Research Notes:
c 1670 Francis Neff is thought to have been born in Dühren, Baden-Württemberg, Germany to father Dr. Hans Heinrich Näff. [1]
1710 The marriage of Dr. Francis Neff and Barbara Ebin [Eby], of Michelfeld, Germany, was registered at the Lutheran Church, Dühren, Baden-Württemberg, Germany [2]. "Anno 1710, Cum consensu generosi nobilis nostri clementissimi D ... Eberhardi Friderici de Venningen, die 22 April, copulato erat tota ecclesia Franz Neff junior, sic dictus Doctor, anabaptista, cum Barbara Ebin, von Michelfeld, gebürthtig; die 11 April." translated as "In the year 1710. By generous permission of our most gracious Lord Eberhard Friedrich von Venningen of 22nd April Frantz Neff junior, called doctor, Anabaptist, was married to Barbara Ebin, from Michelfeld, in this church, on the day 22 of April." The marriage registration at the church might be a legal meet requirement following a Mennonite marriage service, which could have occurred earlier. [3] [4]
1719 Records of Dühren, Germany, dated 25 March - 1 April, 1719, record the property of Francis Neff, primarily in order to calculate the emigration tax, as Francis Neff prepared to leave Gemmingen for America. The real property of Dr Francis Neff was sold on 25 March, 1719 to Dionysius Bräuner, of Waldangelloch. The description of the house mentioned the wife and children (unnamed) of Francis Neff. An auction of his household goods was held on 1 March, 1719 and an itemized list of items, purchasers, and price was recorded. A summary list included a vineyard and other property. Dr. Francis Neff left Germany shortly after 7 May, 1719 and arrived in Germantown, Pennsylvania in September or October of 1719. Other Anabaptists in the town left at about the same time. [5]
1719 Francis Neff and family emigrated to America. [6] [7]
1719 Dirck Johnson, executor of the will of Cunrad Jansen, released 49.5 acres of land, which had been purchased by Cunrad Jansen from Paul Wulff, to Dr. Francis Neff, who was not a naturalized citized and could not own land in fee simple. [8]
1724 Francis Neff contributed money and signed a petition for the creation of the Upper Burial Ground, north of the Germantown Mennonite Church, in Germantown, Pennsylvania (7 miles north of Philadelphia). [9] [10]
1726/27 The signature of Francis Neff appeared on a petition, dated March 25, to allow a street to be moved. [11]
1727 Francis Neff was named on a document, dated November 7, to rename Gottschalk Street, by his land, which previously belonged to Paul Wulff, in Germantown. [12]
1728 Before April 1, 1728 Francis Neff moved with his family to Lancaster about four miles south of Hans Heinrich Neff (perhaps the brother of Francis).
1728 Dr Francis Neff and his sons, Francis Neff Jr and Heinrich Neff, signed the Naturalization Petition, on April 1, at the home of Martin Meilin in Lancaster County. The signature matches the signatures on Germantown documents. [13] The Pennsylvania Legislature responded to this petition by passing The Enabling Act, dated February 14, 1729-30. This Act reads, "divers Protestants who were subject to the Emperor of Germany … transported themselves and estates into the province of Pennsylvania between the years one thousand seven hundred and one thousand seven hundred and eighteen." [14] [15]
1729 Francis Neff, of Conestoge in the County of Lancaster Doctor of Physic, sold a 49.5 acre lot and house, in Germantown, to Dirk Johnson, on April 8. The tract was formerly in the possession of Cunrad Jansen deceased. [16] [17]
1731 Francis Neff bought land in Lancaster County on the Conestoga Creek on October 30, from Wm. Hughes. This land was patented with 225 acres by Francis Neuff on April 11, 1735 [18] and the deed was recorded April 17, 1735. The land was in both Lancaster Boro and Lampter Twp, of Lancaster County. [19] The land was warranted by William Hughes on 25 February, 1717. [20] [21] [22] Francis Neff was named as a chirurgeon (surgeon) in the deed [23].
1735 Francis Neuff purchased 225 acres in Conestoga from John Penn and Thomas Penn on 2 April (2nd month). He paid back taxes due on the sale. [24]
1735 Francis Neff purchased 2 lots in the town of Lancaster, Lancaster County, from James Hamilton, on May 12. One lot was by Prince's Street, Orange Street, and Spring Street. The other lot was by land of Roody Moyer and Thomas Doyle. [25]
1739 The inventory for the estate of Francis Neff was made on October 15 [26]. Francis reportedly died in Lancaster Twp, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and is likely buried in the Tsantz Cemetery near the Herr House.
