Augustine, Ham, Kaufman family fonds.

Augustine, Ham, Kaufman family fonds. - [1877?]-1990.

30 cm. of textual records

622 photographs.

Jacob and Mary Kaufman were prominent citizens of Kitchener, Ontario from the late 19th century to WWII. Jacob Kaufman (1847-1920) and Mary Ratz (1856-1943) married in 1877. Jacob began his career in the lumber industry but switched to rubber, forming the Kaufman Rubber Company in 1908. Jacob and Mary Kaufman were active in civic and community life, supporting causes such as The Children's Aid Society, the Kitchener-Waterloo Orphanage, the Women's Christian Temperance Union, the YMCA, the YWCA and the Kitchener-Waterloo Hospital. They had four children, Emma Ratz (1881-1979), Alvin Ratz (1885-1979), Milton Ratz (1886-19--?) and Edna Louise (1891-1983).

Emma Kaufman dedicated her life to the Young Women's Christian Association, serving for thirty years in Japan and Canada. The Emperor of Japan presented her with a memorial cup in 1965, the 60th Anniversary of the YWCA in Japan., and in the same year she received an International Cooperation Year medal presented by Cardinal Leger in Montreal.

Alvin ("A.R") Kaufman ran the rubber company started by his father and became well known as a local philanthropist, supporting many of the same causes as had his parents. He is primarily remembered for his activities in support of the YMCA, YWCA and of family planning and birth control.

Edna Kaufman married Albert William Augustine (1890-1972) Aug. 22, 1918. They had three children, Albert Jacob (1923-1990), John Ross (1927- ), and Mary Caroline (1931- ). Mary Caroline Augustine married James Milton Ham (1920-1997), who was President of the University of Toronto from 1978-1983.

Contents : material relating to the lives and activities of members of the Augustine, and Kaufman families of Kitchener, Ont. and of the Ham family of Toronto, in particular of the parents, aunt and grandparents of Mary Ham. Includes biographical information, clippings, correspondence, diaries, ephemera and photographs.

The fonds is arranged in two series, Family Papers and Photographs.

Title from content of the fonds.

Donated by Mary Ham in 2001.

All rights transferred by the donor.

A detailed finding aid is available.

Material relating to A.R. Kaufman can also be found in WA17, the Dorothea Palmer collection and in GA58, the Parents' Information Bureau fonds.

Material relating to Mary Kaufman can be found also in GA75, Young Women's Christian Association of Kitchener-Waterloo.

Call number: GA138

Special Collections

Augustine, Ham, Kaufman family fonds.