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Ancestors of Kathy Lynn Kauffman

Generation No. 3


      4. Russell Alexander Kauffman, born October 11, 1889 in Carrolton, Carrol Co., Missouri; died April 23, 1979 in Tulsa, Tulsa Co., OK (In garden). He was the son of 8. Abraham Lincoln "Linc" Kauffman and 9. Mary Bennett Hart. He married 5. Inez Lucille Augenstein June 28, 1920 in Whiting, Lake County, Indiana.

      5. Inez Lucille Augenstein, born June 13, 1902 in Marion, Ohio 1760946 LDS File; died November 1987 in Tulsa, OK. She was the daughter of 10. Charles Sextis Augenstein and 11. Maude Mae Miller.

Notes for Russell Alexander Kauffman:
Notes for RUSSELL ALEXANDER KAUFFMAN:
I have been told that my father moved to near Ketchum, Oklahoma when he was approximately 3 months old. Whether this information is correct, I am not certain. It is with deep regret that I did not question my father more about his family. He never talked about them and I was not around them except for Uncle Frank Kauffman's family that much. I know that my dad met my mother at his sister Blanche Howard's home near Vinita (probably between Ketchum and Vinita.) I have not been able to find where this property was located. He courted mom by a horse and buggy driving from near Ketchum to where they lived (I assume near White Oak.) We seldom went to Ketchum to see dad's mother. Probably we were too poor to afford gasoline, or didn't have a car that would go that distance. That sounds funny today, but back then it was a long way. I remember going there and playing with Billy and Bobby Kauffman (twin sons of Ruby Kauffman.) Also remember with fond memories Bette Howard. She came to Vera to stay with us for a few days. She has remained in contact with me and was so good to visit with my mom and dad. I remember them coming to the hospital to see me even when Clarence didn't feel good. He had just went home from the hospital. I met Patricia (Patty) Lemmons Reed when we lived in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Both Patty and I were pregnant at the time, I with Don, my youngest son.

When I was growing up I idolized my dad and was always in his shadows. My mom said she didn't think I would ever turn into a lady since I was always in the field with him. When we lived by Talala I almost lost my leg being on the back of a piece of equipment while he was cutting wheat (I think) in the field. I was holding an umbrella, the wind was blowing hard and it blew the umbrella out of my hand. I grabbed for it and fell. At the same time I fell, the chain under the seat broke and wrapped around my left leg. Our family doctor had just died, my parents took me to Nowata, Oklahoma where it was taken care of by cleaning the wound, stitching, etc. Doctors today tell me it was a miracle that I walk, I had a good doctor. When I was still unable to walk, mom was pulling me to the barn to see my dad. A bull was in the lot and she didn't know this. The bull charged and dad jumped in front of the bull with a pitchfork and scared him off. I have respected bulls ever since.

Dad worked hard to make a very small living. He had cotton at one time when we lived on the Miller place east of Vera plus other crops. He had a herd of cows which he milked, had chickens, etc. On Saturday nights we went to Collinsville, Oklahoma. He sold cream and eggs to Kirks. We always went to Guenther Grocery store and Joe Bob Hille worked there. Dad said that if we had $15/month in the house we were rich. Mr. Guenther carried half of the area (which included both Tulsa and Washington counties) on credit. When dad had the money, he paid him. Joe Bob would give me a little sack of candy and I knew I was rich. I remember dad always carried gunny sacks in the trunk of the car. Many times as we returned home from Collinsville he would stop and help a neighbor put out a prairie fire. Those could be very mean. He was always in a white shirt when he went to town. He and I would go into the drug store and buy a root beer. I thought I was living like a very wealthy person.

Dad moved us to CA in 1943, his brother Frank died one month after we left to go to California. My oldest brother Gene lived at Orange. When we arrived at Orange, CA dad stopped a postman and asked him how to get to a certain street. The man said you are Gene Kauffman's dad. How amazing! We only lived in CA for about six months, think we went out in January and came back in July. On the way back we stopped at the airbase near Wichita Falls, TX to see my youngest brother Glenn. Dad worked for the shipyards for awhile and then worked at an orange grove. We lived in an apt near the grove. It was super going out to an orange tree to get a big orange to eat. The taste was heavenly or so I thought. We came back from California and dad worked for different dairy owners. Mom said he worked at Douglas, I don't remember this. She has an opinion of why I don't, see her notes. I don't know whether she is right or not. Ha. He went to work for Fred Richards at Owasso, OK when I was in the 9th grade. Dad broke horses, took care of all of the milking (which was done by machines) and took milk to Tulsa to Glencliff Dairy every day. He was one of the few people who lasted very long with Fred. He was a very difficult man to work for. Gene also worked for Fred. His oldest son became a minister and married Kyrie and Travis.

Dad and mom moved into Tulsa in approximately 1949, dad went to work for a lumber company. He worked for two or three different ones. The last one was Crews Lumber Company just east of downtown Tulsa. I have a picture of dad at a lumber company. I always wondered where this was. A few years ago going through mom's postcards, I found a card which had a picture of a lumber company on the front. I cannot put my hands on this right now, but on the back it says "in case of accident, contact A.L.Kauffman of Ketchum, OK or this company. Therefore, this picture had to be before he married mom at the age of 20. He retired at age 70 and they talked him into coming back to work. He loved to play dominos at lunch time with the other guys. They called him the "Oldtimer." They bought a house on East Apache, their first, and it was I am sure like they were millionaries. They later bought land in Turley, which is really north Tulsa and built a new home. Dad hammered and mom handed him the nails and boards. Ron, my oldest son, was old enough to help him. My children loved this farm, or that is what it was called. I think it was about 0.9 of an acre. Dad had a garden, some fruit trees, grapes, raised rabbits (each of my kids were given a rabbit and of course it multiplied.) This is where they earned money. They loved to go to the "Farm" to stay for the weekend or anytime they could. My dad died in the garden on April 23, 1979. He had plowed four rows, sit down in his chair (he kept chairs at both ends of the garden) and went to be with Jesus. I don't think he had any idea he was having a heart attack since his nitros were still in his pocket. That was the most beautiful garden he ever put out until the weeds started coming. I tried to pull out the weeds; however, I was already having back surgeries and that wasn't something I could do.

