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Name: RADDATZ, Richard Charles
Photo Source: Old Africa magazine 105 Feb-Mar 2023
Birth Date: 1876 Germany
Death Date: 21.2.1937 near Barakitabu en route to Narok
Last Date: 1937
Profession: Expedition to Kenya from American Museum of Natural History
Area: Nairobi
Married: In Kenosha, Wisconsin 30 Aug 1906 Hannah C. Wallace b. 29 Jan 1878 Watseka, Illinois, d. 21 Feb 1944 Chicago
Children: Evangeline A. (1906 Illinois-1990); Marion Madeline (1909-1977); Carl Richard (1912); William Delmar (1914-1987)
Book Reference: Barnes, North
General Information:
Nairobi Forest Road cemetery - Richard Raddadtz [sic], American, age 60, died 21/2/37
North has Raddatz, German - accused of killing a slave girl, Zanzibar 14/2/1891?
US Reports of Deaths of American Citizens Abroad: Raddatz was a member of the East African Expedition of the American Museum of Natural History.
Was a naturalised US citizen Aug 1897
Old Africa magazine 105 Feb-Mar 2023: Richard Carl Raddatz was an American taxidermist, a specialist at creating museum displays showing groups of animals. He started out at the Field Museum in Chicago before moving to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, where he was an assistant to Carl Akeley. Raddatz and Akeley both accompanied George Eastman on his big East African safari in 1926. Martin and Osa Johnson, the pioneer wildlife photographic team, helped to lead that safari. Akeley died of a fever in the Belgian Congo in 1926, shortly after the George Eastman safari, and is buried there. In 1937 Raddatz returned to Kenya, this time as the taxidermist for millionaire Philip Plant, heir to a transportation empire including railroads and steamships. Known more as a playboy and for his first marriage to film star Constance Bennett, Plant had decided to secure a collection of wart hogs for mounting in the American Museum of Natural History. One newspaper reported that he would lead the first auto trailer safari across the African veldt. The article went on to say: "Richard C Raddatz of the museum staff will accompany the expedition. The group will hunt ostriches, as well as the wild bunion-headed hogs, for the museum's Carle Akeley collection." Another newspaper article written in a light-hearted vein, poked fun at this expedition under the headline: "What the U.S. Needs is a Wart Hog." The article pointed out that Plant would be 'roughing it' in his commodious trailer containing mechanical refrigeration and four electric fans, and that his second wife, Edna Dunham, was travelling with him. The article continued: "Richard C Raddatz of the museum staff will accompany the expedition, and guarantees to recognize a wart hog if he sees one. The wart hog has warty excrescences on each side of its face and has two tusks, which curve upward." The night before the wart hog expedition sailed for Africa on 5 January 1937, Plant and his wife were feted at a dinner by members of the Explorers' Club... The expedition made its way to the plains beyond Narok, Kenya, close to the present-day Maasai Mara Game Reserve, and were collecting their specimens of wart hogs and ostrich and more. Raddatz led the taxidermy team.There is no word how Plant's luxurious trailer fared on the rough roads, except to say it had been left closer to Narok as they made camp deeper in the bush driving in lorries. But in February, Raddatz began to feel sick. On 21 February 1937 Plant was taking Raddatz to Narok for medical help.Here is Plant's letter written to Dr Clark on 22 February1937. "The short history of Mr Raddatz's case is this. On last Thursday evening he complained at dinner that he thought his stomach was upset. I told him to take a cathartic... He died on Sunday 21 February 1937 near Barakitabu near Narok.
Old Africa magazine 105 Feb-Mar 2023: Richard Carl Raddatz was an American taxidermist, a specialist at creating museum displays showing groups of animals. He started out at the Field Museum in Chicago before moving to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, where he was an assistant to Carl Akeley. Raddatz and Akeley both accompanied George Eastman on his big East African safari in 1926. Martin and Osa Johnson, the pioneer wildlife photographic team, helped to lead that safari. Akeley died of a fever in the Belgian Congo in 1926, shortly after the George Eastman safari, and is buried there. In 1937 Raddatz returned to Kenya, this time as the taxidermist for millionaire Philip Plant, heir to a transportation empire including railroads and steamships. Known more as a playboy and for his first marriage to film star Constance Bennett, Plant had decided to secure a collection of wart hogs for mounting in the American Museum of Natural History. One newspaper reported that he would lead the first auto trailer safari across the African veldt. The article went on to say: "Richard C Raddatz of the museum staff will accompany the expedition. The group will hunt ostriches, as well as the wild bunion-headed hogs, for the museum's Carle Akeley collection." Another newspaper article written in a light-hearted vein, poked fun at this expedition under the headline: "What the U.S. Needs is a Wart Hog." The article pointed out that Plant would be 'roughing it' in his commodious trailer containing mechanical refrigeration and four electric fans, and that his second wife, Edna Dunham, was travelling with him. The article continued: "Richard C Raddatz of the museum staff will accompany the expedition, and guarantees to recognize a wart hog if he sees one. The wart hog has warty excrescences on each side of its face and has two tusks, which curve upward." The night before the wart hog expedition sailed for Africa on 5 January 1937, Plant and his wife were feted at a dinner by members of the Explorers' Club... The expedition made its way to the plains beyond Narok, Kenya, close to the present-day Maasai Mara Game Reserve, and were collecting their specimens of wart hogs and ostrich and more. Raddatz led the taxidermy team.There is no word how Plant's luxurious trailer fared on the rough roads, except to say it had been left closer to Narok as they made camp deeper in the bush driving in lorries. But in February, Raddatz began to feel sick. On 21 February 1937 Plant was taking Raddatz to Narok for medical help.Here is Plant's letter written to Dr Clark on 22 February1937. "The short history of Mr Raddatz's case is this. On last Thursday evening he complained at dinner that he thought his stomach was upset. I told him to take a cathartic... He died on Sunday 21 February 1937 near Barakitabu near Narok.