Mahoning County OhArchives Biographies.....Neff, Conrad 1742 - January 13, 1831 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/oh/ohfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Jennifer Neff ffen@zoominternet.net September 4, 2006, 3:16 pm Author: Dr. Jackson Truesdale Scraps of History by Dr. Jackson Truesdale, written 1897-1907 1898 Apr 8 - Article No. 62 Canfield of a Century or More Ago Re: The Conrad Neff Family Transcribed by Jennifer L. Neff, 2005 Comment from Robert Neff, 2004 This biographical sketch contains interesting material, but some corrections should be noted. Later research proved that my Grandfather Martin Neff was incorrect when he said that the family was of Dutch descent. Neffs are of Swiss extraction; the error probably occurred because the Neff's ship to America sailed from Holland. Another correction should be noted. Conrad had an older brother, Bernhard Sr., and although he never moved to Ohio, his great- grandson, Oen Neff moved here with his Meassmer grandparents, so there may be Neffs living in this area that descend from that line. FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 1898. CANFIELD OF A CENTURY OR MORE AGO Dr. Jackson Truesdale Continues His Interesting Historical Sketches….. NUMBER 62. We have already said in previous articles that Conrad Neff and family formed a part of the first company of emigrants from eastern Pennsylvania that mostly settled in Canfield in the fall of 1804. This Conrad, I think is the progenitor of all of that name in this vicinity. We are informed by Martin Neff, a grandson of Conrad, and to whom I am indebted for much of my information of the Neff family, that they are of Hollander [sic – should be Swiss] extraction, and that his grandfather, Conrad, first settled in Austintown, and after remaining there a year or two, settled on a farm on the East Street, more recently know as the Barnes place. This place, I imagine, had at the time of his purchase of it, some improvements upon it in the form of a cabin and stable and some ground more or less cleared and fenced. I am led to this belief from the fact that C. Neff paid for the farm fronting on the street $8 per acre, a price above at the time of the purchase price of wholly unimproved land. He also purchased at the same time or soon after, land adjoining, but wild and further from the street, at $2.50 per acre, in all about 280 acres. These prices will give us some idea of value of partially improved and wholly forest land prevailing about 1806. THE RESIDENCE OF MR. NEFF was at first in a common log cabin that stood between the present residence of Martin Neff and the Barnes place. At a date not known, but at an early period, he built the residence long afterwards occupied by the Barnes family. This residence all passers-by would take to be a two-story frame building, while in fact it is built of hewed logs sided without and cailed within – a double portico in front in keeping with ancient style and near to the line of the street. Back of the residence at a proper distance, is a barn which from the street would also be taken for a frame building, but is found upon closer inspection to be built of logs. Both of these buildings are in a good state of preservation and to all appearance will be good for use for generations to come. While here a little incident occurred which showed the keen scent of the elder boys and reminding them of the valley and hillsides of the old far- away home. A stranger driving from the east to the west, but before stopping to ask for a night’s lodging, a sweet, familiar aroma came sifting up the hill. The stranger’s luggage or part of it, consisted of apples. This man was not throwing apples to every man he met or tossing them into dooryards as he passed along. On the contrary he was not even disposed to give the family with whom he lodged for the night a taste of the tempting fruit that long before it is said proved so tempting to our venerable mother Eve. This man had doubtless brought them a long distance from the motives of gain, or maybe to feast the eye and taste of dear ones at home. But the temptation was too strong for the virtue of our boys. By some means entrance was effected and a few apples taken from the nailed-up box that contained them. Now I am by no means willing to admit that CONRAD NEFF’S BOYS were much worse than the average boys of every generation. Conrad 1st died about 1830. His widow lived for some 30 years after. The two were the parents of three boys and three girls. The boys’ names were Henry, Conrad, and John. The girls, Maria, Sarah, and Mary. These daughters became the wives of Henry Brunstetter, Henry Crum, and Henry Petrie if I have