1. JOHN CHRISTOPHER1 MORGANSTERN was born July 22, 1709 in Ependorph, Germany, and died June 21, 1762 in Germany.
Child of JOHN MORGANSTERN is:
2. i. JACOB2 MORGANSTERN I, b. Germany; d. 1749, died & buried at sea on the way to America.
Generation No. 2
2. JACOB2 MORGANSTERN I (JOHN CHRISTOPHER1) was born in Germany, and died 1749 in died & buried at sea on the way to America.
Notes
NOTE: see Margaret Neff for more about "The Morganstern Inheritance"
In March 1749 Jacob Morgenstern and his nine year old son Jacob II, started across the Atlantic Ocean for Philadelphia. Jacob I, died on the trip across and young Jacob landed in Philadelphia in July of that year. On Sept 30th 1768 he married Sarah Brunner and settled in Maryland.
Child of JACOB MORGANSTERN is:
3. i. JACOB3 MORGANSTERN II, b. 1740, in Germany; d. September 1824, Black Creek Ontario Canada.
Generation No. 3
3. JACOB3 MORGANSTERN II (JACOB2, JOHN CHRISTOPHER1) was born 1740 in in Germany, and died September 1824 in Black Creek Ontario Canada. He married SARAH BRUNNER September 30, 1768.
Notes
Left the old country for America March 1749. His father died and was buried at sea. Arrived in Philadelphia July 1749 and lived among the pioneers. Married Sarah Brunner and settled in Washington County MD. Children Johannes thru the twins were born there. Moved to Milford Glades Bedford County PA where Judith thru Benjamin were born Moved later to Black Creek Ont where Joseph was born.
NOTE: see Margaret Neff for more about "The Morganstern Inheritance"
Children of JACOB MORGANSTERN and SARAH BRUNNER are:
i. JOHANNES4 MORGANSTERN, b. June 22, 1771, Washington Co., MD.
4. ii. RACHEL MORGANSTERN, b. January 19, 1773, Washington County MD; d. April 23, 1817.
iii. REBECCA MORGANSTERN, b. January 9, 1775, Washington Co., MD.
iv. SENA MORGANSTERN, b. December 22, 1777, Washington Co., MD.
v. ABAGAIL MORGANSTERN, b. 1778, Washington Co., MD.
vi. ELIZABETH MORGANSTERN, b. October 26, 1779, Washington Co., MD.
vii. ESTHER MORGANSTERN, b. October 26, 1779, Washington Co., MD.
viii. SUSANNA MORGANSTERN, b. September 30, 1781, Washington Co., MD.
ix. JUDITH MORGANSTERN, b. January 10, 1784, Milford Glades, Bedford Co., PA.
x. SALLY MORGANSTERN, b. 1786, Milford Glades, Bedford Co., PA.
xi. BENJAMIN MORGANSTERN, b. January 29, 1789, Milford Glades, Bedford Co., PA.
xii. JOSEPH MORGANSTERN, b. December 25, 1795, Black Creek, Canada.
Generation No. 4
4. RACHEL4 MORGANSTERN (JACOB3, JACOB2, JOHN CHRISTOPHER1) was born January 19, 1773 in Washington County MD, and died April 23, 1817. She married HEINRICH NEFF 1794, son of ABRAHAM NEFF and CATHERINE SCHRODDER.
Notes
NOTE: see Margaret Neff for more about "The Morganstern Inheritance"
Morganstern is German for Morningstar, English trans.
Children of RACHEL MORGANSTERN and HEINRICH NEFF are:
5. i. JOHANNES5 NEFF, b. October 26, 1795; d. January 24, 1875.
ii. SARAH NEFF, b. April 10, 1797.
iii. CATHERINE NEFF, b. August 16, 1798.
iv. ELIZABETH NEFF, b. June 23, 1800.
v. ABRAHAM NEFF, b. January 3, 1802; d. February 16, 1882.
vi. MARIA NEFF, b. October 31, 1803.
vii. DEBORAH NEFF, b. January 31, 1805.
viii. RACHAEL NEFF, b. October 10, 1805.
ix. SUSANNA NEFF, b. 1807.
x. ANNA NEFF, b. June 3, 1809.
xi. REBECCA NEFF, b. 1813.
xii. SAMUEL NEFF, b. April 1817; d. July 26, 1896.
Generation No. 5
5. JOHANNES5 NEFF (RACHEL4 MORGANSTERN, JACOB3, JACOB2, JOHN CHRISTOPHER1) was born October 26, 1795, and died January 24, 1875. He married SOPHIA MARGARET PRICE December 6, 1818, daughter of DAVID PRICE and MARGARET GONDER.
Notes
Family had 16 children according to a note by Marshall Leslie Kenzie
Margaret, Cassie, Ben, Dan, Menno, Ezra, Thelean, Boriah, Henry, Isiah, Albert, Ethen, Catherine, Ann, Esther, and Sarah
Another source mentions a Josiah Neff but gives no further information about him.
