Person:Orange Neff (1)

STORY OF ORANGE AND EMMA NEFF Orange Neff was born to Isaac and Emeline (Holmes) Neff in Bloomswitch, Ohio December 13, 1852. He came to Buffalo County, Nebraska with his parents in 1872. He did various jobs in the next few years such as hauling piling for the first bridge to be built across the Platte River at Kearney. He also worked on the survey crew for the Northwestern Railroad through Valentine, Nebraska. He met Emma Eveline Marzolf who was working for the Moses Sydenham's. Mr. Sydenham was publisher of a newspaper in Ft. Kearney. Emma was born to Martin Marzolf and his wife, Elizabeth Jane Cox on July 15, 1856 near Mineral Point, Waldrick County, Wisconsin. She came to Nebraska with her parents in 1864 settling in Buffalo County, near Wilcox, Nebraska. Orange had to walk 25 miles to Lowell, Nebraska (evidently at that time county-seat of Buffalo County) to obtain the marriage license. The original of this license is in the possession of Ora, Neff, Watters, a daughter. Emma and Orange evidently failed to return it to the court as specified, After obtaining the license Orange returned to the Sydenham's where Emma and Orange were married in their home February 11, 1877. In 1880 according to the Nebraska census of that year they lived on a farm in Loup Precinct of Buffalo County. They now had two children, Dessie 2 years old and Minnie, 9 months. Lena and Alice were also born near Kearney. On October 8, 1884 a son, Isaac Rufus, was born to them, but on March 5, 1885 little Isaac died and was buried in the cemetery in Kearney. Edwin was born September 10, 1886 near Bartley, Nebraska in a tent pitched beside a covered wagon as the family was moving at the time. Vienna was born July 28, 1889 at Kearney. When Vienna was a year or so old whey moved to Kansas, then to Missouri, finally settling in Falls City, Nebraska because of Emma's health. She had ague. Ora was born in Falls City October 15, 1893. Orange continued plastering as he had in Kearney until 1899. Ed told the story of the family having diphtheria and his mother saved their lives by wrapping a cloth around her finger and swabbing out their throats several times a day (Ora believes she used turpentine and sugar on the rag). On January 26, 1899 Dessie married John Barry. Minnie was working for a family by the name of Gist, a banker in Falls City. In April that year Orange decided to go west looking for work. Dessie, being married remained in Falls City. Minnie also decided to remain and continue working for the Gist's. With Orange and Emma were Lena, Alice, Ed, Vienna, and Ora, they loaded their possessions into two wagons, a covered wagon which served as their home on wheels and another wagon to carry possessions. This wagon was trailed behind the covered wagon. This was pulled by four horses, Sweet and Bill, both gray, and two others whose names Vienna could not remember. Vienna remembered once camping near a big straw stack. The kids had fun playing, climbing to the top and sliding down. Another time they camped at a place where the ,people had a lot of turkeys. One turkey was caught and the other turkeys were killing it. Ora and Vienna went over and told the owner so to could break it up. These people gave then all the water they wanted because all the water around was alkali. In return Orange gave then a very nice board when they left. When they came to Kearney they stopped to visit relatives, Emma's brother, Charley Marzolf and his wife, Vienna, and their family who lived south of Kearney just across the Platte River, her sister, Nora, and her husband, John Murrish, and their family, also sister Marilda and her husband, Tom Pratt. Albert Marzolf, son of Charley Marzolf remembers Orange always used a spring on the tongue of the wagon to ease the carrying of the tongue by the horses. After leaving Kearney they followed the Platte River west, finally getting their first sight of Court House and Jail Rock, South of the present sight of Bridgeport, on up past Chimney Rock, south of the present town of Bayard, and on up the valley to Scottsbluff, where they camped on the sight of the Old Oregon Trail Campground on the west side of the bluff. The railroad had not yet come up the valley and there were only a few scattered ranches and very little work. Orange heard of the new town of Alliance, on the Burlington Railroad to the northeast, so they decided to go to Alliance. On the way they camped overnight at a place called, "The Half Way House", a stop on the old stage coach route from Sydney to Deadwood. They arrived in Alliance in June 1899. Their first home was in Duncan's addition around the area of 12th and Grand Ave. This area was still in the country at that tine. Ed told of how there were so many cactus in the pasture between their place and town that they could not go barefoot. Vienna tells that Ed told them if they ran real fast they'd