1742 The charter for the town of Lancaster was signed and the burgesses included Thomas Cookson and Sebastian Graff and Michael Byerly, who were involved in the estate settlement of Dr. Francis Neff. [27]
Research Notes:
Barbara Ebi might be the daughter of Christian Ebi, brother of Andreas Ebi, an Anabaptist who emigrated from the Canton Bern to Ehrstädtin the Kraichgau in 1672. Barbara Ebi might be related to Theodorus Ebi, son of the Anabaptist Andreas Ebi, who owned a mill at Rohrbach, near Sinsheim and Dühren. Durs Ebi, who emigrated to Lancaster County in 1717 and who lived near Hans Heinrich Neff, might be her cousin. [28] [29] [30]
The spouse of Frantz Neff has been reported, in error, to be Barbara Bohm. [31] [32]. Barbara Ebi was his spouse [33].
There is another Neff family that is different from this one. [34] [35]
Much of the material above is from the A1-Line for Dr. Francis Neff on the web page by John F. Murray. [36]
1717-18 Francis Neaff was not listed on the Conestoga tax list. [37]
"Dr. Hans Heinrich Neff, possibly Francis' brother, appears on the Conestoga Tax list beginning in 1718 [38] and is listed in 1725 as "John Henry Neve Doctor." In the 1726 Tax list he is listed just as "The Doctor." [39] Lancaster historian Daniel Rupp and others have referred many times to Dr. Francis Neff [A1] and Dr. Hans Heinrich Neff [A2] as being brothers, but this conclusion appears to be based upon oral recorded history.
The "Eby Report, Volume 1, Number 1" written by Clyde L. Groff and George F. Newman is on microfiche # 6055133 and has background about the Eby family from the "Staatsarchiv des Kantons Solothurn", Switzerland.
1717 The records of Bonfeld, Germany, suggest that two Neff brothers came to America in 1717. Dr. Francis Neff was not one of those brothers and was not named in the Bonfeld emigration records of 1717. [40] [41] [42]
1718 The Grantor Book E-1, p. 211, City of Philadelphia 1683/1718, has an entry from the Germantown, Pennsylvania, "Grund und Lager Buch," (Ground and Lot Book), showing that George Gottshick (Gottschalk), grantor, sold to Francis Neff a lot in Germantown in 1718. Pennsylvania Historical Society, Document Collection, original book with English translation.
"Neff Families and Their Descendants in the 1700's and Early 1800's". Compiled for the Neff Reunion, New Market, Virginia, June 20, 21, 22, 1991, by John F. Murray, 303 E. Indiana, Kouts, Indiana 46347.
The records of Bonfeld, Germany, show that Dr. Francis/Frantz Neff and Dr. Hans Heinrich Neff were brothers and came to America in 1717. Land deeds of Lancaster County, show that both were "Doctors of Physics" and Deed calls Dr. Francis Neff a "Chyrurgeon" (surgeon).
The records of Bonfeld show that Dr. Franz/Francis Neff married April 22, 1719 Barbara Eby (Ebin) Bohm born 1690 of Michelfeld. They came to America in 1717 with his brother, Hans Heinrich Neff. Francis Neff Sr., Francis neff Jr., Hans Heinrich Neff Sr., Hans Heinrich Neff Jr. and Henry Neff all signed the naturalization list of Feb. 14. 1729/30.
See the article "The Doctors Neff of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania" in the April 1984 issue of "Mennonite Family History" to see how the families were pieced together from wills and deeds. Corrections and additions have been added.