been made to understand correctly. These men were citizens of Austintown, and one of them, Henry Brunstetter, is among the first names of individuals remembered by me. His farm and my father’s adjoined. One of his sons [Jacob] was commissioner of Mahoning County one term from 1851 to 1853. Transcriber’s Note: Conrad’s daughters who moved to Trumbull/Mahoning Co. OH with Conrad were: Mary Magdalena [Polly] who was already married to Henry Brunstetter Sr. Margaret Neff who married Henry Peatrie [Petry] Mary Neff who married 1. Jacob Harding 2. Henry Crum Of the sons of Conrad 1st, Henry married a Miss Harding of whom we know nothing with certainty, but suspect him of being the father of Jonas Neff and others of the name in Austintown. Jonas was a respected citizen, and at one time was on the board of infirmary directors of this county. Conrad, 2nd, married Polly Kline. John, the youngest son, married Elizabeth Kline. Polly and Elizabeth were sisters, and daughters of Abraham Kline, a well-known and well-to-do pioneer of the early times. The brothers, Conrad 2nd and John, after marriage continued their residence on East Street and perhaps the old farm was divided between the two. At all events Conrad took the former residence of his father, while John erected his home a short distance west of it. Conrad continued to live for a number of years on the old place, but eventually for some reason sold the farm to C.S. Mygatt, Sr., and he again to Jacob Barnes. Conrad moved from Canfield to Brimfield in Portage County, but he left behind him the unquestioned reputation of being THE STRONGEST MAN that has ever lived in Canfield, and we would risk but little in saying the strongest man that has lived in this county. The information that leads to this belief is not derived from one source alone, but comes to me from various directions. His appearance and make up would indicate to all that he was a man of superior strength - weighty without being fleshy, tall and compact in form, his muscles hardened and developed by use of the maul and axe, the lifting and piling of logs in heaps, and in all kinds of pioneer labor. Such work made big and hard hands, and his hands it is said, were double the size of the ordinary hands of the day. When open they would nearly cover a spade, and when clenched would resemble two knot mauls attached to a long powerful arm which could be brought down with the force of a trip hammer. When Conrad wished to bring a refractory horse to terms, a tap on the head with his fist leveled the horse to the ground. On one occasion he and Jonathan Kline wished to take a grist of wheat to the Lanterman mill – eight bushels[480 pounds] of wheat were turned into an empty bed tick. This, with some aid on the part of Mr. Kline in getting the bag onto the back and shoulders of Conrad, he carried some distance alone and placed it in a wagon bed. Upon arriving at the mill, Conrad placed the same bag on Jonathan Kline in such a way that he carried it from the wagon to the mill. John, a brother of Conrad, a stout, good-sized man, conceived the idea that he could split as many rails in one day as his big brother. THE SPLITTING OF RAILS is as much a matter of skill as of strength, and perhaps John depended for success upon the former. At all events a trail was made and the result left little room for either to crow over the other. A count at the end of the day’s trial showed for Conrad 1212 rails. John was close behind with 1200. Rail splitters will now think such a feat an impossibility, and so it is with the timber now obtainable. At that time the choicest only was selected, such as chestnut, ash, poplar, and walnut. The possession of such strength had many advantages, but to Conrad it often became a source of trouble. The fame of his wonderful strength spread far and wide, and frequently he was called upon to assert his supremacy in such a way that he could not well resist. At the period we speak of the possession of strength was the most desirable and valuable of gifts, and he who claimed to have much of it was expected in keeping with the sentiments prevailing largely at the time, to prove it in single combat. To refuse to do so, exposed the man challenged to the charge of cowardice – a charge that no good Pennsylvania Dutchman would quietly submit to. We are told that Conrad was not quarrelsome or boisterous, and if left alone would disturb no one. But the word had gone out that Conrad Neff could whip anything that stood on two legs. This was a challenge to every bully in the country, and to them a sure passport of enduring fame was offered if they could force Conrad to cry “enough” – word used for surrender or defeat. On one