Josephine Benchoff and Friend

Josephine Benchoff and Friend

African Americans - Virginia - Shenandoah County

Benchoff, Josephine (1916-1938)

Photograph of Josephine Benchoff and an unidentified African American girl seated together in a wagon.

Josephine Benchoff was born in 1916 and paralyzed at a young age. She died May 11, 1938. Her father was Howard Benchoff, Superintendent of Massanutten Military Academy (MMA) . She spent her life living at their residence on school grounds.

The African American child is unidentified, but may have a connection to Katie McGuire Reed who was a domestic servant for the Benchoff family and helped care for Josephine.

Morrison Studio

Morrison Studio Collection - Shenandoah County Historical Society

Shenandoah County Library

ca. 1925

Identified in 2007 by Betty (Benchoff) Page, who lived across the street from her in Woodstock (in Riddleberger Hall on the MMA campus) and who remembered Josephine had "beautiful blond, curly hair".

Betty Page identified the African American child as the daughter of Katie Reed. However, further research indicated this could not be Katie Reed's child since her only child died at age 5 before the death of her husband, Jacob, in 1918.

IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED

Josephine H. Benchoff appears in Morrison Studio Collection numbers 003170, 020276, and 020287.

003170

Glass Negative