In 1746 Dr. Hans Heinrich Neff purchased land in Frederick Co. Maryland from Daniel Dulany. On Aug 23, 1750 he and his wife Ann deeded the land back to Dulany. The deed states that they were in Frederick Co. Virginia (now Shenandoah Co.). Part of the Dulany land was purchased by Jacob Neff given in this history as Jacob Neff who, according to tradition was a brother of the Drs. Neff. [http://www.octhouse.com/neffreport.html]
From the "Neff Newsletter, A Newsletter for Neff and Related Families", Vol VI, #3 ISSN 1072-4648, Sept. 1996: The first land record of Dr. Francis Neff in Lancaster County was his pruchase of property on the Conestoga Creek in Oct. 30, 1731. [http://www.octhouse.com/neffreport.html]
Neff News Vol. IX, #1 ISSN 1072-4648 Feb. 1999: Dr. Francis Neff: Married at Michaelfeld, Germany in 1710, to Barbara Eby, emigrated from the Bonfeld/Durhen area of Germany, arrived Germantown (Philadelphia) 1717/18 where he remained until 1728. Moved to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. on the Conestoga Creek south of Dr. Hans Heinrich Neff's lands. Naturalized 1729. Descendants found in Lancaster City; a Strasburg Township line migrated to Utah with Brigham Young, and a York County, Pennsylvania Mennonite branch migrated to Ontario, Canada in the late 1700's. [http://www.octhouse.com/neffreport.html]
"Neff News" Vol. XV, Number 2 Issue 1072-4648, May 2005. It is assumed she was a daughter of Christian Ebi, a brother of Andreas Ebi, an Anabaptist who emigrated from the Canton Bern to Ehrstadtin and Kraichgau in 1672. A number of recent documents were found to confirm the existence of the Ebi family in the area around Sinsheim, but a birth record for Barbara Ebi could not be found in the Michelfield church records. Barbara's probable cousin Durs Ebi emigrated to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania in 1717 where he is well known as Theadorus Eby. Theodorus Eby lived in the vicinity of Dr. Hans Heinrich Neff who was a probable but not yet proven brother of Frantz Neff. [http://www.octhouse.com/neffreport.html]
1760 The estate of John Neave was administered by Henry Neave and John Neave. The children were named. [43]
1760 Daniel Neave was appointed as a guardian for Jacob Welty, a minor son on Christian Welty, deceased. [44]
Mennonite card file and other undocumented sources. [45] [46] [47] [48] [49] [50] [51] [52]
[1] Jane Evans Best, "Näf/Neff (NF) Family: An Update," Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 16 (April, 1993), 25-30, at 28, NF1224.1 and NF1224.11.
[2] Family History Library microfilm, 1189138, item 7, citing the Kirchenbuch, Trauregister 1708-1741, page 169, [FHLFilmCatalog].
[3] Dr Heinz Sprenger, "Unlocking the mystery of Dr Francis Neff," Neff News, 15 (May, 2005), 2, 5.
[4] Baden, Germany, Lutheran Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1502-1985, [AncestryRecord].
[5] Dr Heinz Sprenger, "Unlocking the mystery of Dr Francis Neff," Neff News, 15 (May, 2005), 9.
[6] John F. Murray and William A. Neff, "Dr Francis Neff, The Germantown Years," Neff News, 16 (2006), 2.
[7] Annette Kunselman Burgert, Eighteenth Century Emigrants From German-Speaking Lands to North America, Vol. 1: The Northern Kraichgau (1983), 269.
[8] John F. Murray and William A. Neff, "Dr Francis Neff, The Germantown Years," Neff News, 16 (2006), 2.
[9] Samuel Fitch Hotchkin, Ancient and Modern Germantown, Mount Airy, and Chestnut Hill (Philadelphia: P.W. Ziegler & Co, 1889), 170, [GoogleBooks], [InternetArchive].
[10] John F. Murray and William A. Neff, "Dr Francis Neff, The Germantown Years," Neff News, 16 (2006), 11.
[11] John F. Murray and William A. Neff, "Dr Francis Neff, The Germantown Years," Neff News, 16 (2006), 12, 13.
[12] John F. Murray and William A. Neff, "Dr Francis Neff, The Germantown Years," Neff News, 16 (2006), 11, 12.
[13] John F. Murray and William A. Neff, "Dr Francis Neff, The Lancaster Years, 1728-1739," Neff News, 17 (2007), 7.
[14] Clarence M Busch, The statutes at large of Pennsylvania from 1682 to 1801, Vol. IV, 1724 to 1744 (1897), 147, of 147-50, [InternetArchive].
[15] U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s, [AncestryRecord].
[16] John F. Murray and William A. Neff, "Dr Francis Neff, The Germantown Years," Neff News, 16 (2006), 12-13.
[17] John F. Murray and William A. Neff, "Dr Francis Neff, The Lancaster Years, 1728-1739," Neff News, 17 (2007), 7.
[18] Pennsylvania Land Patent, A7-145, [PAPatentBookLinks].
