BIO: Gideon D. NEFF, Clearfield County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja & Sally Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/ NOTE: Use this web address to access other bios: http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/swoope/swoope.htm _____________________________________________________________ From Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and Representative Citizens, by Roland D. Swoope, Jr., Chicago: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, 1911, pages 612 & 613. _____________________________________________________________ GIDEON D. NEFF, a prosperous farmer of Burnside township, was born August 26, 1837, in this township, not far from New Washington. His parents were J. B. and Catherine (Barnhart) Neff, and he is a grandson of John Neff, who at one time carried on a distillery at Howardville, Center county, Pa. J. B. Neff, father of our subject, was born in Lancaster county, Pa., in 1795, and died September 9, 1879. In April, 1829, he came to Clearfield county with his brothers to begin clearing a 400 acre tract of land which had been purchased previously by their father, John Neff. He was engaged in farming from 1860 to 1865. He later engaged in distilling, there being convenient springs, known as the "Big Springs" in the vicinity of the homestead. The house which he occupied at that time was simply a log shanty. J. B. Neff married Catherine Barnhart, who was born February 17, 1795, and who died May 2, 1879. Her parents were from Center county, Pa. Col. Jacob Barnhart served in the Revolutionary war. The father of our subject was one of the organizers of the M. E. church in his locality, the business of a distiller at that time not being thought incompatible with a Christian life. In 1835 the wives of the Neffs walked to their old home in Center county, where they dried apples and made apple butter, there being no apples then raised in this new settlement. They were obliged to send their grain on horseback to the mill at Tyrone, Pa., and at times it had to be ground in a coffee mill. Gideon D. Neff is the only one of his parents' children now living. He attended school in his boyhood and remained at home until reaching the age of 25 years, when he removed to his present place, which is known as the Altlmont Farm. He has been engaged in farming and lumbering all his life and has been reasonably successful, being now regarded as one of the substantial and prosperous citizens of his township. He is a member of the M. E. church but is not active in politics. Mr. Neff was married May 14, 1863, to Susannah Troxell, who was born December 24, 1845, at Muncie, Union county, Pa. Her parents were John and Lydia N. (Hessinger) Troxell, natives of Union county. The father, born March 23, 1807, died in 1879. Lydia Hessinger, born October 31, 1813, was a daughter of George and Catherine (Punsins) Hessinger, of Center township, Union county; she died May 2, 1893. Mrs. Neff's grandfather, George Troxell, was born November 30, 1782, at New Caledonia, Pa., his father having come to America from Germany. He married Mary Hoffman, who was born January 19, 1779. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Neff are as follows: Rose Etta, born June 24, 1864, married Wm. H. McKee, has ten children, (of Huntingdon, Pa.). Carrie Viola, born September 24, 1866, is the wife of I. E. Ricketts of Utahville, Pa. and has four children. Mary, born February 26, 1869, is the wife of L. D. Gardner, of Glen Campbell and has six children. Laura, born June 10, 1871, is the wife of H. S. Gorman of Burnside township and has four children. James D., born 1874, married Mary E. Byers and they have one child. Russel B., born June 21, 1877, is the manager of the home farm. Reuben is deceased. Della Grace born June 15, 1884, is residing at home with her parents.