Neff, Henry Goodlow

The writer of biography, dealing with the personal history of men engaged in the various affairs of every-day life, occasionally finds a subject whose record commands exceptional interest and admiration and especially in this true when he has achieved more than ordinary success and at the same time has won a reputation for scrupulous honesty and integrity. Of this class of worthy Marshall county citizens Henry Goodlow Neff, who, after a long life of close application to agricultural pursuits, is now living in honorable retirement in his pleasant home in the town of Albion, is entitled to special mention.

Mr. Neff was born in Champaign county, Ohio, May 21, 1834, the son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Stickler) Neff, both natives of Shenandoah county, Virginia, where they spent their youth, coming to Champaign county, Ohio, in a latter day and there they both died.

Henry G. Neff grew up in his native state and received what education he could in the common schools. He came to Marshall county, Iowa, in 1856, when he was twenty-two years of age, and for a year or more made his home three miles north of Albion and prior to his marriage he worked by the day or month for a few years in order to get a start. He worked at carpentering for Larkin & Price, and during the next three years he worked for Solomon Arney on his farm, where Carey Arney now lives.

On July 7, 1861, Mr. Neff was married to Nancy Arney, daughter of John and Mary Magdaline (Boyles) Arney. After his marriage Mr. Neff began farming on his own account on eighty acres in section 20, Liscomb township, this county, and he continued to reside for a period of thirty-five years, during which time he not only made a very comfortable living, but laid by a competency for old age. He took this place when it was wild and developed it in true pioneer fashion, making in time a fine farm of it. In the fall of 1894 he and his faithful life companion left the farm and moved to Albion, where they have since resided. They spent the winter of 1893 in California and have been back to the Pacific coast once since.

Mr. Neff is a Democrat and he has served his community as assessor. He and his wife belong to the Christian church at Bethel, having been faithful churchgoers for fifty years, until the building was recently blown down. He was a deacon in the same for many years.

Mr. and Mrs. Neff have two adopted children and one other, C. H. Neff, who live in Iowa township, this county: Rosa, who married Mathias Hauser, lives near Liscomb; Bert Griggs lives at Redwood Falls, Minnesota.

Mr. and Mrs. Neff are highly respected pioneers and they enjoy recounting incidents of the early days. Her father came to Marshall county in 1849, being one of the earliest settlers here. Mr. Neff came here when wild game was abundant and he enjoyed the primitive life on the frontier.