My dad was always a very hard worker, he never earned a lot or was wealthy by worldy standards, but he was loved by his family. His loss fills a great void in our lives. Mom told me he had been rough on my brothers, I don't know why. Perhaps they can forgive him for any extra punishment they

He is buried at Owasso, OK at the Fairview Cemetery in 45 E.

More About RUSSELL ALEXANDER KAUFFMAN:
Burial: April 26, 1979, Fairview Cemetery, Owasso, Tulsa Co., Owasso, OK
Cause of Death: Cardiac Arrhythmia
Church Affiliation: Friends Church
Funeral Home: Ninde - Tulsa, Tulsa Co., OK
Last Address: 6645 N. Norfolk, Tulsa, Tulsa Co., OK
Occupation: Farmer/Lumber Yard/Douglas Aircraft/Ship Yards in CA/Orange Orchard/truck driver
SS#: 555-30-4291


Notes for Inez Lucille Augenstein:
Inez Lucille Augenstein was born in Waldo, Ohio on June 13, 1903. Her parents were Charles Sextis Augenstein and Maud Mae Miller. She was born into a large loving family. Her father was killed in 1931 by a train accident in Indiana. She spoke lovingly of her father and had a wonderful relationship with him.

Grandma's Story - she handwrote this material:
I was born in a huge two-story brick house that had once been a tavern on June 13, 1902 in Waldo, Ohio. My parents were Charles and Maude (Miller) Augenstein.

Dad's parents were William Augenstein - born 1847 and died in 1914 and Margaret Essel - born 1852 and died in 1924. Grandma's parents came from Germany when she was quite young. Her brother died on the way to America and was buried at sea. Grandpa's father was a shoe cobbler. I have the awl handle and thimble he used. I also have the weight for a plumb line; these were all brought from the old country (Germany). I don't know where mother's parents were born, probably close to Marion. They were Nathaniel Miller and Emma Ruth Olds Miller, (born 1852). Grandma's father was a Methodist minister. (My note, it was her Grandmother's grandfather who was Rev. Benjamin Olds).

I was the fourth of nine children. Before I was old enough to remember my folks moved to a farm close to Grandpa Millers. My aunt, who was a few years older than Hildred, had a swing in a huge tree in the back yard. We had wonderful times there.

Grandpa Augenstein also lived on a farm with a large two-story house. Of course, with ten kids they needed it. All houses back then were two-story.

One of my early memories was of a surrey trip we kids and the kids who lived across the road took. Dad had gone to town and Pete (her brother) came up with the wonderful idea, WE thought!!!! Why didn't we take turns pulling each other down the hill in dad's dandy surrey. When it came time for me, Neva and Irene Stamper were to be the horses, we couldn't hold the weight of the bigger children whose turn it was to ride. When we started down the hill we got run over. We were all hurt, but not too bad. One of the surrey shafts ran in the ground and broke off. A man came by and asked Pete where the horses were, he said it ran off. Dad took care of the situation when he got home. We didn't try that again, but there was always something else to do that we shouldn't be doing, like stealing brown sugar and mixing it with beans to eat. I don't mean the kind you buy in a store, I mean the kind Dad bought in gunny sacks for his livestock.

Dad had a real mean buck that had to be penned up. There was a real nice shed for it so when no one knew about it we would crawl up on the shed and put our red caps on sticks to tease him. Good thing we didn't fall into the pen. I don't think he liked us????
      Mom's family
      Hildred - age 11
      Pete - age 9
      Neva - age 7
      Inez - age 6 (Pete, Neva and Mom were always in trouble)
      Marie - age 4
      Carl - age 2
      Burdette - a baby
The above ages are the ages of the children when they moved to Oklahoma. Ludy and Pauline were born in Vinita, Oklahoma. (I assume this was approx. 1908 with mom being 6 years old. She was born in 1902).

Dad owned a trotting horse and a two-wheeled cart. There were always cart races in the summer time; until you have seen one you haven't seen anything. They were beautiful. I saw Dan Patch run, he was wonderful. On Saturday nights we took turns going to town with Dad, two at a time. It was next to heaven to hear the horse's hoofs clop, clopping on the brick streets. This was a wonderful occasion as we always went by Grandma and Grandpa Augenstein's big house in Marion. Grandpa had to sell the farm after the boys were all married. (Viv and Ron saw this farm when we took them on vacation.) These old houses all had parlors. Grandma put bedroom furniture in hers for Grandpa. He gave up when he had to sell the farm and usually stayed in this bedroom. I remember on these trips to town going in to see him, but he didn't want to see us kids anymore. I couldn't understand why when I was a child. I asked Hildred why, and she said Grandpa had lost all interest in life.

On Saturday nights the stores would sell large stocks of bananas for ten cents, that is right, one dime. We always had them on hand.

As a young man Dad loved to travel and having seen a lot of the West he decided he wanted to move to either Wyoming or Oklahoma. I think Mom helped him make his decision after learning how cold Wyoming was in the winter. He had a sale. He kept his prize hogs, horses and work harness (they were so fancy and beautiful), buggy and harness for the horses he drove and of course our dog, Foxie. He had been trained and had traveled with a show.

When Mom and Dad were married Dad cut down trees from his parent's farm, had it milled to make their bedroom furniture. The company who made it did a wonderful job. The head of the beds then were real huge and made of solid wood. The foot was a yard or more high. They moved this and a beautiful bookcase with a glass door full length on one side, to hold a lamp. Beneath the desk was a storage space. The bedroom furniture had a dresser and commode. All this furniture went every place they moved. They still had it when they passed away.