[19] John F. Murray and William A. Neff, "Dr Francis Neff, The Lancaster Years, 1728-1739," Neff News, 17 (2007), 7.
[20] Pennsylvania Records of the Land Office, RG-17, Old Rights index, Chester County, 1682-1740. (series #17.78), page 46, item 124, [PAHistoricalMuseum].
[21] Pennsylvania Archives Land Office Survey, D78-31, [PASurveyBookLinks].
[22] Pennsylvania Archives Land Office Survey, D65-162, [PASurveyBookLinks].
[23] John F. Murray and William A. Neff, "Dr Francis Neff, The Lancaster Years, 1728-1739," Neff News, 17 (2007), 9-10.
[24] John F. Murray and William A. Neff, "Dr Francis Neff, The Lancaster Years, 1728-1739," Neff News, 17 (2007), 10-12.
[25] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Deed I-128, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[26] John F. Murray and William A. Neff, "Dr Francis Neff, The Lancaster Years, 1728-1739," Neff News, 17 (2007), 14.
[27] John F. Murray and William A. Neff, "Dr Francis Neff, The Lancaster Years, 1728-1739," Neff News, 17 (2007), 2.
[28] Dr Heinz Sprenger, "Unlocking the mystery of Dr Francis Neff," Neff News, 15 (May, 2005), 2,8.
[29] Dr Heinz Sprenger, "Unlocking the mystery of Dr Francis Neff," Neff News, 15 (May, 2005), 8.
[30] Jane Evans Best, "Näf/Neff (NF) Family: An Update," Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 16 (April, 1993), 25-30, at 28-29, NF1224.11 and NF1224.12.
[31] Jane Evans Best, "Swiss Roots of the Neff, Weber, and Huber Families," Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 13 (October, 1990), 16-31, at 26, NF1313.41.
[32] Jane Evans Best, "Näf/Neff (NF) Family: An Update," Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 16 (April, 1993), 25-30, at 28-29, NF1224.11.
[33] Dr Heinz Sprenger, "Unlocking the mystery of Dr Francis Neff," Neff News, 15 (May, 2005), 2, 5.
[34] John F. Murray, "The Family of Henry and Barbara Neff of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania," Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 8 (October, 1985), 11-17, at 31.
[35] "The Doctors Neff of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania," Mennonite Family History 3 (1984).
[36] John F. Murray, A1-Line Dr. Francis and Barbara Neff (published online: Rootsweb, 2004, No longer found. Please let me know if there is a substitute for this resource).
[37] H. Frank Eshleman, "Assessment Lists and Other Documents of Lancaster County Prior to the year 1729," Historical Papers and Addresses of the Lancaster County Historical Society 21, No.7 (1916), 155-194, at 160, [HathiTrust].
[38] H. Frank Eshleman, "Assessment Lists and Other Documents of Lancaster County Prior to the year 1729," Historical Papers and Addresses of the Lancaster County Historical Society 21, No.7 (1916), 155-194, at 160, Chester Co. PA Archives, List C1,C7,C8B, [HathiTrust].
[39] H. Frank Eshleman, "Assessment Lists and Other Documents of Lancaster County Prior to the year 1729," Historical Papers and Addresses of the Lancaster County Historical Society 21, No.7 (1916), 155-194, at 189, [HathiTrust].
[40] John F. Murray and William A. Neff, "Dr Francis Neff, The Lancaster Years, 1728-1739," Neff News, 17 (2007), 7.
[41] U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s, [AncestryRecord].
[42] U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s, [AncestryRecord].
[43] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Miscellaneous Book 1760-2, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[44] Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Miscellaneous Book 1760-4, [FamilySearchImage], [FHLCatalog].
[45] Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society, Genealogical Card File (Lancaster, Pennsylvania), [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[46] Netherlands, GenealogieOnline Trees Index, 1000-2015, [AncestryRecord].
[47] Find A Grave Memorial at Ancestry.com, [AncestryRecord].
[48] Find A Grave Memorial at Ancestry.com, [AncestryRecord].
[49] Geneanet Community Trees Index, [AncestryRecord].
[50] Geneanet Community Trees Index, [AncestryRecord].
[51] John W. Jordan and James Hadden, Genealogical and personal history of Fayette County, Pennsylvania, Vol. 1, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].
[52] Israel Smith Clare, A brief history of Lancaster County, [AncestryImage], [AncestryRecord].