Reiff family papers
Collection Scope and Content Note
The Reiff family papers contain materials from 1836 through 2024, with the bulk of the papers dated between 1912 and 1994. This collection contains mostly reproductions of a journal, correspondence, genealogical information, newspaper articles, photographs, drawings, maps, transcriptions, summaries, VHS tapes, and a scrapbook. In addition to Harry Reiff’s reminiscences, this collection includes similar recollections of play and adventure by his grandsons, Michael and Nicholas Reiff, as well as those of his wife, Ione Drake Reiff, members of her family including her brother, John F. Drake, her uncle, Joseph Samuel King, Jr., and grandfather, John Dillard Johnson of their time living in Waco, Texas, and Spokane, Washington.
The Reiff family papers have been arranged into threeo series, one of which has been divided into subseries. This collection is housed in two archival document boxes.
A digital copy of the manuscript "Teacher, Scholar, Mentor: St. Lawrence University's Dr. Harry Reiff and His Family," Volume III, accessioned in 2024, was added as Series III.
Dates
- Creation: 1833 - 2024
- Creation: Majority of material found within 1912 - 1994
Conditions Governing Use
This collection is open for research use by staff of The Strong and by users of its library and archives. Though the donor has not transferred intellectual property rights (including, but not limited to any copyright, trademark, and associated rights therein) to The Strong, he has given permission for The Strong to make copies in all media for museum, educational, and research purposes.
Biographical Note
Henry (“Harry”) Reifschneider (later shortened to Reiff) was born in Brooklyn in 1899, the fourth child of German immigrants who settled in the Williamsburg area. Despite being from a poor family, Harry Reiff pursued his education at the Brooklyn YMCA, Mount Hermon School for Boys in Massachusetts, Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, and Harvard College, where he received the Carnegie Endowment Fellowship. He received both master’s and doctoral degrees in history from Harvard University. In 1928, Harry joined the faculty at St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York.
Harry Reiff married Ione Drake of Spokane, Washington, in 1935. They had two children, Jonathan and Daniel. Appointed head of St. Lawrence University’s History and Government Department in 1944, Harry additionally served as a legal specialist for the U.S. State Department during President Harry S. Truman’s tenure. He passed away in 1981.
Harry’s son Daniel also entered academia. He and wife Janet had two children, Michael and Nicholas. A SUNY Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus, Daniel Reiff taught in the Department of Art at SUNY Fredonia for many years. In 2013, Daniel published Teacher, Scholar, Mentor: Dr. Harry Reiff of St. Lawrence University, using diaries, letters, oral histories, and other archival material about his father.
Extent
0.25 Linear Feet (2 boxes)
6.25 Megabytes (12 PDF files)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The Reiff family papers are a compilation of photographs, maps, summaries, drawings, a journal, a scrapbook, newspaper articles, transcriptions, VHS tapes, and digital files related to reminiscences of the Reiff family members.
Arrangement
Series I: Provenance information, 2003-2024
Series II: Reminiscences, 1833-2024
Subseries A: John Dillard Johnson, 1833-1913
Subseries B: Joseph Samuel King, Jr. (“Jody”), 1856-1929
Subseries C: Ione Drake Reiff (“IDR”), 1909-1959
Subseries D: John F. Drake (“Johnny”), c. 1913-1924
Subseries E: Harry Reiff, 1892-1965
Subseries F: Michael Reiff, 1991-1994
Subseries G: Nicholas Reiff, 1991-1994
Subseries H: Daniel Reiff, 1958-2024
Series III: Manuscript, 2022
Custodial History
The Reiff family papers were donated to The Strong between 2003 and 2007 as a gift from Daniel D. Reiff. The papers were accessioned by The Strong under Object ID116.8001 and were received from Daniel Reiff in 2 folders, 2 volumes, and 2 objects.
In 2024 three additional lots were donated as a gift of Daniel D. Reiff. The additions were accesioned by The Strong under Object IDs 124.3807, 124.3389, 124.3392. The materials were received from Daniel Reiff in 3 envelopes and 1 USB.
Processed by
Nicole Pease, February 2017. Additional accessions processed by Laura Boland, 2024.
Subject
- Drake, John F. (Person)
- Johnson, John Dillard (Person)
- King, Joseph Samuel, Jr. (Person)
- Reiff, Daniel Drake (Person)
- Reiff, Henry (“Harry”) (Person)
- Reiff, Ione Drake (Person)
- Reiff, Michael (Person)
- Reiff, Nicholas (Person)
- Reifschneider, Henry (Person)
- Brooklyn and Queens YMCA (Organization)
- Mount Hermon School for Boys (Organization)
- Phillips Academy, Andover, Mass. (Organization)
- Harvard College (1780- ). Class of 1925 (Organization)
- Saint Lawrence University (Organization)
Geographic
- Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.) -- Social life and customs -- 20th century
- Spokane (Wash.)
- Spokane (Wash.) -- Social life and customs -- 20th century
- Waco (Tex.)
- Waco (Tex.) -- History
- Waco (Tex.) -- Social life and customs -- 19th century
- Waco (Tex.) -- Social life and customs -- 20th century
Topical
- Title
- Finding Aid to the Reiff Family Papers, 1833-2007 —
- Status
- Under Revision
- Author
- Nicole Pease, 2017. Revised by Laura Boland, 2024.
- Date
- February 27, 2017
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play at The Strong Repository
The Strong
One Manhattan Square
Rochester NY 14607 USA
585.263.2700
585.423.1886 (Fax)
library@museumofplay.org