Henry Ferdinand Riefle

Henry Ferdinand Riefle (May 15, 1812 - May 6, 1862), was a butcher and leading citizen of Baltimore, Maryland.

Occupation & Public Life

Henry F. Riefle sold meat at the No. 1 stall in Lexington Market, Baltimore. Generally it was considered that such tradesmen were intelligent in the management of their affairs, active and enterprising in business, and public-spirited and liberal. Those terms mark the endeavors of Henry Riefle.

Henry was a member of the "Butchers' Association of Baltimore" and was a signer of the resolution "that from May 2nd they would not charge more than twelve and a half cents per pound for beef, and if they were unable to furnish it at that price, they would vacate their stalls." This resolution grew out of the oppressions under which they and the general public suffered from the extortions of forestallers and the monopolist cattle-dealers. In 1832, when they realized their tradesmen were victims of a monopoly, organized the "Butchers' Hide and Tallow Association" -- the object being to salt their own hides and render their own tallow, thus protecting themselves against impositions by controlling their own business. One of the eight directors of the Association was Henry.

In 1839, he petitioned the Mayor of Baltimore regarding the selling of stalls in Lexington Market and in 1853, records show he protested a matter regarding the Elysville Railroad. In 1856, he petitioned against outlaw huckster competition with tax-paying stall owners in city markets. He was also a member of the Butchers' Loan and Annuity Association, Zion Lutheran Church, and was active in real estate transactions.

Family Life

The Riefle family had its origins in Pforzheim, in the Black Forest area of Baden, German Republic. Henry immigrated from there to Baltimore in 1832. He was the first son, second child of Michael and Carolina Wagner Rufle. Henry's parents were married on May 22, 1808, and between 1812 and 1819, the family name was changed from "Rufle" to "Riefle." The trade of meat cutting extended to both lines of the family, including his father and his grandfather, Johann Rufle, and his mother's father, Ferdinand Wagner.

Henry married Jacobina Rohrbacher (born May 30, 1810, in Weingarten, Baden, the third child of Johan and Margaretha Rohrbacher) in the Zion Lutheran Church in Baltimore, c. 1834. Jacobina had immigrated to Baltimore in 1832 with her sister and father. Henry and Jacobina lived at Gist Street (now Patterson Park Ave.) by 1840. By then, he also bought a dwelling, stable and slaughterhouse at the S.W. side of Baltimore and Reisterstown Turnpike Road. In 1845, bought a tract of land known as "Newington" for $1,250. In 1885, this property was addressed as 752 Pennsylvania Ave. Henry also acquired a third home likely located at 436 Pennsylvania Avenue, near Wilson Street.

Henry and Jacobina had eight Riefle children: Caroline B., Catherine Elizabeth, Henry Francis, Amelia Jacobina, Henrietta Virginia, George F., Christian Louis, and Caroline Medinger. Their parents are buried in Greenmount Cemetery.

External links

[findagrave.com/nonfamous/Riefle Riefle at Findagrave.com]

References