Kauffman, John Jacob 1846 - 1920

KAUFFMAN, MILLER, SEAGRAVES, BECKER

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 9/2/2022 at 22:48:46

Elkader Register, Thur., 2 Sept. 1920.

John Jacob Kauffman, son of Rudolph and Catherine (nee Miller) Kauffman, was born January 18th, 1845, near Wooster, Wayne County, Ohio.

Born of pioneer stock, from the old, early Pennsylvania Dutch settlers, originally from the north of Switzerland, his parents in 1856 decided to come to the virgin state of Iowa. Arriving in Iowa in the Autumn of 1856, the family settled in Mallory Township, Clayton County, along the Peck's Branch, between what is now Osterdock and Millville.

In this heavily forested region his boyhood days were spent, working, with the members of his family and other scattered settlers of the vicinity, to make this wilderness a paradise of blooming, burgeoning plenty, it has since become.

The schools of that locality were few and far apart, and the duties of frontier life were so pressing, that it was impossible for him to obtain an education which was earnestly desired, and which he made a point, later, to give to his children. Three winters at the district school, with frequent and lengthy interruptions, were all that he could obtain. Later, after reaching full maturity, he enrolled at the Presbyterian college, now known as Lennox college, at Hopkinton, Iowa, but only remained there a short time.

Being to young, when the Great Rebellion broke out, to enlist for his country's battles, he did the next proper duty, and became a worker on the Mississippi River, at that time the great artery of Commerce of the Middle West, travelling from one end of the river to the other, supplying his country with needed foodstuffs during that great agony. He engaged in this occupation until shortly after the war closed. Returning home, he again took up the business of deforestation and farming, interrupted by the war, at Millville, and thereabouts. During this time, he became affiliated with the Masonic Order, at Guttenberg, Iowa, Prairie la Porte Lodge, and was an honored and respected member of that order from the time of his Apprenticeship, until his death, although he had, some years before his demise, transferred his membership to Elkader Lodge, No. 72, at Elkader, Iowa. When the Great Workman called, he had been actively and honorably associated with the order for fifty-three years, being at his death, one of the oldest members, in point of years at least, of any Iowa Lodge.

During this time, he met, and was married to, Susan Jane Seagraves, his faithful and loving helpmate, who for forty-seven years faced the various joys and storms of life, shoulder to shoulder, with him.

Shortly after his marriage, he immediately immigrated to Adair County, Iowa, and there engaged in farming. At this place, his oldest child, Edna, was born. In about two years time, he returned home, to Millville, and engaged in farming and general merchandising at the Crossing, where his two other children, Dottie Jane and Jacob LoreLle, were born. Not being satisfied with life as limited by the farm, he decided to branch into bigger things. He left the farm and moved to Guttenberg, Iowa, there becoming an innkeeper and ye jovial host at the old Commercial House. Not being fitted by temperament or desire to this business, he associated himself in the hardware business with Root Minger, who has long since preceded him to the Great Eternity. Changing from this business, he opened a general store in Guttenberg, leaving there after a few years to follow the same occupation at Greely, Iowa. It was during this time at Guttenberg, that the Eastern Star Lodge was organized. He became charter member of Pearl Chapter No. 143, Order of the Eastern Star, and was in good standing in same at the time of his death.

Returning to Guttenberg, from Greeley, he continued in the general merchandise business until his store was burned. Shortly thereafter, together with John P. Eckhart, of Guttenberg, he opened a private bank at Arlington, then Brush Creek, Iowa. After engaging in this business for a few years, he decided to retire, and devoted himself to his family and private business. Moving from place to place, he at last located at Elkader, Iowa, there intending to live his remaining years in peace and quietness, but harkening to the persistent requests of his son, he removed to Chicago, Ill., in the spring of the present year, where he passed away as the result of an accident, at St. Bernard's Hospital, that city, on Sunday afternoon, at 2:36 p.m. on August 29th, 1920.

A host of friends and business acquaintances survive him, although the great majority of his intimates and relatives have preceded him to the Great Beyond. Only his heart-broken and faithful wife and sorrowing children survive him, together with one brother, David James Kauffman, of Colesburg, Iowa, and one sister, Barbara Helen Becker, of Millville, Iowa, and seven grandchildren, with whom he enjoyed the closing years of his life.

He was a kind and loving father, loved and respected and revered by those who knew him best, for his kindness, business integrity and honesty. Leaving this world with the proud assurance after seventy-six years of faithful and diligent toil, that every man, woman, and child, in passing his bier, must say, "There lies a man."