occasion in front of the Boughton corner, a man was nagging Conrad unsuccessfully for a fight, and finally SPIT IN HIS FACE Even this insult did not provoke the giant to strike, but he gave the man such a push that he and the crowd behind were heaped upon a pile of old iron nearby. One of them, a homeless Irishman, rose with broken ribs. Conrad took this man home with him and nursed him for three months. The last thing we hear of our strong man was after he moved to Brimfield, where his fame followed him. He was accosted one day by a champion Irishman, who said he had come 20 miles to find a better man than himself. The Irishman, as soon as he could pull himself together, had found what he was after. “It bate ivery thing how hard the Dutchman could strike a maun.” John, the youngest son of Conrad 1st, was born in Pennsylvania in 1796 or ’97, and he died in Canfield, April 7, 1861, or at the beginning of the late war, aged near 65. He was more of a stock raiser and dealer than a cultivator of the soil. As a dealer in stock he did a large and successful business in buying and driving on foot to an eastern market. His descendants seem somewhat inclined to the same business to this day. At the time of his death, or before he commenced dividing among his children; he was the owner of some 400 or 500 acres of good land. John Neff was a man of good habits, and I have never heard anything else than that he was an honorable and RELIABLE BUSINESS MAN. John Neff and wife, Elizabeth, were the parents of Eli, Mary, Martin, Edward, and John. The two latter died in 1836, victims of a terrible epidemic of scarlet fever. I adopt this date from Mrs. Russell F. Starr. My recollection would lead me to place the date of the epidemic in 1834. Eli married Nancy, a daughter of Jacob Barnes, and for many years owned and resided on the farms now occupied by Joshua and William Kyle, and likely built the large dwelling in which Joshua resides. Eli, while a resident of Canfield was a stirring money-making farmer and cattle dealer. For some time before leaving Canfield he commenced loaning money and mortgage security on Kansas lands and finally somewhere near 1870 sold his land and other property here and moved to Kansas and engaged extensively in the loaning of money. As a result, word has come back that Eli now owns more land than he can profitably handle. Some of his relatives here place his real estate possessions at from 7,000 to 10,000 acres. Eli is said to have five living children. The only daughter of John Neff is living in the village. Mary was born in 1823 and married the late Russell F. Starr, who was born in 1818 and died April 15, 1895. Of Mary’s two daughters, Lois married Howard Shields of Youngstown and Alice, Monroe Beard of Beaver. Henry married a daughter of Winchester Moherman of Austintown. John is expected to find a wife when he comes to a proper age. Martin, the remaining son of John neff, is one of Canfield’s substantial farmers, owning, or did before dividing among his children, some 600 acres of land. At present he lives in the DWELLING BUILT BY HIS FATHER in 1823. He married Catherine Wilson, a daughter of the late John Wilson. This marriage makes the children half and half. Dutch and Irish, a mixture we have always heard to be a good one. John, the oldest, married Miss Hattie, a daughter of John Sanzenbacher. They are our nearest neighbors and good ones as well. A gate and well-trodden path leads from one back door to the other. Caroline A. married G.S. Beard, Mary to Floyd Blackburn and Lois to Charley Edsall. In company with neighbor John Neff, we called at the home of Mr. And Mrs. Martin Neff a few days ago, and as we sat down to the substantial dinner, I noticed that our heads were frosted and faces wrinkled, but we all seemed to have a fair appetite and hospitality and goodwill abounded. J. TRUESDALE. [To be continued.] Additional Comments: In 1805 Conrad Naff built what is thought to be the oldest remaining log home in the Connecticut Western Reserve. Located in Canfield Township. Trumbull County of Ohio, [now Mahoning County] Loghurst is under the management of Western Reserve Historical Society [WRHS] and is included in the National Register of Historic Places. The name of Loghurst, was given to it by the last private owners, the Kyle family. Previous names that Loghurst has been known by include the Naff Place and the Barnes Place. Loghurst is open to the public. The site is a splendid tribute to the pioneering spirit and early agricultural history of the region. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/oh/mahoning/bios/neff364bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/ohfiles/ File size: 14.4 Kb