ChesterRiffee and Katherine (Riffee) Emswiller
Files
Title
ChesterRiffee and Katherine (Riffee) Emswiller
Subject
Riffee, Chester Wright (1907-1980)
Emswiller, Katherine Virginia Riffee (1913-1983)
Description
Photograph of Chester Wright Riffee and his younger sister, Katherine Virginia (Riffee) Emiswiller, as young children.
They were the two oldest children of George Henry (1867-1952) and Wilda M. (Boehm) (1877-1939) Riffee.
Chester married Stella Ellen (Ryman) (1907-2007), daughter of the late Charles Luther and Ruth (Shipp) Ryman. Both were members of St. Luke Brethren Church near Woodstock and stayed in that area their entire lives. The couple had seven children, five sons and two daughters.
In 1946, Katherine Virginia Riffee married Ray Allen Emswiller (1915-1982), a meat cutter living in Washington D.C. He had been born in Shenandoah County to Marion Franklin and Dunnie (Hollar) Emswiller and had a son from a prior marriage.
The 1950 census found her living on 8th Street in Washington D.C., with her husband who was still working as a butcher. The couple had a daughter, 2-year old Rachel, in this record.
Decades later, widowed Katherine lived on Willow Street in Falls Church, Virginia, when she died. Her daughter, Rachel Young, acted as the informant on the death certificate.
They were the two oldest children of George Henry (1867-1952) and Wilda M. (Boehm) (1877-1939) Riffee.
Chester married Stella Ellen (Ryman) (1907-2007), daughter of the late Charles Luther and Ruth (Shipp) Ryman. Both were members of St. Luke Brethren Church near Woodstock and stayed in that area their entire lives. The couple had seven children, five sons and two daughters.
In 1946, Katherine Virginia Riffee married Ray Allen Emswiller (1915-1982), a meat cutter living in Washington D.C. He had been born in Shenandoah County to Marion Franklin and Dunnie (Hollar) Emswiller and had a son from a prior marriage.
The 1950 census found her living on 8th Street in Washington D.C., with her husband who was still working as a butcher. The couple had a daughter, 2-year old Rachel, in this record.
Decades later, widowed Katherine lived on Willow Street in Falls Church, Virginia, when she died. Her daughter, Rachel Young, acted as the informant on the death certificate.
Creator
Morrison Studio
Source
Morrison Studio Collection - Shenandoah County Historical Society
Publisher
Shenandoah County Library
Date
1914
Contributor
Subjects identified in 2003 by Willard A. Riffee (Chester's son) and Rachel Ann Young (Katherine's daughter). Willard has a copy of this picture at home.
Additional biographical information was compiled from public records.
Rights
IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED
Identifier
005943
Original Format
Glass Negative
Collection
Citation
Morrison Studio, “ChesterRiffee and Katherine (Riffee) Emswiller,” Shenandoah County Library Archives, accessed March 17, 2026, https://archives.countylib.org/items/show/38035.
Comments