PETER NEFF, retired, Cairo, was born on the 18th of July, 1826, in the kingdom of Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany. His parents, Bernhard Neff and Barbara Boehm, were natives of same place and reared a family of six sons, Peter being the youngest. The family have been represented in the United States by the three sons, Adam, George A. and Peter; the former died in Cairo, Ill., in 1867, leaving a family consisting of wife and two daughters, who are now residents of Cairo. George A. is a resident of St. Louis, Mo. The subject of these lines was reared and educated in the old country, where he learned the trade of merchant tailor. He came to the United States in 1847, and that year located in the city of St. Louis, where, for four years, he worked at his trade. In September, 1851, he removed to Jonesboro, Ill., where he made his first independent business venture in the way of a small stock of clothing. He remained in Jonesboro until 1854 (spring), at which time he removed his stock to Cairo, where he has since lived. Here he soon merged into an extensive trade in clothing and furnishing goods, and for many years enjoyed an immense patronage. In 1878, he sold his entire stock of clothing to A. Marx, but continued in the tailoring business until 1881, when he retired. He has erected several business houses and controls a large interest in city real estate. At present he is Vice President of the Alexander County Bank. He has a family of four children, of whom one is deceased, those living being Calvin, Alexander W. and Effie Neff. The maiden name of his present wife was Rachel Lence, who was born at Jonesboro, Ill., in 1841.
Extracted 31 Mar 2017 by Norma Hass from 1883 History of Alexander, Union, and Pulaski Counties, Illinois, Part V, page 33.
| Cape Girardeau MO |
Union | |
 |
Pulaski | |
| Scott MO | Mississippi MO | Ballard KY |