There was a big going away party for us. Dad went in the boxcar with all the belongings. Mom had seven children, one a baby to keep track of on the train. All the family were at Grandma Augenstein's house to see us off. They knew they would never see us again as Oklahoma was a land of Indians, who scalped white people. Little did they know that our first playmate would be a full-blooded Indian boy and that we dearly loved his mother. We really enjoyed the trip, the banging of the bells, the hustle and bustle on the platform. Boy, don't kids miss the real excitement today. Try to imagine six kids with eyes like dollars, well that was us.

When the train pulled into the station at Vinita, Oklahoma, Dad and Jess Thomas (they had already moved to Oklahoma) were there to meet us. We went across the tracks to a hotel for the night. Then the next day we went to a farm that Dad had rented. We were as glad to see the dog as he was to see us. Our closest neighbors were full-blooded Indians. They had a boy about my age who was our only playmate. They called him Poogy, his real name was Walter. The house was small for us. No place for Dad's machinery, which had always been in sheds in Ohio. As there was a porch around three sides of the house, Dad managed somehow to keep the buggy on one side of the porch. We only lived there one year when Dad rented a farm one mile south with bottom farmland, a bigger house and some sheds for livestock and woodland grazing. A creek ran through on the south side of the farm. Here we really had fun. We had neighbors here with two or three girls and two boys. Poogy was still our best friend. As he had a mule to ride, Dad bought one for us. Poogy, the Burris kids and Pete, Neva and I would see how many of us could get up on the mule at once how steep a bank we could ride up without falling off (FUN!!!!), it was then. Someone owned an old boat that was always tied up at the creek. Five or six of us would take a boat ride (it leaked); with two of us rowing and the rest bailing out water to keep it from sinking (more fun???)

There was a grapevine in a tall tree, just the thing (really made to order) for swinging out over the creek (a real thrill.) We lived on this farm for two years. This was where Neva and I got lost after we were sent after the cows and part of the fence that was on the west side of the woods had washed out. Dad didn't know it. It was getting a little dark in the woods and we were getting a little confused. When we thought the cows were going the wrong direction, we went the other which took us almost to "White Oak", a town. Before we got there the wolves were howling a serenade. I joined in with my own. Neva said "shut-up", they won't hurt us. Somehow I couldn't believe her. After we were both exhausted, we saw a dim light. After getting up to the house it was where Red Clevenger's folks lived. As he knew us, he hitched up his buggy and took us home. Our folks and all of the neighbors were out with lanterns looking for us. Red went down to the edge of the timber and hollered several times. When he got someone's attention, he said he had brought us home. Quite an experience for two little girls.

Next we moved to the town of Vinita. Dad worked at the refinery for several years. (Sinclair). Then he decided to farm once more. We moved out close to Russell's sister Blanche. That was how I met your dad.

After about a year we moved to Nowata where Dad bought a house and worked at carpentry work. The whole family came down with the flu, except me. I had to do it all, cook, clean and wash. By the time they were all well, Arthur Barrett and Pete (my brother) sent money for Dad to move to Hammond, Indiana. They had even rented a flat for us. I worked in a cannery factory for awhile at Christmas. I went to Marion, Ohio for a visit. When I got back I started working at a millinery store until June.

Russell came up and we were married June 28, 1920. We lived in Tulsa for awhile, then his folks wanted us to go back to the farm to help them. That was our first mistake.

Gene and Glenn were born at Ketchum. (Vivian was also born in Ketchum.) **My note Vivian lived approximately 3 months. She died from Quincy which is now called Streptococcal tonsillitis.**We then moved to Owasso. I asked Russell to rent a farm so we could get the boys out of the bad environment of town. We raised 20 heifers, had hogs and chickens. Then Jet (Jeanette) came along and Russell quit trucking and went to work full time farming. We then moved to Talala; then Vera; Orange, California; Vera, Collinsville; out to Fred Richards dairy at Owasso, back to Talala, and to Tulsa in 1951.

May 17, 1979 - Little did I realize that when I stared writing this for Jeanette that Dad would be taken to be with God before it was finished.

Isiah 40:10 is God's special verse for me. I still stand on it after some 20 years. We had 58 years, 9 months and 23 days together. The Lord Truly was good to us.

My prayer is that we will all meet in Heaven.

Mom

Children - Russell Eugene Kauffman - born June 11, 1921 at Ketchum
      Vivian Lucille Kauffman - born December 10, 1922;
                  died March 21, 1923
      Farl Glenn Kauffman - born April 21, 1924
Gwendolyn Jeanette Kauffman - born September 27, 1931

**I had asked Mom to write some of her memories. She wrote this all in hand. I originally typed this a few months after Dad died. When I got to the last few paragraphs, tears were running down my face. I loved my Mom and Dad very much. They were good, kind and fun-loving parents to me. I am very fortunate that both of my parents were in fairly good health up until the last. My dad rowed four rows in his garden, sit in a chair at the end of the garden and went to be with Jesus. He did not know what was coming since he had Nitroglycerin tablets in his pocket, these were not touched. His garden was the most beautiful that summer that I have ever seen. However, it became full of weeds later and that was hard to see. Mom lived another eight years, full of life, loving her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They left a wonderful legacy to their family and are missed VERY much.

-----------------------
The following material is from a taped conversation made sometime in the early Spring of 1984 or 1985

J = Jeanette M = my Mom (Inez Lucille Augenstein Kauffman)

J - You were born in Waldo, Ohio, but you think it was in Marion County. Dad was born in Carrollton, Missouri. You met in Vinita. Where were you married? Indiana? How did you get back up there?

M - Laughing, what questions. We left the farm in Vinita where Dad and I met. We moved to Nowata, Dad bought a place over there.

J - What was he doing?

M - Dad was working at carpentry work and construction. Arthur wrote to him and wanted him to come to Indiana. Pete was there. This was in Hammond, Indiana. He worked in a refinery in Chicago. Dad sold his place and we moved there.

J - How did Dad get up there?

M - He came on a train.

J - Where did you get married?

M - Whiting, Indiana

J - Who stood up for you?

M - I'm not going to tell the rest of that, it doesn't sound very good. Giggle

J - Come on or I will blackmail you.

