The Neff Families of Pickaway County, Ohio

IEORGE S. W. NEFF, a substantial agriculturist and leading citizen of Darby township, is the owner of 269 acres of valuable farm land, lying in three compact bodies. The largest tract, containing 165 acres, is the homestead on which he resides, situated on the old Federal road. Another farm of 52 acres is on the same thoroughfare, and the third, almost equal in size, is located on the Darbyville and London road.

Our subject is a son of Elijah and Mary A. Neff, Virginians. Seven children were born to their union, as follows: William, deceased;

Isaac V. S., who died June 14, 1892; James, who died at an advanced age; three girls, who died in infancy; and George S. W., who is the only member of the family now living.

Mr. Neff’s birthplace was Hardy County, Virginia (now West Virginia), but has resided in this county since he was six years of age. Both he and his many friends therefore consider him practically a native of Pickaway County, and his success a part of its progress.

George S. W. Neff was married to Elizabeth Powell daughter of Jacob Powell, of the Old Dominion, and four children were born to them, viz.: Otis, who married Minnie

Grable and at his death, at the age of 35 years, left a widow and one child — Hazel; Mary E., who married James Grable and became the mother of three children — Edith, George and Alfred; Carrie Jane, who became the wife of Harry Adkins and the mother of two children — Agnes and George; and Ella, who is the youngest and resides at home. The parents of Mrs. Neff are both dead. She has three sisters — Mary, Alice and Almira; six half-sisters — Jessie, Anna, Carrie, Mattie, Osta and Maggie; and a half-brother — Otis.

The Neff family residence is a nine-room, frame house one of the prettiest in the neighborhood. The farm on which Mr. Neff lives has been his home ever since he came to the township as a boy of six years. Since then fie has not only developed into a splendid manhood, reared a family of his own and prospered in worldly affairs, but established a solid reputation for intelligence and morality. He has taken deep and continuous interest in educational matters, having served for a number of years on the School Board. Fraternally he is affiliated with the Masonic order.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

JOSS NEFF, of the younger generation of prominent agriculturists, comes of a family well known and thoroughly respected in Pickaway County. He is the owner of 180 acres of valuable land in Darby township, divided into two bodies. The home farm, which he bought from the Mitchell heirs in 1899, comprises 121 acres; the other tract of 59 acres he purchased in the spring of 1905.

Our subject is a son of Isaac V. S. and Sarah Malinda (Neff) Neff, and a grandson, on the paternal side, of Elijah and Mary A. (Powell) Neff and, on the material side, of Absalom and Sarah (Reay) Neff. The grandparents on both sides came to Ohio from Virginia. Seven children were born to Elijah and Mary A. (Powell) Neff, as follows: William, deceased; Isaac V. S., father of our subject, who died on the lath of June, 1892; James, deceased; three girls who died in infancy; and George S. W., who married Elizabeth Powell and, with his wife, is living in Darby township.

Isaac V. S. Neff was born in Virginia and when 14 years of age came to Ohio with his father. The latter ‘purchased 212 acres of land where George S. W. Neff, the uncle of our subject, now resides. Isaac V. S. Neff lived at home until he married Sarah Malinda Neff, daughter of Absalom Neff, who also had migrated from Virginia. Five children were born to this union, viz.: Mary Jane, who died when a child; Ada, who died in 1885, and William, who died in 1894; Ross; and Catherine; who died when an infant.

Ross Neff was born on the old home farm in this county, September 2, 1868, and on February 28, 1900, he was married to Effa May Murphy, daughter of W. F. Murphy, of Derby. Besides herself, there were four children in the family of Mrs. Neff’s parents — George, now deceased, who married Emma Neff; Joseph, also deceased, whose wife was Molly McKinley; Charles, who married Clara Dennison; and Sally, wife of Abraham J. Dennison.

Mr. Neff is identified with the Knights of Pythias and attends the Methodist Episcopal Church. Although still comparatively a young man, he already is placed in the ranks of the reliable and progressive citizens of the township.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

GEORGE EDWIN NEFF, a native of this county and a resident of it since his birth, has conducted a general store at Derby for the past 12 years. He was born December 13, 1854, and is a son of William and Elizbeth (Marshall) Neff and a grandson of Jacob Neff.

