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.
From the guide to the Kaufman (Mary) Collection, 1979-1991, (University of the Pacific. Library. Holt-Atherton Department of Special Collections)