M - Ok, this boy up there was pretty struck on me. We went over to his dad's, he was the one who married us. Only this boy stood up for us.

J - Where did you go after you were married?

M - We moved back to Tulsa, at an apartment on Independence near Peoria.

J - I didn't know you had ever lived in that area. Where did he work?

M - He worked for a lumber company.

J - You went to Vinita?

M - Yes, His Dad told him if he would move to Ketchum he would give him land and didn't make out the deed to him.

J - Did he work in a lumbar company in Ketchum?

M - No, he was trying to make a living on that land of 80 acres.

J - That was rock land, from what I remember.

M - Dad thought he was going to get rich on those fruit trees, but he didn't. Gene, Vivian and Glenn were born at Ketchum.

J - Where did you move after that?

M - We rented a place northwest of Ketchum out in the country. We moved from there into Vinita, he worked at different jobs there. We moved out on a place about a mile from where Neva lived. From there we moved to Owasso. We moved to the first house on the other side of the Methodist Church on the main street at Owasso. That is where Glenn run off when Santa Claus went down the road. He was really going after him.

J - Did dad have a job when you moved to Owasso?

M - No. He bought a truck and was trucking with Blue Clarr. He went to Kansas for a couple of weeks for harvest and left me with the two boys by myself.

H - You were living at Ketchum when Vivian was born. You moved out west of town at Owasso and that was where I was born.

M - Yes Vivian died at Ketchum. We moved out by the silo when you were about five or six weeks old. Russell came home one night and I had washed the curtains and things all cleaned up to move. He came in and said what do you have the curtains down for? I said we were going to move this week. He said he didn't know that.

J - Did he farm there?

M - No. We moved out to where you were born to move the boys out of town. We bought some cows and got some calves. We had about sixteen heifers. They were growing up and we didn't have enough space. Dad said we better move to get more room since the cows were on someone else property.

J - I remember once that you said a policeman came out there and was going to arrest Gene. You said they broke down the door.

M - That was when people didn't have to lock their doors. He came in the front door, I screamed that there was someone in the house. Dad put his pants on real quick and went into the living room and that police was real smart. He was hunting a fugitive and he said someone told him that we had the man in our house. If I knew then what I know now, that old boy would of been in trouble.

J - I remember a mad dog and dad shooting the dog.

M - Yes, he kept circling the house.

J - How come you moved to Talala?

M - The place sold where we were living. I was in Dr. Howell's office one day and this woman from Talala told about a farm for rent. We moved there. Your little dog Peanut was stolen from there. That is where you got your leg almost cut off.

J - I remember the bull chasing us as you were pulling me in the red wagon. That is where Gene and Flora met.

M - When we first moved there the boys road their bicycles to the farm up the road and caught the bus to go to school at Vera to keep them from going to the small school.

J - Was that the first time that Dad tried to farm for a living?

M - Yes. I guess it was. He had cows and sold cream.

J - How did you get to the Miller farm at Vera?

M - I don't remember how we got to the farm at Vera. We tried to buy that place, but every time we had some money, I was in the hospital for surgery.

J - I loved that house.

M - It wasn't Gods will that we stay there. If we had stayed there, I wouldn't have any retirement or nothing. I can look back in our lives and I can see where things like I would of liked for them to have been, just couldn't possibly have been that way. Because what materialized at that time until something else came up made all the difference in the world. If he hadn't moved to town and I hadn't moved to work, I wouldn't have had my social security. Of course, I'm not drawing mine, I am drawing on your dads. Why did God have us move around? Why did he move us from this church to that church? I can understand after I see what a good place we have. God knows what we need. I wasn't making very much money but when your dad was working nights it was killing him. I told him to quit that job, that I could support us until he found another job.

J - Did he strictly farm while at Vera? I know he said that if he had $15.00 a month in the house we were rich!

M - Everything we had we tithed and we survived. We had to buy the cows feed, chicken feed and everything. We took Milk and eggs into Collinsville to sell.

J - What year and month did we move to California?

M - January 1943 and we moved back to Oklahoma in July. Dad worked in the shipyards. He was sick the whole time we were there with bronchial trouble. He worked in a fruit orchard.

J - I didn't know when we moved to California the concept of Okies. Probably when we moved in town with everything tied to our car, the people were saying, Oh no, here comes some more. Now Okies are coming back this way. When we moved back, we moved back to Vera.

M - We moved to the Shreffler's place on the main street. We then moved to the two story house. That was a nice house to investigate. You had fun roaming and playing in the attic. The house was built in such a wonderful style. The stairs were beautiful. We then moved down by the railroad tracks next to the Cheevers.

J - Where did he work then?

M - He worked at the airport at Douglas. That is where he found out where you were playing basketball. Somebody told him you were playing. We had just got through buying a watch to keep you from playing. I should of taken it away from you.

J - Did he work at Douglas when we lived at Vera? I didn't know he worked at Douglas.

M - You were thinking more about boys.

J - Oh, I wouldn't had been doing that. Then we moved to Fred Richard's dairy and then back to Sallees. We lived in the apartments in Collinsville for about six weeks before we moved to Owasso. I remember the first day I went to school. I had a full shirt on and the wind was blowing real hard. The skirt made a perfect circle around me and the boys were whistling. I was so embarrassed I could of fallen though the floor. I remember Gene worked for Fred for awhile and I stayed in the little house with them years ago.

M - They lived there when we lived there. Gene didn't stay there very long. No one did. Dad broke his leg while he was taming a horse. We visited you in New Mexico when Ronnie was a baby.

J - After we were married you moved to the Sallee place. How did you decide to come to Tulsa? I remember the apartment you moved to on First Street in Tulsa.

M - When he lost his job at Salees, we moved to the farm at Talala. Then we moved from that place. The same boy that moved us to Talala moved us to Tulsa. Then we bought the little house on Apache, our first home. He worked for a lumber company across the river on 21st street. He went to Glencliff Dairy and worked nights. I couldn't go to sleep at night because I was scared. He got a job the next day at Crew's Lumber Company. He was there for a long time. Mr. Crews was a good man. They called him (dad) an old timer.