Jacob Neff, who was born in what is now West Virginia, married Catherine Clark in that State, and as emigrants he and his wife with their three children came to Pickaway County, Ohio, by wagon, settling first on a rented farm, the Judge Florence place. The three children born to them before coming to Ohio were three sons, namely: John, who married Elizabeth Owens and resided near Circleville — both now deceased; William, the father of our subject; and Tillison, who married Elizabeth Steele — both now deceased.

William Neff married Elizabeth Marshall, a daughter of James and Sarah (Murray) Marshall, the latter of whom was born in Ireland, and came to America when six years of age with her parents, who settled in Pennsylvania. It was in that State that she was married to James Marshall. The seven children born to Mr. and Mrs. William Neff were: Sarah, now deceased, who was the wife of Albert Miller: George E., our subject; Mary, wife of A. E. Loofbourrow, both of whom reside at Mount Sterling, Ohio; John, who married Osie Maxwell and is a resident of Columbus; William, Jr., who was married (first) to a Miss Cartmill and (second) to Helen Strain; James, who married Elizabeth Hewitt and lives at Newport, Ohio;*and Courtney M., who married Mary Anderson.

George E. Neff married, as his first wife, Mary E. Hott, daughter of Peter Hott, a native of this State. Mrs. Neff died in 1882. On September 2, 1886, at Derby, he married Mary Elizabeth Johnson, daughter of James and Sarah (Briley) Johnson. Mr. and Mrs. James Johnson came from Maryland and 17 children were born to them — Jonathan, William. James, Homer, Matthew, John, Grant, Peter, David, Jane (deceased), Mary Elizabeth, Alice, Price, Hattie (deceased), Lillian, and two children that died in infancy.

After his marriage to Mary Elizabeth Johnson, Mr. Neff commenced housekeeping in the present family home at Derby, which belongs to his wife. Three children have been born into the household, namely: Brice, who died in 1892; and Marguerite, born May 17, 1892, and Sarah, born May 17, 1896, both of whom live at home.

Mr. Neff has been engaged in business at Derby for the past 12 years, and has established one of the leading general stores in his section of the county, carrying an especially good line of groceries, dry goods and shoes. He has served on the School Board for six years, is a member of the, Methodist Episcopal Church, is an Odd Fellow, and altogether is a substantial, moral and progressive member of the community in which he has resided throughout his life.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

CHARLES T. NEFF, who is known as an expert horseshoer and who has conducted. a general blacksmithing business at Darbyville for the past six years, was born in Darby township, Pickaway County, Ohio, August 28, 1871, and is a son of Nathaniel and Samantha (Thornton) Neff.

The grandparents of our subject were George Enoch and Pauline Neff, who came to Darby township, Pickaway County, at a very early day, about 1845, and lived and died in Darby township. They had seven children, Nathaniel being the third in order of birth. He was reared and married in Darby township, but in 1878 moved to Muhlenberg township. He and his wife still reside on their farm near Pherson.

The children of Nathaniel and Samantha Neff were: William, of Monroe township;

Charles T., of this sketch; Homer, of Monroe township; Laura, wife of Willard Whiteside, of Darby township; Elmer, of Monroe township; and George, who is still in school.

Charles T. Neff was seven years old when his parents settled in Muhlenberg township. He remained at home, assisting on the farm and attending school until he was 17 years old, when he went to Fherson and learned the blacksmith’s trade with J. J. McLaughlin, with whom he remained at work for 1 1 years, being his employer’s right-hand man. He then started into business for himself at Darbyville and enjoys a large trade. He owns his home and his shop and is looked upon as one of the town’s successful business men.

On February 27, 1896, Mr. Neff was united in marriage with Mary Kern, who was born in Deerfield township, Ross County, Ohio, and is a daughter of Philip and Magdalene Kern, the former of whom was born in Germany and the latter in Ohio. The four children born to Mr. and Mrs. Neff are: Charles K., Philip* Maria M. and Francis E. The family belong to the Lutheran Church at Lick Run.

Politically Mr. Neff is a Republican and the esteem and confidence with which he is regarded by his fellow-citizens has been shown by his election as a member of the Village Council and as a member of the School Board.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.