Among his occupations can be listed carpenter, soldier, farmer, miller, architect, and amateur genealogist, leaving sketches of family members and also helping many historians and genealogists who wrote about the Beaver, Strickler, Mauck, and Kauffman families. Of all the people I hope to meet in an after life, he heads the list.
The following are excerpts of his writings or notes about him found in writings by other genealogists and historians:
"We attended the private school of the day in a log house furnished with slab benches. My school days ended when I was fifteen years of age, it being necessary for me to assist in making a living for the family, my older brothers being in the Army." (His father died in 1855).
"In 1864 I became subject to military service when a draft was made embracing all males between the ages of 17 and 65. I served for a few months in a company composed of 17 year boys, doing some recruiting, guard duty, etc. In the latter part of August, 1864, I volunteered in Co. E. John H. Crabill of Woodstock, Virginia Captain, Whites Battalion, 35th and Petersburg, Virginia. Being in camp near Petersburg, Virginia and having lost my horse, was given fifteen days leave of absence, and having just secured another horse, I in Company with two comrades rode home, making the trip in a couple of days. My brother Mac was home on furlough at the same time, and we cut the corn crop for the family. Mac and I hearing sharp firing of guns near our home on Sunday morning, Oct. 2, 1864, repaired to the house hoping to avoid being discovered, but the Federals dashing down the road captured Joseph Seibert of Berkeley County, Virginia, a short distance from our house, and upon their return with their prisoner came to our home to search for two rebels who, they had been informed were there. They first searched the residence of our grandfather, and then that of our mother, declaring if they found the subjects of their search they would burn the place to ashes.
"They entered the house and searched al the rooms. Sister Julie was with the searchers and did all she could to direct their attentions from our hiding place; but nothing would do they must see into a certain closet. They gave her one minute to open the door. That was a very short minute to us. The Federals began to pound the door with their guns, and Mac, who was holding it from the inside, release it.
"The sharp click of the guns, as they were cocked ready for business sounded quite ominous, but seeing no sign of resistance on our part, they came forward with outstretched hands and relieved Mac of his valued watch and silver pencil. They then took our arms and we were prisoners of the Federals.
"They did not burn the house, but burned the barn and grandfather's mill. This was a part of Sheridan's memorable campaign through the Valley burning barns, mills and other places of storage of food and articles of subsistence.
"After spending a week in captivity in camp near Luray, Virginia, they marched away towards Front Royal with Mac and myself prisoners. They spent one night in Strassburg, where we met many other prisoners from the 12th Regiment, Rosner/s Brigade. From here we were taken down the Valley by Winchester, Martinsburg, Harper's Ferry, Baltimore and then to Point Lookout, Maryland where we were held in Confinement as prisoners of War until the latter part of March 1864, when myself and many others were exchanged and taken to Camp Lee on the James River, near Richmond, where I was given a 30 day parole. Leaving Richmond, March 31st, I reached the Kauffman home in Page County, April 4, 1865, tired and foot sore. In the spring of 1874, having spent the intervening time in the state of Illinois, Missouri, and Nevada, I bought land in partnership with my youngest brother, John W. Kauffman, and in 1882 disposed of my half-interest to him, and invested in a farm on my own account. In less than two months after taking possession of the farm, my wife, to whom I was married Sept. 11, 1877, died leaving two children, the youngest only ten days old.
"Two years later I sold this land and moved back to the old home place, my mother and sister (Sue) having taken charge of the children.
"In 1885, I bought a half interest in the mill formerly owned by my grandfather, Joel Mauck, later acquiring the other half, and after my mother's death bought the interest of the other heirs in the Kauffman home."
In 1902 he visited his brother Mac in Sycamore Mineral Springs, Brown County, Kansas, and again visited him in 1911, stopping to visit relatives in Missouri, Illinois, and Philippi, West Virginia on his return.
Mary S. Brubaker wrote the following about his later life:
"He made dozens of fancy baskets, trays, etc., from willow that grew along the banks of the Shenandoah River.
"Philip M. Kauffman was one of the promoters and organizers of the Massanutten Society, which was organized at his home on June 16, 1925, with a membership of 17 of the descendants of the original settlers at Massanutten.
"At the annual meeting of the Massanutten Society, June 16, 1927, a committee was appointed with Philip M. Kauffman, chairman to select a site on which to erect a monument in honor of the first settlers at Massanutten in 1727, and solicit contributions for the erection of the monument. By his unlimited stock of patience and powerful energy a monument was nearing completion when annual meeting rolled around in June 1929. He was the architect in designing the plans, but did not stop at this. He went to the mountain and selected the rock and with the assistance of his son Henry and grandsons Floyd, Vernon and Philip, put in the foundation and placed many of the stone in the erection of it.
"Now, my dear readers, who of us at his age (82 years) would have undertaken a contract of this kind and handle it as he did? Not one,. And to him is due all honor and praise for the monument that stands on the opposite side of the south fork of the Shenandoah River from the White House, four miles west of Luray, Virginia. This will not be the only monument he will leave, when he shall have laid his armor buy and entered the portals of everlasting bliss, for he is not only helping me, but many other genealogists in building a monument to our ancestors for the future generations in preserving our family history, "
-- Miss Mary Brubaker, Brubaker-Mauck Families of The Page Valley of Virginia - 1930
Philip M. Kauffman passed away at the home of his son Henry, June 29, 1934, lacking three days of being 88 years old. Several years before his death he made his own coffin from walnut lumber. He rests in the Kauffman-Mauck Cemetery near his old home now owned by my cousin , his great-grandson Steve Kauffman,.
is 25 "high and made of native Massanutten sandstone. It was built by Philip M. Kauffman to commerate the pioneers who in 1727 settled the 500 acre tract granted to Jacob Stover.
