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Lillian Cassell Neff and her four daughters, Billie, Catherine, Frances and Helen.
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Lillian Cassell Neff and her four daughters, Billie, Catherine, Frances and Helen. |
Johann Michael Neff, Sr., his wife, Anna Dorothea Saur, and probably five children, immigrated to America on the Ship James Goodwill, arriving on 11 September 1728 in Philadelphia. The Neff family left their European home in Michelfeld, located just southwest of what is today Sinsheim, Germany, during a time of great economic hardship causing widespread poverty and hopelessness in the Rhine River Valley.
Sinsheim was located in what was known at that time as the Holy Roman Empire. Most citizens of the area lived in a state of serfdom and, as such, were considered a natural resource both to be controlled and exploited. Heavily taxed with limited personal freedoms, they were the defenders of the land, the agricultural and industrial workers, and were a source of revenue for the noblemen who could sell their services as soldiers to other governments. If they stayed in Europe, it was virtually impossible to improve their lot in life.
Letters from family and friends who had settled in America described opportunities in the New World that were irresistible to those longing for a better life and willing to risk everything to leave their homeland. Overpopulation and land scarcity combined with active recruitment of Germans by land speculators to settle in the Colonies induced many families to try their luck in the New World. America offered land in abundance and work for laborers in an economy where labor was in short supply. To their new homes they brought their European customs, establishing German-speaking communities and continued the religious faiths practiced in Europe.
Research by Clifford R. Canfield has located records for the 17th Century of the Neff family in Heisch, a small village near Hausen am Albis, located directly south of Zurich and northeast of Zug, Switzerland. They left that area in 1661 and moved to what is now Germany to Bockshof near Kirchardt, southeast of Sinsheim which is southeast of Heidelberg. They moved to Michelfeld about 1665.
Johann Michael (called Michael) Neff, Sr., born 21 February 1687, was the son of Hans Jacob Neff and Anna Barbara Donner of Michelfeld. Johann Michael Neff and his son, Johann Michael Neff, Jr., were naturalized in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on April 11 & 13 of 1743. The family were original members of Christ Lutheran Church (founded 1743) at Tulpehocken (Indian word for "Little Turtle", Berks County, Pennsylvania, about one half mile west of Stouchburg. In 1743 noted members were Michael Neff, Sr., Michael Neff, Jr., and Abraham Neff. Michael Neff, Sr. patented 482 acres of land in Heidelberg Township, Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1744. On April 13, 1756 he deeded portions of this land to Michael, Jr., Abraham, and George. Taxable in 1752 were Michael, Jr., Abraham, George, and Jacob Neff. The tax list of 1782 lists: Michael (192 acres & 1 cattle), Michael, Jr. (1 cattle), Abraham (3 cattle), Jacob (162 acres, 4 horses, & 4 cattle), and George (1 cattle).
The elder Michael's youngest son was John George, who died in Pennsylvania. John George's son Michael moved to Wythe County Virginia and bought what we now know as the Neff farm at Fairview near Rural Retreat. Michael's son Abraham built a cabin on the property that grew into the Neff home shown in the pictures elsewhere on this website.
This page is dedicated to maintaining communication within a growing family, to providing historical information to our new family members, and to becoming a repository for old and new family information.
Your webmaster is Frank Akers, son of Frances Neff, and he is
assisted by his son, Chris Akers. Frank lives in San Francisco
and Chris lives in Raleigh. You can reach either of us by
manually sending email to:
The Neff line that produced your Neff-Family Webmaster is:
Hans Jacob Neff1 of Michelfeld, Switzerland
m. Anna Barbara Donner
Michael Neff2 of Switzerland
m. Anna Dorothea Saur
John George Neff3 born Dec. 1, 1729 of Lancaster, PA d Aug. 6, 1772 in PA
m. Maria Elizabeth Stupp
Michael Neff4 born May 15, 1756 of Wythe County, VA d Jan 15, 1825
n. Christina Kapp b 1746 d Mar 13, 1830
Abraham Neff5 born Aug. 2, 1798 of Wythe County, VA d Sept. 30, 1880
m. Elizabeth Repass b Sept 12, 1798 d Dec. 28, 1871
Henry Neff6 born June 1, 1837 of Rural Retreat, VA d 1903
m. Margaret Vaught b 1846 d 1928
Greek Cassell Neff7 born 1885 of Rural Retreat, VA d. 1942
m. Lillian Virginia Cassell b 1893 d 1980
Frances Lynn Neff8 born April 10, 1913 in Rural Retreat d 1988
m. Irving Nile Akers b April 25, 1912 d Jan 1, 1998
In the future a Family Tree Maker file of the known family descended from Michael Neff will appear on this site.
The best resource we have found for authentic detailed information about the Neff family is The Neff News. This periodical is available from the Neff Family Historical Society. For a subscription or more information please contact William (Bill) Neff. His email address is Neffnews at ix dot netcom dot com or write Neff News, PO Box 6664, Harrisburg, PA 17112. Back issues of The Neff News are available which will allow you to document your line. (There is no affiliation between The Neff News and this web site.)
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