Viola P Ratcliff (1904 - 1992)

Viola's immediate relatives including parents, siblings, partnerships and children in the Ratcliff family tree.

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We currently do not have photos of Viola P Ratcliff. Below are potential family photos that share Viola's last name or surname. Pictures really do say a thousand words. Add photos of Viola during various points of her life

Eryn M. (Boozer) Ratcliff

Dorcas Serena Gillespie Ratcliff

William Avelton Ratcliff

Lowry Bascom Ratcliff

Mary Ornan Ponder Ratcliff

Leta Mae Helm Ratcliff

Hoyle Ratcliff

Mosher Sisters

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Refresh this page to see various historical events that occurred during Viola's lifetime

In 1904, in the year that Viola P Ratcliff was born, the United States acquired the Panama Canal Zone. Now an unincorporated territory of the U.S., the Canal Zone had been previously held by the French, who were constructing a canal. The U.S. took over the construction of the Panama Canal and it was finally finished in 1914, when it was opened to commercial shipping. The United States held the Canal Zone until 1979.

In 1923, she was 19 years old when on August 2, President Warren G. Harding died in office, apparently of a heart attack. He was staying at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco after completing a nationwide tour. Suffering from cramps, indigestion, a fever and shortness of breath, his doctor thought he had food poisoning. After several days of being ill, he suddenly shuddered, slumped over, and died. There were rumors of foul play (some thought that his wife had poisoned him because of his affairs) but no evidence has ever been found.

In 1938, she was 34 years old when on June 25th (a Saturday) the Fair Labor Standards Act was signed into law by President Roosevelt (along with 120 other bills). The Act banned oppressive child labor, set the minimum hourly wage at 25 cents, and established the maximum workweek at 44 hours. It faced a lot of opposition and in fighting for it, Roosevelt said "Do not let any calamity-howling executive with an income of $1,000 a day, ...tell you...that a wage of $11 a week is going to have a disastrous effect on all American industry."

In 1978, when she was 74 years old, on July 25th, Louise Brown, the first "test-tube baby", was born at Oldham Hospital in London. Louise was conceived through IVF (in vitro fertilization), a controversial and experimental procedure at the time.

In 1992, in the year of Viola P Ratcliff's passing, on April 29th, riots began in Los Angeles after the "Rodney King" verdict was issued. Four LAPD officers had been accused of using excessive force (assault) on African-American Rodney King, who had been stopped for drunk driving. The beating had been videotaped. Their acquittal sparked a 6 day riot in Los Angeles.