Here is more info on the NEFF family you seek. I hope it helps you. JOHN H. NEFF was born in Muskegum County, Ohio, May 20, 1838, the son of Samuel and Harriet (Hammutt) Neff, natives of Virginia and Ohio, respectively. The Neffs are of Hollandish ancestry and the Hammutts were of French extraction. When John H. was eleven years old his parents moved to Bureau County, Illinois, and there he grew to maturity, receiving his education in the common schools of the time. During the Civil War he enlisted in the 93rd Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He was in the battles of Jackson, Miss., Champion Hill, the siege of Vicksburg, Tuscumbia, Dalton, Georgia, Altoona Pass, Macon, Georgia, Columbia, South Carolina, Bentonville, North Carolina. He was with Sherman's army that marched from Atlanta to the sea, thus cutting the Confederate Army into two parts. He was in Washington, D.C. at the close of the war, and had marched 7200 miles during his service. He was mustered out at Louisville, Kentucky and honorably discharged at Camp Douglas, Chicago July 6, 1865. He then returned to Bureau County, Illinois. He was married in September 1867 to Miss Phoebe Ann Crow of Tioga County, PA, a daughter of John and Maria (Cline) Crow. Mr. and Mrs. Neff lived in Livingston Co., Illinois until 1873 when he purchased 160 acres of land in Monroe Township, Shelby Co., and moved there. This farm is still owned by the only living heirs, George B. Neff and Kenneth Fell, a grandson. It was wild prairie land and many years of work rendered it one of the most productive farms in the area. He later purchased 240 acres near his other farm in Clay Township, which is now owned by his son, George. Mr. and Mrs. Neff were the parents of four children: Lewis J., Mary Jane, John O., and George B. Thee are two grandchildren: Ruth Neff Potter, daughter of George, and Kenneth M. Fell, son of Mary Jane Fell, Lewis passed away in 1933, Mary Jane in 1953, John O., in 1963 and George B. is now (1965) 90 years old. John Neff left the farm for several years and operated a grocery store on the east side of Central Street approximately where the Iowa Power and Light Office is now located. Mary Jane Neff Fell, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John H. Neff was born in Livingston County, Illinois, November 19, 1870 and moved with her parents to Monroe Township, Shelby County 1873. She attended the rural school and the Walnut School and Highland Park College. On December 21, 1898 she married Mr. Fred Fell of Walnut. Two sons Harold and Arthur died in infancy. The third, Kenneth M. now lives in Wichita, Kansas. Mrs. Fell was active in her church and was a member of the Rebecca Lodge in Walnut and the Past Noble Grand Club. She lived all her life in this area and passed away on January 27, 1953, at the age of 83. John O. Neff, son of Mrs. And Mrs. John H. Neff, was born March 27, 1872 in Livingston County, Illinois and moved with his parents to Monroe Township, Shelby County in 1873. He received his education in the rural and Walnut Public Schools and assisted his father with the farming until 1903 when he purchased a ranch near Burlington, Wyoming. He engaged in farming there until 1963 when he sold his ranch. Shortly thereafter he suffered a stroke and died October 19, 1963 at the age of 91. He never married. Lewis James Neff, eldest son of John H. and Phoebe Ann (Crow) Neff was born September 21, 1868 in Livingston County, Illinois and lived there until five years of age when he moved with the family to Shelby county, Iowa. Mr. Neff attended the rural schools and Walnut Public School. He graduated from Western Normal College and received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Highland Park College. He graduated from Drake University School of Law. He worked his way through college by teaching first in the rural schools then later became principal of the Manning High School and Superintendent of the Guthrie Center Schools. He was admitted to the bar in October 1899 and was a member of the Pottawattamie County Bar Associations. In 1906 he married Ruth W. Miller, a teacher, of Harlan, Iowa. They had no children. Mr. Neff began the practice of law in Walnut and continued until his sudden death in 1933. His office was located in the building north of George Neff's real estate office where Erwin Arndt's electrical business is now located. Always active in civic affairs, Mr. Neff was a member of the Walnut School board, serving as its president, then secretary for many years. He was mayor of Walnut from 1910 through 1916, during which time he helped organize the Walnut Volunteer Fire Department. During his years as mayor Central Street was paved and the first street lights were erected the full length of the street. Mr. Neff was very active in politics and was elected to four terms in the Iowa House of Representatives. He was a Republican. Mr. Neff was a member of the Masonic Lodge, Knights Templar, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, serving as Grand master of the State of Iowa, Rebecca Lodge. SOURCE: Walnut Memoirs: a History of Walnut, Iowa By Roma Lehnhardt Arndt (1966), pages 176-178 GEORGE NEFF RITES WERE IN WALNUT George Neff, 96, died Thursday, October 14th at a Council Bluffs hospital following a long illness. Before retiring he had been an insurance and real estate agent in Walnut for 32 years. Funeral services were held at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the Walnut Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Sam Hee Shinn officiating and burial at the Walnut Cemetery. Surviving Mr. Neff is a daughter, Mrs. Bruce Potter of Harlan. Avoca Journal Herald, Thursday October 21, 1971 (This paper is only published weekly.) Mona Sarratt Knight