The Riffel history has been traced back to 1837 with the birth of John Riffel in
  Golga, Russia. He and his wife Katherine came to this country in 1874 with their 4
  oldest sons to Marion County, Kansas and later moved to Dickinson County where John
  became a citizen of the United States of North America and sworn in on June 9, 1886.
       He and his family lived in the Big Stone House 4 miles northwest of Woodbine
  until their deaths. Katherine in 1906 and John in 1918. A memorial plot can be found 
  near the stone house on the hill. The Dean Hoffman's now own and live on this farm.
       The family comprised of 8 descendants: George, John, Dave, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob,
  Joseph and daughter Mary. The family grew up in this vicinity. JOhn put up his farm
  as collateral to buy farms for his sons, so as to keep all the Riffel land nearby.
       Annual family reunions have been held for over 50 years and still come back to 
  Woodbine the first Sunday of May to reunite the descendants of John and Katherine Riffel. 
               
  Source: Woodbine, Kansas Centennial, 1887 - 1987, 
          Woodbine through the years pg. 112
          Submitted by Ephra Riffel