Jacob Neff

As printed in 1908

JACOB D. NEFF, trustee of Bethel Township and owner of sixty acres of farm land situated about twelve miles west of Springfield on the Valley Pike, is one of the township's enterprising and substantial farmers. He was born December 20, 1864, on the old home farm in Wayne Township, Montgomery County,

Ohio, and is a son of Jacob and Mary (Harnisli) Neff.

Jacob Neff, Sr., was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in 1815, and was one of the eldest of a family of eight children, four sons and four daughters. His boyhood days were spent in Pennsylvania and in 1835 he accompanied his father, John Neff, across the mountains to Ohio, where the family settled in the wilds of Wayne Township, Montgomery County. Here he assisted in clearing and cultivating the farm which is still in the possession of the Neff family. The father's death occurred in Clark County at the home of his son David. When a young man Jacob Neff spent much of his time during the winter months in teaming, hauling flour from the old Harris Mills to Cincinnati. He married Mary Harnish, a native of Pennsylvania, and to them were born twelve children, as follows: John, who died in infancy; Amos, who died aged sixteen years; Albert, who died aged twenty-eight years; Hetty, who is the wife of C. K. Brenner; Elizabeth; Frank; MoUie, the wife of Dr. C. A. Herr; Jacob D, subject of this sketch; Emma, who married Jacob Tippy; Henry; Christopher; and one unnamed, who died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Netf both died on the old home place in Montgomery County, the latter passing away first, at the age of sixty-five years, the former surviving her one year, his death occurring at the age of eighty-one years.

Jacob D. Neff was reared on the old home farm in Wayne Township, Montgomery County, and his primary education, which was received in the district schools, was supplemented by a course of study at the Miami Business College of

Dayton, Ohio. Mr. Neff remained at home until attaining his majority, when he spent some eighteen months in Osborn, Ohio, working in various stores. In 1890 he went to Columbus, Ohio, where he spent seven years in the employ of J. B. Hartman & Son, who operated a grocery and market. Since March, 1898, he has been residing on his present farm of sixty acres, which he inherited from his father, and where he is successfully engaged in general farming. Mr. Neff grows six acres of tobacco every year.

He was united in marriage June 20, 1897, with Blanche Huffman, a daughter of Charles and Barbara (Flick) Huiman, of Hancock County, Ohio, and to them have been born two children — Helen and Orran. Politically, Mr. Neff is a Republican and he was elected trustee of Bethel Township in the spring of 1903, to which office he was re-elected in the fall of 1907. Fraternally he is a member oT the Knights of Pythias, Osborn Lodge No. 379.

As printed in 20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens (1908). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.