Children of JOHANNES NEFF and SOPHIA PRICE are:
6. i. FANNY6 NEFF, b. April 14, 1882.
ii. ISIAH NEFF.
7. iii. MENNO NEFF, b. March 28, 1834; d. April 26, 1866.
iv. SARAH NEFF.
8. v. BENJAMIN NEFF, b. January 22, 1820; d. September 11, 1900.
9. vi. MARGARET NEFF, b. March 15, 1824, Wainfleet Welland County Ont; d. April 5, 1913, Pincoming MI bur Fraser Cem (State Rd) Bay Co MI.
vii. CATHERINE NEFF, b. September 28, 1825; d. September 5, 1828.
viii. ESTHER NEFF, b. May 22, 1827; d. January 9, 1854; m. (FNU) KNISLEY.
ix. DANIEL ALBERT NEFF, b. May 30, 1829, Welland Co.; d. April 5, 1907.
10. x. ANN JANE NEFF, b. January 8, 1831, Welland Co., Ontario Canada; d. December 20, 1931.
xi. WILLIAM HENRY NEFF, b. July 22, 1832; d. May 23, 1875; m. MARY DODGE, October 3, 1861.
xii. EZRA NEFF, b. October 9, 1835; d. October 15, 1858.
xiii. JOSIAH NEFF, b. February 18, 1837; d. March 31, 1837.
xiv. THELEAN BORIASH NEFF, b. October 14, 1838; d. April 20, 1864; m. MARIA WOOD, January 5, 1864.
xv. CARRIE NEFF, b. April 4, 1840, Welland Co. Ont; d. January 1, 1908, Ohio.
11. xvi. DAVID ALBERT NEFF, b. September 9, 1841; d. December 20, 1916.
12. xvii. ETHAN B NEFF, b. January 22, 1845; d. September 16, 1913, Benzonia, Michigan.
xviii. CAROLYN NEFF.
Generation No. 6
6. FANNY6 NEFF (JOHANNES5, RACHEL4 MORGANSTERN, JACOB3, JACOB2, JOHN CHRISTOPHER1) was born April 14, 1882. She married JOHN KINSLEY , (KNISLEY) January 27, 1837.
Notes
Died childless
Children of FANNY NEFF and JOHN KINSLEY are:
i. ESTER7 KINSLEY.
ii. MARGARET KINSLEY.
7. MENNO6 NEFF (JOHANNES5, RACHEL4 MORGANSTERN, JACOB3, JACOB2, JOHN CHRISTOPHER1) was born March 28, 1834, and died April 26, 1866. He married ELIZABETH URMY January 21, 1858.
Children of MENNO NEFF and ELIZABETH URMY are:
i. JOHN7 NEFF.
ii. JIM NEFF.
iii. ELIZABETH NEFF.
8. BENJAMIN6 NEFF (JOHANNES5, RACHEL4 MORGANSTERN, JACOB3, JACOB2, JOHN CHRISTOPHER1) was born January 22, 1820, and died September 11, 1900. He married JANE KINSEY, daughter of JONATHAN KINSEY and SARAH SCOOLEY.
Children of BENJAMIN NEFF and JANE KINSEY are:
i. MENNO7 NEFF.
ii. EDGAR NEFF.
iii. DAUGHTER NEFF, m. (FNU) PAGE.
iv. DAUGHTER NEFF, m. (FNU) BOOKER.
9. MARGARET6 NEFF (JOHANNES5, RACHEL4 MORGANSTERN, JACOB3, JACOB2, JOHN CHRISTOPHER1) was born March 15, 1824 in Wainfleet Welland County Ont, and died April 5, 1913 in Pincoming MI bur Fraser Cem (State Rd) Bay Co MI. She married ELIAS KINSEY December 25, 1848, son of JONATHAN KINSEY and SARAH SCOOLEY.
Notes
The Neff family expected a substantial inheritance in about 1914 when the Kaiser is reported to have made it impossible. This was I suspect the "Morganstern Inheritance".
Stone in cemetary says she died in 1913, but WilL (last name unknown, apparently a cousin) says it is wrong. (1957 letter).
THE MORGANSTERN INHERITANCE
(Morningstar)
The Morganstern Inheritance of 1763. In the 45th Assembly of the 2nd legislative Chamber held on Feb. 16, 1763, stood on the Bulletin Board of that date.
"The Morgenstern Inheritance"
"The full contents of this sensational affair is thus".
In the Leipzig Journal of the 9th of Feb. 1763 a col, according to which the Sea Captain John Christoph Morgenstern, who was born July 22, 1707 in Eppendorph (f) near Pdeson, Kingdom of Saxony and who died June 21, 1762 at the age of 55, leaving a fortune of 36 tons of gold.
The testament or will was laid before the Council of Frieburg on Dec. 7, 1815.
The pretending heirs and claimants hold and say, that all correspondence, as well as the place of deposit, and remains of this colossal fortune, as to insinuate that the government has cause to keep the wereabouts of the money and will or testaments secret. And this assertion has been created because the government did not show itself very willing or obliging to the claiments.