J - I had a student whose husband worked at Crews. She said every time she saw him coming she would hide her cigarettes. I asked her if Dad got on to her about smoking. She said no, but she didn't want the old timer to think she smoked. You use to talk about going to horse races all the time. Was that in Tulsa?

M - That was when we lived where you were born. Dad was trucking. We were raising cows, got them a pony. Every fall Dad would to to the races where he had a concession. The races were held at the fairgrounds. We had a little Ford and we would get down and go to the races. They also had dog races over by the old elevator on Lewis Street.

The following was read at Mom's services.
Inez Lucille Kauffman
Mom was born at Waldo, Ohio on June 13, 1902. She was the fourth of nine children. Her stories to me indicated that she had loving parents and siblings. She moved to Oklahoma at an early age and the relatives in the East knew that her family would never be seen again as they were moving to the Indian land and would be scalped. The stories that she has told over the years showed that her humor and love of life has always been with her.

Mom was fiercely independent and was very proud of the fact that she still drove, baby sit with her beautiful great grandchildren and able to take care of herself. Her favorite statement to us even in the last week of her life was "Do you want me to sit down and become a stale, helpless old woman?"

She felt that she had raised three exceptional children and was proud of their accomplishments. This was her conversation on Monday evening prior to suffering a massive stroke on Tuesday. Her grandchildren and her great grandchildren were the pride of her life. Mom's major concern on Monday evening was that all of her family members turn their lives over to God so she could see them again in Heaven.

Her favorite verse was Isaiah 40:10 "Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him."

She will be greatly missed, yet the legacy of her life will continue

      Jeanette Girkin - her daughter

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The following is a story that was written by Amber Brown (granddaughter of Jeanette Girkin) for a creative writing class when she was 17 in approximately November of 1994.

TIGER

The blackness gave way, for through the mountain tops a tiny beam of sunlight peered around creating the beautiful pastels of pinks, purples, and blues. Dancing along the range she invited and welcomed the others to join her. One by one they joined her as they now began to illuminate the sky. After many months of a long harsh winter, Mother Spring was eagerly awaiting her chance to promote the beginning of new life that she could enjoy for the many years to come. But it had been a harsh winter, and with this harsh winter came the grievance of the loss of an extremely dear person.

I was awakened from sleep by the smell of bacon eggs, and biscuits. Aching from the pains of an unstretched body, I rubbed my hands across the clothes impressions that had temporarily been branded into my body over night. As I pulled my blue, flowered blanket, which had faithfully protected me from the coldness of the winter and the tears that fell from my eyes each night, I noticed a small, worn-out stuffed dog fall from a small section of the blanket. I picked up the floppy puppy, whom I knew as Tiger, and held him up to my face. The overwhelming, soothing aroma of my great grandmother's home conquered my senses as the tears filled my eyes.

The rush of emotions swept me into a land that I had not visited because of denial, in a long time. The Land of memories opened her doors willingly. I thought back to the earliest memories of my grandma Tiger. As I clenched the brown and tan cloth covered key to this land, I recalled the tea my grandma so carefully prepared for us each evening we spent with her. I remember grabbing hold of her frail, soft arms as she led me up the brick path that led from the barn to the house. And then I remembered the smell that hit a person the moment he walked into the room. The smell of history welcomed down the shield the outside world forces him to build, and put his worries and anxieties away. This was the force behind this key to the unlocked land.

Then this key took me to a realm that I did not wish to visit. I was brought to the moment when I came into the hospital room where my grandmother had been jailed in after her stroke. I thought of the last time I had seen her, when I heard her voice as I helplessly watched technology keep a woman so previously full of life alive. My sister and I stood next to the bed hypnotized by the soft sobbing voices that filled the room. I looked at this flesh and wondered if knew the comfort we said to it. To show respect we grasped her hand and told her we loved her and we missed her. After days of not moving, my grandma squeezed our hands. A sudden weight was lifted from the room. We knew at that moment that this flesh still contained an ounce of this woman we loved. Although I was frightened then, I now look back at this moment and feel blessed by this last communication that showed me love.

A few days later my grandma died. The tears poured from my face as I held onto this link that had spent his entirety in her presence. The smell of bacon ripped me from my memory world and back into the present. Although she is gone, her progeny shall always hear tales of her character. I realize that I must pass on the love she shared by preserving her memory through the stories as well as this old, history-filled dog, whom I know as Tiger.

(My notes - Jeanette Girkin)

At the beginning of this story written by Amber she is describing the sunlight as it comes through her windows and the various colors in her room are brought to life. Tiger was Mom's dog. He had to be put to sleep. Vivian and her family bought her a stuffed dog who looked like Tiger for her at Christmas.

Mom and Dad loved the holidays. Although they are gone, their presence fills the house when we all get together. They left a legacy for their children, grandchildren and those to follow. I loved them very much. They were both there for me when I needed them, always showed love to me and I feel their death left a great void in my life and in the lives of my family.



More About INEZ LUCILLE AUGENSTEIN:
Burial: December 03, 1987, Fairview Cemetery, Owasso, Tulsa Co., Owasso, OK
Cause of Death: Cardiopulmonary Arrest; Brainstem Infarct
Funeral Home: Ninde - Tulsa, Tulsa Co., OK
Last Address: 6645 N. Norfolk, Tulsa, Tulsa Co., OK
Medical Information: Hypertension, Congestive Heart Failure, Asthma
Occupation: Housewife/Froug's Dept Store/Lingerie Buyer
SS#: 448-32-4478


Friday, June 13, 1902                 
Top Headlines This Quarter                 
THE UNITED STATES WITHDRAWS ITS TROOPS FROM CUBA AS THE PRESIDENT, TOMAS ESTRADA PALMA, IS INSTALLED. WEST POINT CELEBRATES ITS 100TH BIRTHDAY. SOME 140,000 MINERS OF ANTHARITE COAL GO OUT ON A STRIKE CALLED BY THE UNITED MINE WORKERS. THE STRIKE ENDS ON OCTOBER 21ST. TRAIN MAKES NEW YORK TO CHICAGO TRIP IN RECORD 20 HOURS.                 
                 

