This blog contains a presentation of furniture, chairs, lamps, and other artifacts of the Kauffman family. Most of this resided at 431 Hilltop from which it was dispersed to the siblings.
Chinese Chest
This Chinese Chest and another crossed the country from Hazelton and Mechanicsburg to Vancouver WA back in 1887 when the newlyweds, Percival Coover Kauffman and his bride, Katharine Barton Kauffman went west to set up housekeeping. It was in my room for years. Mary has the other chest.
Desk
This desk originally came from Walter Lee Kauffman. I have no idea of its history, however, it was a fascinating piece of furniture for the kids. It opens up and has a hidden set of drawers. First you slide the two letter holders out. Next you remove the two drawers. Inside the bottom one are two slides. You can feel them with your fingers along the inside top where the drawer was. Slide them towards the middle. This frees up the removable center piece. Slide it gently forward. There are three hidden drawers inside.
Old Dower Chest
So, this note tells it all. This was the Mohler side of the family. The Martin Keller Hymnal shown elsewhere, belonged to martin Keller, husband of Salome Mohler. She got if rom her mother, Ann Bollinger who was the wife of John Mohler, son of Heney Mohler who got it from his father Ludwig Mohler who brought it over on the ship “Thistle” in 1730. Owned by Nancy Byrne
Breakfront
This old black walnut sideboard, made about 1825 was owned by my Grandmother Coover, and upon her death came into possession of my Mother
Signed, Walter Lee Kauffman
Grandmother Coover, was the wife of John Coover. Her mother, was Ann Elizabeth Coover, wife of Levi Coover, father of Walter Lee Kauffman, my great uncle.
Inside the Breakfront are some interesting spoons from the early 1900s. At one point it was very fashionable to collect these spoons. I still have a few beauties.
Tea Service
Martini Glasses
Our parents loved their Martini’s. Every night they would enjoy one or two or so!
Gate-legged Table
Cradle
Grandfather Clock
“This clock was owned by grandfather John Coover and Grandmother Salome Coover, in 1819 when they were married and went house-keeping. Upon the death of my Grandmother Coover, in 1875, it came into possession of my mother. It has been running all these years and still keeps accurate time.
November 1, 1944 W. L. Kauffman
Now in the loving possession of Matt Gustis.
Oil Lamp
This Oil Lamp sat on the radio cabinet for years. Originally, it had oil cloth shades. Our parents converted it in the 1970s and replaced the shades.
Keller Hymnal
So there may be some confusion here. We have Keller’s on my Mother’s side. She was Elizabeth Keller Wright, daughter of Clara Keller Wright, Granddaughter of Eduard Keller and GGranddaughter of Franz Peter Keller.
But there is another Keller in the Kauffman side. My Father was Walter Lee Kauffman, son of Percival Barton Kauffman, grandson of Levi Kauffman, Great grandson of Ann Elizabeth Coover, Great great grandson of Salome Keller Coover, Great great great grandson of Martin Keller. This Hymnal has the date 1781!
Stilletto
“In the days before the railroads, when all merchandise was brought from the big eastern cities, in the great Conestoga Wagons, which had carried the produce of the country in exchange, our merchants rode along on horseback or later on stage coaches, to these cities. This is the Stiletto was carried by my father, John Coover, in the early days from 1816, until the railroads were built. Happily, the blade is not tarnished by the blood of highway robber, wild beast or Indian.”
Ann Elizabeth Kauffman 1904
Sadist Chair
This chair sat in Grandmother Elizabeth Wright Kauffman’s living room for many years. It was uncomfortable and too big for most people. Gram always sat in it when we visited Erie. So, my mother gave it to her. Years later, we had it professionally cleaned. When they returned it, the owner was so excited to show the beautiful Mother of Pearl, brass and bronze that had been covered over with shellac.
Linens
Since I published this, Aunt Nancy sent me some pictures of a linen bag that she got from Aunt Mabel. Mabel was a sister of Katharine Barton. She and her step sister Ruth lived in Hazelton. When we were young, we would drive there with the family from Erie. I last saw them when Margee and I were first married and lived in State College. Anyways, here are the pictures.
Notice that the bag has the initials MB and the dates 1803 and 1915. I assume that 1915 is when the bag was made. I do not know the significance of the 1803 date but we will continue our research. I have one last piece of linen.
You can see the signature of Ann Elizabeth Kauffman at the bottom. In this note, Ann says that the flax that is used to create this bag was grown at the farm “Barbace” which was located outside of Mechanicsburg, not far from where the cemetery was named.
The date, 1803 is a date associated with Salome Keller but interestingly she was born in 1792 and died in 1883. The date 1910 was when Ann Elizabeth created these bags. She was 79 at the time and died the next year.
This has the name of Salome Keller Coover, the mother of Ann Elizabeth and the dates of her birth 1792 and death 1883. It has the name of Ann Elizabeth who went by Elizabeth Coover Kauffman. And it has the name, Edith Kauffman, who of course is our great aunt, Edith Belle. Also it has the initials of MVZ and the date 1927. This is when it was made. Just who is MVZ? Well, the hint is the Z. That would be the Zug’s. One of the Coover sisters, Sarah, married Harry Zug. Their son Charles Keller Zug married Marietta Veasey. So this is Marietta Veasey Zug.
Oil Lamp
This old lamp – for whale oil or lard with a cotton wick, was used by my Grandmother Coover, and hung in her fireplace for many years. Walter L Kauffman born 1860
Scott Radio
This Scott Radio was manufactured in about 1930. It won the award for the most sensititive radio in America at the Chicago Worlds Fair. My father acquired it and we used it for phonograph record playing as well as listening to the radio.
Breakfront
Flower Picture
Flag
By counting the stars, I guess that this flag dates back to the civil war. The number of stars (34 small and 1 large) would say that this was when West Virginia separated from Virginia and became a state. It came from WLK.
Susanna Mollerein Baptism
Maj Jong Set
From time to time, Mother would bring out Majong. She got this set in California in the 1920s. It is a beautiful ivory and bamboo set.
Mabel Barton’s Hand Painted Plates
There are two sets, one of six owned by Nancy Byrne and one of five owned by Mary Gustis. There is a date painted on the bottom of 1897. They were given by Mabel after her death.
