Descriptive Summary
Administrative Information
Access Points
Biography
Scope and Content
Descriptive Summary
Title: Kaufman (Mary) Collection,
Date (inclusive): 1979-1991
Collection number: Mss26
Creator:
Mary Kaufman
Extent: 0.5 linear ft.
Repository:
University of the Pacific. Library. Holt-Atherton Department of
Special Collections
Shelf location: For current information on the location of
these materials, please consult the library's online catalog.
Language: English.
Administrative Information
Access
Collection is open for research.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Kaufman (Mary) Collection, Mss26,
Holt-Atherton Department of Special Collections, University of the Pacific
Library
Access Points
personal name
Schuller family
Kaufman family
Kaufman, Mary Louise Schuller Marconi (b. 1899)
Marconi, John Alva (b. 1925)
Kaufman, Kenneth
corporate name
Pacific Pea Packing Company (Oakdale, Calif.)
subject
Women ranchers -California -Oakdale
Women cannery workers -California -Oakdale
German Americans -California -Valley Home
Dairy farmers -California -Oakdale
Sheep ranchers -California -Oakdale
Baseball for children
Earthquakes -California -Loma Prieta -October 17, 1989
Thalheim (Calif.) -History -Sources
Valley Home (Calif.) -History -Sources
Oakdale (Calif.) -History -Sources
Biography
Mary Kaufman (b. 1899) is the daughter of Austrian immigrant Frederick
Schuller (b. 1866) and Rose Schmidt. Schuller first farmed in Ohio, then came
to California (1907), where he bought fifty acres of land in Talheim,
Stanislaus County. Due to World War I era anti-German feeling, this community
soon changed its name to Valley Home. Mary was the second of eight children.
She first married Oakdale cattle, sheep and dairyman, John Marconi (1919), and
they had one son, also named John (b. 1925), before Marconi died from an
accidental gunshot wound (1932), leaving his wife to operate their dairy alone.
John Marconi Jr. served in the Navy during World War II. After the War Mary
Marconi married Oakdale canner, Kenneth Kaufman (1947). Kaufman's company
canned peas, spinach and peaches under the Pacific Pea Packing label. Mary
Kaufman worked at the cannery until her retirement.
Scope and Content
The Kaufman Collection consists of: Daryl Morrison's taped interviews
with Mary Kaufman (1990-1991) in which the latter discusses her childhood home
at Valley Home, her roles as rancher's wife, mother and cannery employee; a
"Valley Home Cookbook" with historical notes about the settlement and its
inhabitants; and, a few clippings and photographs of the Valley Home area.