Top Songs For 1902                 
Because - Edward Teschemacher            I'm Unlucky - William Jerome     
Jennie Lee - Arthur Lamb            Mister Dooley - William Jerome     
Pomp And Circumstance -Edward Elgar            In Dear Old Illinois -Paul Dresser     
Bill Bailey, Won't You... - Cannon            Under The Bamboo Tree - Bob Cole     
                 

Prices                  US President     
House      $4,000.00      Theodore Roosevelt     
Car      $500.00            US Vice President     
Milk      $.28            No V.P.     
Gas      $.05           
Bread      $.04           
Postage Stamp      $0.02     
Avg Income      $681.00           

Fine Arts                 
Art:      Art- Monet Painted "Waterloo Bridge."            
Film:      Film- Oskar Messter's "Salome" Filmed. Film- Oskar Messter's "Salome" Filmed.           
Music:      Music- Elgar Composes His 1st "Pomp And Circumstance"March Music- Elgar Composes His 1st "Pomp And Circumstance"March           
                 

1902 Sports Headlines                 
CALIFORNIA'S FIRST ROSE BOWL IS WON BY MICHIGAN OVER STANFORD 49-0. YALE DEFEATS HARVARD 5-3 AND CAPTURES COLLEGE HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP. THE BASEBALL WORLD SERIES STARTS NEXT YEAR! ARMY DEFEATS NAVY 22-8 IN ANNUAL FOOTBALL GAME.                  

     
Children of Russell Kauffman and Inez Augenstein are:
  i.   Russell Eugene Kauffman, born June 11, 1921 in Ketchum, Craig Co, Ok; married Flora Dikeman July 3, 1938; born June 3, 1920 in Talala, Rogers Co., OK.
  ii.   Vivian Lucille Kauffman, born December 12, 1922 in Ketchum, Craig Co, Ok; died March 12, 1923 in Ketchum, Craig Co, Ok.
  2 iii.   Farl Glenn Kauffman, born April 21, 1924 in Afton, Oklahoma; married Mary Jane Webb March 27, 1943 in Claremore, OK.
  iv.   Gwendolyn Jeanette Kauffman, born September 27, 1931 in Owasso, Tulsa Co., Oklahoma; married (1) Charles Elburn Girkin; married (2) Samuel Eugene Redman.
  Notes for Gwendolyn Jeanette Kauffman:
My Life - Gwendolyn Jeanette Kauffman

I was born at Owasso, Oklahoma, Tulsa County on September 27, 1931. My parents were Russell Alexander Kauffman and Inez Lucille Augenstein. I was born on 86th Street North, just west of the railroad tracks at the top of the hill on the south side of the road. The earliest recollection I have is of living approximately where Reaser's grocery store is on east 86 St. North in Owasso. Dad farmed there, from stories by mom he drove a truck with cattle to Kansas City and did any other task which would bring money in for his family. I remember riding a horse from an early age. Mom told me that my brothers Gene and Glenn had me riding a horse before I was a year old by myself. I think I remember (may have been just stories that I remember) of a mad dog circling our house one day. My dad finally shot him with a gun. The dog was frothing at the mouth. When we lived there the police broke into our house one night searching for a fugitive. Someone told them that he was at our house. Mom said Gene and Glenn jumped out of bed and were almost shot by the police.
We moved to a farm near Talala, Oklahoma when I was about 5. I started school at Talala, the boys went to Vera since we were going to move there in a short time. I almost got my leg cut off when we lived at this farm. I was riding on the back of the binder with my dad, I was carrying an umbrella which blew out of my hands. I grabbed for this umbrella. At the same time the chain broke on the back of the binder and wrapped itself around my lower left leg. I remember it looked like sausage. Mom cleaned me up before she would take me to a doctor. Our doctor at Collinsville, Dr. Hille, had just died; therefore, they took me to a doctor at Nowata. I don't remember his name, but doctors today say he did a wonderful job and that I should not be walking without a limp. I spent much time in the corner at school in Talala. For talking, now who would believe that would of gotten me in trouble. The picture I bought a few years ago of a little girl and her dog in the corner reminded me of that experience. I knew I did not need this picture; however, I finally grabbed it and paid for it before I could back out.

We moved to Vera when I was still in the first grade. I have wonderful memories of living at the farm 2 miles west of Vera. Every time I pass this place I still think of all of those wonderful times and would love to buy the property. I had a creek to explore, cave to have a wonderful time at, my horse and what more could a girl want for!! I rode my pony all over the country side, even to bible school in Vera during the summer. The horse's name was Blue. She died when we went to California and we were all very sad. A lot of kid in Owasso and Vera learned to ride on Blue. I use to go out to the field, put an ear of corn down, when she put her head down, I jumped on her back, turned around and she would go to the house where Dad would saddle her and put the bridle on. Had a good thing going there. Dad raised cattle, farmed and worked very hard to put very little money in the till. Dad had a dog who would go out and bring the cows into be milked. The cows were so gentle that you could ride on their back. The term "cooking for threshers" came from when all of the farmers would get together to help each other get the crops in. Someone had the equipment needed. The ladies would cook much, much food. Mom canned meat, vegetables and we never went hungry. She made me beautiful dresses out of "feed sacks", these were very nice percale, and she would iron and starch them to perfection. When we still lived on the farm I had the brilliant idea of trimming my eyebrows like my sister-in-law did. Only I shaved mine. The kids at school called me eyebrows which made me very angry. We always went to Collinsville on Saturday night. Dad would take cream, eggs, etc. into town and sell them at Turk's creamery. Often we would go to the sale barn and dad would either sell or buy cows. We would go to Guenther grocery store and buy what staples we needed. Many times Mr. Guenther carried dad on the books until the crops could be sold. We usually went to the show for a nickle and it was also time for a root beer at the local drug store. What a life!! Mom and I were in Guenther's store when a tornado came through Collinsville. Mom wanted to go out and try to outrun the storm, Mr. Guenther said we needed to get in the back of the store away from the glass. You could see houses and debris flying through the air. He probably saved our lives. The tornado destroyed buildings approximately two blocks away. I have been close to several tornados and thankfully none hit where I lived.

