Baughman, Ernest Warren, 1916-

Ernest Warren Baughman was born Sept. 10, 1916, in Manson, Iowa. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. In 1948 he moved to New Mexico to teach at the University of New Mexico (UNM). During his tenure at UNM, Baughman specialized in American literature and folklore, earning an international reputation in both fields. Baughman was president of the New Mexico Folklore Society from 1972-1973, and a member of the Society of Fellows of the American Folklore Society. After Baughman retired in 1981 he continued to work on editing and classifying the hundreds of folktales collected by his students. He died May 22, 1990 in Telluride, Colo.

Ernest Warren Baughman (pronounced bauff-min) was born September 10, 1916, in Manson, Iowa, to Alpha E. and Martha (Zook) Baughman. Baughman graduated from Kouts High School, Kouts Indiana in 1934, received his B.A. degree from Ball State Teachers College in 1938, his M.A. from the University of Chicago in 1939, and his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in 1958.

In 1940, Baughman married Frances Jensen and moved to New Mexico in 1948 to teach at the University of New Mexico (UNM). He was promoted to assistant professor in 1951, associate professor in 1956, full professor in 1964, and retired from UNM in 1981. During his tenure at UNM, Baughman specialized in American literature and folklore, earning an international reputation in both fields. As a folklorist, Baughman is best known for his 1966 book, Type and Motif-Index of the Folk Tales of England and North America. His work in English literature focused on the novels of Nathaniel Hawthorne.

Baughman was president of the New Mexico Folklore Society from 1972-1973, a member of the Society of Fellows of the American Folklore Society, and in 1976 was elected to the New Mexico Folklore Society Roll of Honor. Baughman was also a member of the Modern Language Association of American and the American Association of University Professors.

Baughman was a contributor to A Treasury of American Folklore, 1944, author of notes for Sticks in the Knapsack, 1958, and contributor to the New England Quarterly, Hoosier Folklore Bulletin, English Journal, New Mexico Folklore Record as well as other publications. In retirement Baughman continued to work on editing and classifying the hundreds of folktales collected by his students during the 33 years of teaching at UNM. Baughman died May 22, 1990 in Telluride Colorado; he was 74.