The claiming petitioners urge now that the court or chambers should at least come out and investigate these important matters thoroughly, so as to give the claimants a clear inside view of the facts in the case.
He died in 1762 and the pretending heirs waited 53 years before bringing it to court.
A letter from Gertrude Anderson in 1957 states "Grandmother died 4/5/1912 'says Will' the stone in the cemetery says 1913-probably Bill is right although I thought she was in her 90th year, he says 88 years 20 days. They are buried in Fraser Cemetery (State Road) Bay County, Mich., in lot F block 23."
From the notes of Gertrude Anderson Margaret was born 3/15/1823.
Marriage Notes
Apparently according to John Neff's family Bible the marriage date is 12/26/1844
Children of MARGARET NEFF and ELIAS KINSEY are:
i. SYLVESTER ALLISON7 KINSEY, b. November 7, 1849, Arkona Ont; d. October 21, 1924, Warwick Twp Buried Forest O.-Beechwood Cem; m. MARY ANNIE LLOYD, June 11, 1873, Bosanquet Ont.
ii. SARAH ANNE KINSEY, b. February 28, 1852; d. October 21, 1881, buried Menonite Cem. Arkona Ont.; m. JOHN ABRAHAM ROBINSON, December 12, 1875.
iii. JOHN MENNO KINSEY, b. May 16, 1855; d. Cemetery Montrose; m. IDA BOUCHER.
iv. EMILY CATHERINE KINSEY, b. March 25, 1858, Arkona ONT; d. January 22, 1934, Montrose MI buried there; m. GEORGE OSBORNE EASTMAN, August 22, 1880.
10. ANN JANE6 NEFF (JOHANNES5, RACHEL4 MORGANSTERN, JACOB3, JACOB2, JOHN CHRISTOPHER1) was born January 8, 1831 in Welland Co., Ontario Canada, and died December 20, 1931. She married (1) (FNU) GROH. She married (2) ABRAHAM STERNAMAN January 1, 1851.
Notes
Had a second husband
Children of ANN NEFF and ABRAHAM STERNAMAN are:
i. EDNA7 STERNAMAN.
ii. ARTHUR STERNAMAN.
iii. CARRIE STERNAMAN, m. W. HODGES.
iv. JOHN STERNAMAN.
v. TESS STERNAMAN.
vi. EVA STERNAMAN.
vii. ALBERT STERNAMAN.
viii. WARNER STERNAMAN.
11. DAVID ALBERT6 NEFF (JOHANNES5, RACHEL4 MORGANSTERN, JACOB3, JACOB2, JOHN CHRISTOPHER1) was born September 9, 1841, and died December 20, 1916. He married MARY KENDRICKS December 31, 1863 in Buffalo, NY.
Notes
David was born in Humburston Canada Sept. 9, 1841. In 1862 he married Mary Kendrick at Buffalo, NY. In 1885 they moved to Maple Grove Twsp. in Saginaw Co. Michigan. They resided in Owosso 13 years when they moved to Chesaning circa 1911, where he died Wednesday Dec. 20th 1916. David was a member of the Mennonite Faith. He leaves his widow Mary and Five children, John of Toledo, Ellis of Owosso, Mrs Sarah Barber of Flint, Mrs Margaret Phelps and Jonas Neff of Chesaning, also a sister Mrs Ann Grove. Interment was made in Wildwood Cemetary.
Children of DAVID NEFF and MARY KENDRICKS are:
i. JOHN7 NEFF, b. December 1, 1865; d. July 1936; m. EDITH HODGES.
ii. ELLIS NEFF, b. March 20, 1869; d. January 25, 1951; m. MATILDA ADELMAN.
iii. MARGRET NEFF, b. August 17, 1871; d. August 17, 1950; m. EDWARD PHILIPS.
iv. JONAS NEFF, b. June 17, 1874; d. December 5, 1956; m. AMANDA CLARK.
v. SARAH ANN NEFF, b. December 28, 1878; d. March 27, 1952; m. EDSON NORTON BARBER, May 18, 1901.
12. ETHAN B6 NEFF (JOHANNES5, RACHEL4 MORGANSTERN, JACOB3, JACOB2, JOHN CHRISTOPHER1) was born January 22, 1845, and died September 16, 1913 in Benzonia, Michigan. He married PHOEBE HUNTLEY in Buffalo, NY.
Notes
There was a letter dated Dec 9, 1903, (address Burlah PO. Benzie Co. Mich). He mentions three that are believed to be his children. Ada, his daughter and the letter mentions that Milton will be home next summer but unless he (Milton) takes over the ship then he will have to quit it himself. He says Lillian is home for the winter. It is believed his wife's name was Phoebe. He mentioned this in his letter.
Was a Blacksmith by trade.
Children of ETHAN NEFF and PHOEBE HUNTLEY are:
i. ADA7 NEFF, b. Canada; d. 1930; m. (FNU) CONKLIN.
ii. MILTON NEFF, b. Canada.
iii. LILLIAN NEFF, b. Canada.