I was a good student in school. When I graduated from the 8th grade I was valedictorian. My speech

In December of 1942 dad sold all of the livestock, equipment, etc. and we moved to Orange, California in January of 1943. Dad worked in the ship yard (working on ships to be used in the war) and also worked in an orange grove. We lived in apartments. That was another world from the small town of Vera, Oklahoma. I remember a group of white kids and Mexican kids got into a fight over a volleyball at school. This was in the 6th grade. The Mexican boys told us they were going to cut us with knifes. We were scared. I had to wear long brown socks which we kept fastened above the knee with a piece of elastic. I hated those socks and would take them off or roll them down when I was away from Mom. We moved back in July of 1943. It was very nice to be back in school with kids that I had grown up with. My best friend was Marylee Searle. We usually spent weekends at each others house. She liked to come to the farm and I loved to go into the big town of Vera. Sometime dad worked at Douglas Bomber Plant. I don't know when. There is a pin for service from Douglas. I cannot find out what year is was given out. (Mom said I was too interested in boys to know where my dad worked, not I don't think that was "true".)

I played basketball, softball, and anything else that I could. Marylee and I were really tomboys and liked to play with the boys better than the girls. I was playing with the boys once and a boy wanted his gun back. I gave it to him, threw it and hit him between the eyes. He started bleeding and I just knew that he was going to die. I run and hid in the "outhouse", we didn't have wonderful indoor plumbing then. He lived, but I am sure still bears a scar between his eyes.

In the middle of the 9th grade my dad moved to Collinsville, Oklahoma. We lived over the local drug store. The first day of school at Collinsville I had a full skirt on and when I went up the steps a big puff of wind blew my skirt up, the boys all yelled. Yuk, or that is what I thought then. We only lived there for about 1 month until dad got a job with Fred Richards running his dairy just east of Owasso, Oklahoma on what is now called 76 Street North. The dairy was approximately two miles east of town. I enjoyed school at Owasso. However, in the second semester of the 10th grade I went to Friends Bible College in Haviland Kansas for about two months. They were going to take my appendix out and I came home. I was President of the 10th grade. I was also chosen by the FFA boys to represent them at Tulsa in the Dairy Princess contest. I think this is what it was called then. I had all of my clothes ready and am sure that I was on my way to stardom. However, mom found out that I had to wear a bathing suit and my career went down the tubes. I was heartbroken, but recovered fast. I am sure I would of went on to become a famous movie star. Hah. Mom bought me a watch to keep me from playing basketball. I would play and have severe attacks of appendicitis. Of course, like a lot of wonderful children, I did not mind and kept playing. A man at a gas station told my dad that he had seen me play at East Central high school the night before. I was in a lot of trouble! One week before Mom died she was still telling me she should have taken the watch away, and she should have. My friend through high school was Jean Montamat from Tulsa. She went to the Friends church in Tulsa. She was my maid of honor when I was married. We have remained in touch over the years. She lives in Anaheim, California. Mom called her daughter number 2.

Over Christmas of 1946 I was at Maxine Girkin's house in Owasso getting ready to go out on a double date with her. The boy was suppose to pick me up at her house. Charles was home on leave from the navy and sent a message the next day that he wanted me to meet him at the local cafe. I went, we dated for one week, and he returned to the Navy in Green Cove Springs, Florida. When I was going to school at Haviland in March of 1947 I received a package. It contained an engagement ring. I said yes. He came home from the Navy in October of 1947, we were married in February of 1948. We really didn't know each other, were too young and it did not work out. However, I do have three beautiful children, ten wonderful grandchildren and one great grand baby from this marriage. I guess I really didn't think about how long we were going together until I was typing these notes and it was only one week prior to him going back to Florida.

We lived in several apartments in Tulsa and when Ron was about 8 months old we moved to Roswell, New Mexico. Loyd Girkin was very ill and they thought he was dying. Charles promised him if he would get well he would move there. We moved on a Greyhound bus. Can you imagine doing that today! We stayed there approximately 8 months. One night we were playing cards with some friends and we both said lets go home. We packed up and left the next day on a Greyhound bus again. Ron had pneumonia while we lived there and was in the hospital several days. Charles worked for a dairy company driving a truck. He could not find a job for several months after we got back to Tulsa. We lived with his uncle Lloyd Jones. It was rough. We ate a lot of rabbits. He went to work for Glencliff dairy, he has also worked for Hawk dairy, Carnation dairy and Guys Potato Chip company. He always worked very hard and these jobs were very demanding, long and tiring. He was not lazy on the job.

When Vivian was about 6 months old and Ron 4 we moved to our first home at 112 N. 71 E. Avenue in Tulsa, Oklahoma. We thought we were millionaires. In 1955 we sold the house and moved to Stillwater, Oklahoma where Charles managed a Pepsi warehouse. We lived there five years until some problems forced us to return to Tulsa. We rented a house on East Eastin for awhile and then bought for $200 down a house on East 43 St. North. This house was behind Cincinnati hill. The boys especially enjoyed this hill. We even had to borrow the $200 to get into this house. On November 11, 1970 (Ron's birthday) we moved into the house at 2310 S. Hickory Place in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. The guy who sold the house gave us $5000 for out house in north Tulsa. Most of the people walked out and left their houses. We felt very fortunate to get the house in Broken Arrow.

