FROM DIRT FARMER TO MUSEUM CURATOR
THE STORY OF A MENNONITE FARMER WHOSE HOBBY BECAME HIS LIFE
WORK
Kauffman charles j 1944. A GENERATION ago the most famous
sermon in America was that of Russell Conwell's “Acres of
Diamonds.” The theme of the sermon was embodied in the story
of the man who sold his farm and travelled all over the
world in search of diamonds in the hope of becoming rich. He
died a poor man but the man who bought his farm became rich
because he found diamonds in his own front yard.
The life story of Charles J. Kauffman of North Newton,
Kansas, reminds one of a man who must have heard Conwell's
lecture and learned a lesson from it. He decided to look for
happiness, beau
ty, and joy in life right around him; he found it as most
people do who are equally wise.
* * * *
KAUFFMAN was born and spent most of his life on a typical
Mennonite farm in South Dakota in the Swiss Settlement
between the towns of Freeman and Marion. Early in his life
he became interested in the study of nature and wild life
.
He tells in a very interesting way how as a little boy he
was thrilled with the beauty of the rainbow colors of the
wild ducks his father shot, of the well-proportioned and
graceful appearance of the ducks as they soared through the
sky or floated on the water; and then of the pangs of pain
that swept over him as he thought of this beauty being
destroyed by plucking the feathers and eating the meat. Then
and there he wished that somehow the beauty of God's
handiwork could be preserved.
This was the day before the science of taxidermy was
advanced and in most places unheard of. Accidentally
Kauffman secured a copy of a wild animal book which gave
many practical hints along this line. This little book,
which long since has been lost, started him on the road to
his present position as curator of the Kauffman Museum on
the Bethel College at North Newton , Kansas.
* * * *
Farming and Collecting Birds
ALL HIS life Kauffman had to farm to earn a living but on
the side he began collecting every species of wild life
found in the home community around Freeman. He mounted or as
it was then called, stuffed, these species and put them into
one room of the house which had been set aside for that
purpose.
The number of exhibits soon grew. From the few dozen common
varieties of birds the collection expanded to include
several hundred kinds of native birds. In additon [sic] to
birds this small farm museum began to have natve [sic]
animals such as the fox, the squirrel, the racoon, the
muskrat, the skunk, the badger, the various kinds of mice,
etc. Later Kauffman began to add foreign species of birds
and animals. the collection grew so that even two rooms in
the house were too small to display the growing collection.
A new house had to be built for the family and the old one
was devoted entirely to the displaying of the mounted wild
life.
In time even the whole house proved too small to meet the
growing demands for space and became inadequate as a museum
building. The number of visitors to this unique farmer's
home increased with the size of the museum. Gradually it
required so mach time to take care of the hobby that less
and less time was left for farming.
After almost forty years of pursuing this interesting hobby
Kauffman decided to give up farming and devote his full time
to what was now to become a profession rather than a hobby.
President Ed. G. Kaufman of Bethel College invited him to
move his entire collection into the large but vacant
gymnasium building on the campus and there give his full
time to the care and building up on the campus and there
give his full time to the care and building up of the
museum. Kauffman decided to accept his invitation on the
basis that he wanted to leave his life work in a place where
it would be permenantly [sic] taken care of an where it
would serve the greatest number of people most usefully.
* * * *
As Curator and Artist
IN 1941 Kauffman, his family and his museum were moved to
its present location. Today even the enlarged quarters of
the museum seem none too large. In addition to the 400
species of birds, many of them exceedingly rare, there are
hundreds of other valuable displays. not only mounted
animals but a multitude of items that depict the life and
culture of Mennonites in former days.
There are reed organs, mangle iron, sewing machines,
spinning wheels, coin collections, stamp and stone
collections, the small model of the Leper colony in Champa,
India, a wigwam and life-size models of Sioux Indians, farm
implements used by the pioneers, old automobiles and an old
log cabin with fixtures and life-size figures of its
inhabitants.
The significant thing about Charles Kauffman and his museum
is that he built it by first working with what he had at
hand. He looked around on his own farm and saw great
possibilities. All his life he had struggles but with them
also the joys that come from triumph whom one wins in the
struggle of a worthwhile cause. The hobby was not a selfish
one but one in which God was glorified and fellowmen served.
* * * *
KAUFFMAN has tried to preserve some of the beauties which
God had created and which Mennonite pioneers used and
developed. This story does not do justice to the significant
work which he has done. It is not intended to do that. The
purpose is to emphasize the uniqueness of what one talented
but humble Christian farmer has done. He has found beauty
where it is, in his own heart and soul; he has expressed it
with his own hands as God has given him power; he has
enriched the life of those around him and impoverish no one
in the process. — J. W. F.
