child: Octavia A., who is the wife of Rich- ard M. Robertson, a prominent and an able attorney of Warrensburg, Mo. Mr. Kauffman has always been a great lover of music, probably inherit- ing his keen rhythmic sense from his father, Abraham Kauffman, who was a gifted musician and a writer of manuscript music. Isaac Kauffman has in his possession a volume of music written by his father. The work shows that the elder Kauffman was an artist in the preparation of his music manuscript as well as a skilled musician. There are several pieces in this volume which is carefully bound, neatly written and in an excellent state of preservation. Mr. Kauffman has taught vocal music and at one time was the director of music at the Warrensburg Methodist Episcopal Church. For many years he was the only male member of the music committee of that church and is now. Before coming to Missouri, he was a member of a band in Ohio and after coming to Warren- sburg became a member of the band here. He relates an amusing incident, which occurred when he was a member of the Warrensburg band. When Francis M. Cockrell was elected United States Senator the first time, Warrensburg gave him a rousing reception at Empire Hall, to which place he was escorted by his home town band. Colonel Elliott introduced the new Senator and Senator Cockrell responded in a memorable speech. When returning from the residence of Mr. Cockrell, where the band had escor- ted the Senator, Mr. Kauffman, who played the bass horn in the band, opposite the Methodist church, stepped accidentally upon a loose board in the old wooden sidewalk and the opposite end of the board flew up, tripping Lon West and causing him to fall forward several paces, his instrument going several feet in advance of him. Mr. West was an adept at swearing with whom few could compete and none equal, and Mr. Kauff- man states that he outdid himself that evening as he gathered himself together and began to search for his horn. When Mr. Kauffman came to Warrensburg, November 19, 1868, be brought with him a box of one hund- red trees, which were mostly apple trees, but there was one of them an Austrian pine. He planted this evergreen tree, then about two feet high, in the front yard of his home and it is now one of the most beautiful trees in Warrensburg and the prettiest on his place. The original orchard of 44 trees is now dead. Isaac Kauffman was owner of the first registered Poland China hog in Johnson county. He registered this hog as "King of Johnson" and for a number of years was engaged in raising and shipping pedigreed hogs to various parts of this state and other states. Mr. Kauffman received a number of prizes and premiums on the hogs he exhibited at the Johnson County Fair, held at Holden, Missouri. Mr. Kauffman is a valued and highly regarded member of the Warrensburg Methodist Episcopal church, of which he has been treasurer for nearly sixteen years and a member for more than thirty-five years. Mrs. Kauffman's died in October, 1903, and he is now living alone on his place on South Holden street. Mr. Kauffman's place now comprises two and a half acres and there Mr. Kauffman is quietly spending his days, enjoying the shade of the trees he planted, working in his garden, and making friends with the birds, that have no difficulty in learning to know and love him. His little farm is now a part of the city of Warrensburg, but in the summer the shady retreats suggest the quiet of the country. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. 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