Illinois:  History of Cass County, Illinois, ed. William 
Henry Perrin. O. L. Baskin & Co. Historical Publishers, 
Chicago, 1882. Cass County.

PIUS NEFF, merchant, Chandlerville; was born in Germany, 
April 29, 1834, to Ignatz and Mary A. (Bower) Neff. Our 
subject attended the common schools of Germany until he was 
ten years of age, when with his parents he emigrated to 
Pennsylvania, where he succeeded in acquiring a good 
business education. At the age of twenty-three he began 
working upon a farm, which he continued for several years, 
when he entered the store of J.J. Mish, of Peoria, as 
clerk, where he continued until 1863, when he started a 
grocery store in Peoria. In 1864 he sold out his business, 
and removed to Chandlerville, where he has since remained 
engaged in mercantile business, being one of the leading 
business men of Chandlerville. In 1857, in Pennsylvania, he 
married Miss Elizabeth Claus, a native of Pennsylvania, 
born in 1833. She is the mother of eleven children, six of 
whom are now living, viz.: Mary, wife of Jacob Euteneuer, 
of Havana, Ill.; Frank, George, Gustavus, William, and Leo. 
The father of our subject was born in Germany, in 1800, and 
died in 1871. He was in the old country a potter, and in 
America followed farming; he came to America in 1844. The 
mother of our subject was born in Germany in 1802, and is 
now residing in Pennsylvania, enjoying good health; she is 
the mother of eleven children, of whom Pius Neff was the 
sixth. He has been School Treasurer of Chandlerville 
Township for ten years, and still holding that office. He 
has held Town Board office six times, and acted as 
President of the Board for three terms. Our subject and 
family are members of the Catholic church. Politically, he 
is a Democrat. When Mr. Neff first came, he was one of the 
Board of School Directors, and with the other members, was 
influential in building the large and commodious school 
house of the city.

Neff Bower Claus Euteneuer 
=
Germany PA