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Services Held Tuesday for
Founder, Curator of Kauffman Museum
North Newton, Kan. — Charles J. Kauffman, founder and
curator of the widely known Kauffman Museum on the Bethel
College campus, died at his home here Dec. 29 at the age of
79.
In ill health since he fractured a hip in a fall three years
ago, he maintained a keen interest in the museum until his
death.
The collection represents a lifetime interest of its
founder, who began mounting birds and animals as a farm lad
in South Dakota. He was born at Marion, S. D. on May 6,
1882, the son of Russian Mennonite immigrants.
He attended the State Normal School at Mitchell, S. D. and
then taught school for 10 years. He also attended taxidermy
school in Omaha, Neb., and later began adding items of
cultural and historic interest to his collection of birds
and animals. In 1908 he was married to Fannie Schrag at
Menno, Wash.
Moved to College in 1941
Eventually the museum filled one room at the Kauffman farm
home near Marion, and later a new house was built and the
old one used entirely as a museum. In 1941, at the
invitation of Bethel College, the collection was moved to
the former Alumni Hall on the college campus.
The collection continued to grow, and a new addition to the
hall was opened in 1959. The museum now houses more than
10,000 items, including 500 birds; a variety of animals, and
also old farm tools, musical instruments, artifacts from
mission fields, pioneer-day costumes, and old cars and
bicycles.
A main attraction at the museum is an authentic log cabin of
a pioneer Mennonite family, completely furnished and
containing wooden figures of the family carved by Mr.
Kauffman himself. His lecture given in the cabin has been
tape recorded.
Among the thousands who have visited the museum are many
school children who remember Mr. Kauffman's unique way of
describing his work.
Over the years Mrs. Kauffman has shared her husband's
interest, carrying on much of the work at the museum during
his illness. College students have also assisted.
Funeral services were conducted Tuesday afternoon at the
Bethel College Church, of which he was a member. Rev. S. J.
Goering conducted a brief service for the family in the
little chapel. Rev. Russell Mast, the pastor, was in charge
of the service in the sanctuary. Dr. E. G. Kaufman,
president emeritus of Bethel College, read the obituary and
gave the funeral sermon.
CHARLES J. KAUFFMAN
On a bright spring morning nearly 80 years ago a boy was
born who was destined to become a child of nature in a very
special way. On an equally bright but chilly wintery morning
he returned to the Creator of “all things good and
beautiful.” In between was a life characterized by
integrity, by industriousness, and by a great eagerness to
share with others the richness and variety that he found in
the world of nature.
Charles J. Kauffman was born to Jacob P. and Kathrine [sic
Katherina] Kauffman on May 6, 1882, on a pioneer farm at
Marion, S. D. He grew up there, attended the State Normal
School at Mitchell, S. D. and then taught school for ten
years, during this time also establishing himself on a fram
[sic] near his birthplace. In 1908 he married Fannie Schrag
from Menno, Wash. In 1940 he moved to North Newton, Kansas,
where he and his wife lived and served for the last 21
years. He died in his home on Dec. 29, 1961, at age of 79.
Early in his life it became apparent that he had a special
sensitivity to the artistry of God's universe. He tried to
conserve some of this beauty by mounting birds and animals.
Together with the gatherings of items of cultural and
historic interest, this finally developed into the Kauffman
Museum at Bethel College. He was deeply identified with this
work, viewing it as both an educational and spiritual
endeavor. Birds and animals were to him emissaries of God's
love and beauty.
Surviving him are the museum and his family consisting of
his wife, Fannie; two sons, Ralph of Tucson, Ariz. and Lloyd
of Marion, S. D.; and a daughter, Rose, Mrs. Robert L.
Gering of aurora, New York; also four sisters, Mrs. Henry J.
Goering of North Newton, Mrs. Fannie Graber, Mrs. Adolph L.
Waltner, and Mrs. Phil Krehbiel, all of Freeman, S. D., and
seven grandchildren.
Funeral services were held Jan. 2, 1962, at the Bethel
College Mennonite Church, of which he was a member.
SCHILLINGER, Frances Irene (Age 90) Frances passed away
peacefully at her home in Hayden, ID surrounded by family,
after a brief illness on January 9, 2015. She was reunited
with her husband of 63 years and the love of her life,
Norman (Bud) who passed in 2002 and whom she greatly missed.
Frances will be remembered for her endearing faith and
ministry. She found comfort and strength in her relationship
with God and His presence in her life. She was a wonderful
wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend to
all she met. Everyone looked forward to dinner at mom's as
she was an excellent cook! She is deeply loved and will be
missed by family and friends. Frances is survived by her
three sons, Dennis, Terry and Randy; 12 grandchildren, 26
great-grandchildren and eight great-great-grandchildren. She
had four brothers and four sisters, all of which have
previously passed. A Celebration of Life will be held on
Saturday, January 17th at 2:00 pm at Heritage Chapel.
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