Jake Neff

NEFF, SCARBOROUGH, PAYNE

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler (email)
Date: 7/16/2006 at 10:47:50

Earlham Echo - Thursday, September 13, 1943

"Jake passed away this morning" was the message the wires carried to the Neff relatives last Wednesday, September 8th. The words came as a distinct shock as there had been no knowledge of illness or accident.

Jake was the third son of Isaac D. and Nancy J. Neff, born September 8, 1879 at the old Neff homestead in Penn township. Here he attended the rural schools and the Earlham Academy, later spending a year at Drake University. After spending a few months as a teacher he decided to follow in the footsteps of his father in being a farmer. After several seasons of farming in Iowa and Canada he located on a ranch near Lewistown, Montana.

He was united in marriage with Blanche Scarborough on April 1, 1912. Into this home came three children, two sons Otis and Paul and a baby daughter, who lived but a few hours.

In the early '20's the family moved to Le Roy, New York, where he became the neighbor of his brother Byron. This section of the state has since been his home.

Jake became a member of the Church of Christ in early life. He served his church in various capacities but his greatest talent lay in his gift of song.

He leaves to mourn, besides his wife and two sons, two daughters-in-law, one grandchild and these brothers and sisters, Carrie, of Columbus, Ohio; Cora, of Boone, Iowa; John of Earlham; Frank, of Des Moines; Roy of Pamona, California; Byron, of Le Roy, New York; and one half brother, Howard Payne of De Soto, Iowa.

Jake's last visit to the old home community was three years ago this fall. As we stood on the lawn in the sunshine beside the waiting car ready for the long trip homeward, there were Jake, Blanche, Paul, Doris, Helen, Byron and Cora. They could not know that his warm handclasp was his earthly farewell to us.