In 1964 I went to work at Hillcrest Hospital in the Medical Record department in the lowest paying job ($1.25/hour) sorting medical records and marking them for deficiencies. A couple of months later I had the opportunity to learn how to do medical transcription. In 1966 I went to St. John's Medical Record Department. After transcribing for about a year I started doing the tumor registry information. I learned about Accredited Record Technician (ART); however, I had to have my high school diploma to be able to go to correspondent school. I obtained this seven weeks after Ron graduated from high school in 1967. I then started to correspondence school to obtain my ART. This was suppose to take 2 years, I completed in four months. I took the national exam at Tulsa University and passed. An opening was at Doctor's Hospital for the Director of the Medical Record Department. I started there in 1969. Couldn't hardly believe that I had this type of position. In 1970 Tulsa Junior College opened its doors. I was on the Advisory Committee for that year. In 1971 the administrator of Doctor's Hospital pulled something that made me very unhappy. I had just obtained a letter asking me if I knew of anyone who wanted to teach at TJC. I had thrown it in the trash. I called Mr. Bill Wells and told him my credentials. After three interviews I was hired by Bill Sutterfield to be the head of the medical record program. I started work at TJC on the Monday after Kyrie Ann was born on Friday August 20, 1971. This program was discontinued one year after I went to TJC. I also had the Medical Secretary program. No one told me that I had to go to college, but I did. I started taking 3 hours (Freshman Composition I) in January of 1972. From there I completed my Associate Degree in May of 1976, started to Oklahoma State University in June of that year and completed by Bachelor of Science degree in May of 1978, still stayed in school and obtained my Master's of Science Degree in December of 1979. Don't ask me why!!, but I continued to go to school. I completed my doctorate in May of 1983. Can you believe this high school drop out did this??? I lived in Stillwater for five years, never dreamed about going to college and then when I move 90 miles away, go to school there.

Monday I started teaching my 25th year at Tulsa Junior College. My fancy title is now Program Director for the Medical Assistant and Medical Office Administration Programs. In 1974 I developed the curriculum and started the medical assistant program. This has been a wonderful organization to be involved with. I have served as President of Tulsa County Medical Assistants, President of Oklahoma Medical Assistants Society and was very fortunate to have served at the national level as Secretary/Treasurer of the American Association of Medical Assistants. At present I am an educator surveyor for CAAHEP, which is the accrediting body from American Medical Association and AAMA. It has been a lot of fun going across the United States surveying other medical assistant programs.

My life has been full of a lot of wonderful things. I thank God for having the mother and father that I had, for having the privilege of living in the country on a farm and for the wonderful friends and family which been blessed my life. My children are all married, are happy and have produced some very wonderful, handsome grandsons and beautiful granddaughters. I even have been blessed with a beautiful great-grand baby and am sure there will be many more before I leave this world. My family have had sadness in our lives, but thanks to a very strong, sturdy stock, we have all survived. The happy times have outweighed the sad ones. It was very hard to give up my mom and dad, but I know they are not suffering, lived a very long and productive life and left a wonderful heritage for their descendents down the line.

I have been blessed with the privilege of traveling to the majority of the states, Mexico, Canada, Oahu, Maui and even took a cruise to the Eastern Carribean. Approximately 1990 I went to Ohio and met Mom's cousins, second-cousins, etc. This has been a wonderful experience. I hope each of you enjoy the material that I have put together and will continue my search for our past.

In March of 1994 Gene and I went to Carrollton, MO to see where my dad was raised. We met Gerald and Catherine Hart in Platte City and he took me to a cemetery and showed me where Henry Hart had lived while in that area. It has been so much fun doing genealogy, meeting such wonderful people. In July of 1998 Gene and I attended a family reunion of the Howard clan, my dad's sister was a Howard. Comparing notes with a cousin's daughter Sharon Coleman from DeSoto, TX I gave her the name of siblings of my grandfather. Through contacts on e-mail we found out these names were real people and on August 26 drove to Carrollton and met some new relatives. Genealogy is fun, not just finding out new information, but the wonderful people that you meet. At this time, after years of researching for any info on my Grandfather Abraham (Lincoln) Kauffman we now know his parents name and where he was born.

Sept. 1998 - July 9, 1998 I retired from my position at TCC (now Tulsa Community College) instead of Tulsa Junior College. Approximately five years ago I started seeing Gene Redman from Ramona, OK. His father Fay had been my mailman when I lived in the country near Vera. I would take Fay flowers from our garden when we had them, otherwise they would be weeds but he took them home and had his wife put them in water. Our love grew and on May 23, 1998 we "eloped" to Alba, Jasper County, Missouri where we were married. Vivian and James Brown were out attendants and Paige Kathleen Turney, my beautiful baby, was out flower girl. This was a last minute decision to even ask the family. James, Vivian, Kyrie and Paige, Jeremy and Amber were present as well as Don, Adam and Stephen Girkin. Pastor Richard Buck performed the ceremony. His daughter Melody was home and took the wedding pictures. At this time we are building a new home in Ramona, Ok on a hillside overlooking a pond. Many happy years are going to be spent there.



More About GWENDOLYN JEANETTE KAUFFMAN:
Degree: May 1976, Tulsa Junior College, Tulsa, OK - Associate Degree; BS 1978 Oklahoma State University; 12/1979 Master's Degree OSU; 1983 Doctorate of Education, OSU, Stillwater, Payne Co., OK
High School: 1967, GeD
Nickname: Jet
Occupation: Hillcrest Hospital/St. John's Hospital/Doctor's Hospital (Director of Medical Records Department); Tulsa Junior College (Director of Medical Assistant Program)
Remarried: May 23, 1998, Alba, Jasper Co., MO to Gene Redman
Retirement: July 09, 1998, YEAH
Social Security Number: 525-62-7391

By the way, that beautiful young lady on a pony is me, her name was Blue.
Everyone in Owasso and Vera, I think, learned to ride on her. she was my
pride and joy. I use to take a ear of corn out to the pasture, she would put
her head down to get it, I would jump on her neck and when she raised her
neck up, would guide her to the barn where dad would saddle and put the
bridle on her. She was so gentle, you could set between her feet and she
wouldn't move. When we were in CA in 1943 she died, she was very old at that time.




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