miss the cactus, so they did this a lot. She also says that they lived in a tent for a while and the sand blew so bad at times you couldn't see your neighbor. Soon after their arrival, the Box Butte County Courthouse was moved on a flat car from Hemingford to Alliance, July 3, 1899. Orange got a job replastering the building after it was placed in its new location on Box Butte Avenue. In the summer of 1900 a man by the name of George Jones contracted to build a mile of new railroad down by Brush, Colorado. He took a work train and crew from Alliance to the job. Orange Neff and his team and wagon were among those hired for the job. Vienna tells of the excitement of this trip. The entire family along with the team and wagon made the trip by train. Vienna said, "I got to ride in the caboose and look out the window in the cupola. It was just a wonderful experience." Ed told of hauling water to the work crew riding on Old Sweet. They returned to Alliance in the Fall. This time they lived in a place in South Alliance. Some people by the name of Muirherder lived next door. Among Ora's first teachers in the old Central School were Arvilla Snow (Redfern) and Miss Susie Frazier. Sand for plastering was obtained from Bronco Lake about three miles west of town. It was Ed's job to go out and haul in the sand and help mix the "mud" (plaster) and tend his father on plastering jobs so he did not usually get to start to school until the weather got too cold to plaster. In the Spring as soon as it was warm enough for Spring work to start he had to quit school and go to work again. One year he said, "If I can't start at the beginning of the year I don't want to go to school." He never went to school again. Sometime during the school year of 1900, a special train carrying Teddy Roosevelt made a stop in Alliance. Ed often told of getting to shake hands with him. Ora told this story, "It was like a holiday, all the kids were let out of school and marched down Box Butte to see him, the little ones first and the big ones at the back. He stood on the rear platform to speak." Emma also got to shake hands with Teddy Roosevelt. In Ora's words, "Mama probably would never have done it by herself, but she was with Mrs. Muirherder who pushed through the crowd to shake Teddy Roosevelt's hand." Vienna tells that Mrs. Muirherder's husband had an office in the depot, so Mrs. Muirherder and Emma crawled in the office window, then went out the office door in order to shake hands with Teddy. A letter dated June 29, 1900 and headlined Atchison, Kansas was sent to Ed, "Dear Brother, Ain't you ever going to visit me at all, drop me a card once in a while anyway so I'll know you are living. With love, Dessie." Dessie and Minnie came to Alliance to visit in the fall of 1901. Dessie now had two small sons, Ralph and Ed. They were with her. At this time they had a family group picture taken. Ralph wanted to be in the picture so they let him set on a chair at the side of the group. Afterwards he couldn't understand why he wasn't in the picture. Ed Barry was hanging on to his Mother's skirts behind the group. Part of that summer Orange had worked part of the time in Sidney. Once Emma, Lena, Alice, and Ora drove a team from Alliance to Sidney to visit him. Evidently Ed was in Sidney working with his father. On the way they camped at Mud Springs, an old stage coach stop about halfway between the Platte River and Sidney. In 1930 Alice and her family moved to a farm near Mud Springs. Emma was very good at helping sick people. She was at the beck and call of any neighbor who was having a baby or had a sick child. In a diary written many years later, Emma recalled some of these times. "Once in Falls City I went into a poor home, strange to me, sat up all night with a dying baby. Then went again the next P.M., saw the little life pass out. With the help of its grandmother I washed it and dressed it for the grave. Went again next day and did what I could for the funeral." Another entry, "I stayed all night with a sick friend," another entry, "In Alliance I helped take care of a dying baby. I also washed and dressed it for the grave." She told of several of these instances. She had recalled these instances after writing, "St. Paul spoke of his many deeds so why can't I, tho mine are so different." Her faith was very strong. She often punished her children by making them memorize Bible verses. Ed and Alice both remember often being punished in this way. They learned a great deal about the Bible. On March 19, 1902 Lena married Ward Johnson in Alliance. That summer the family once more took to the road. With another family who were close friends, the Saffords, they headed for Colorado, they had heard of the wonderful fruit country over around Grand Junction so Orange decided to go over there looking for work. The Neff's had their covered wagon and a spring wagon. The Safford's also had a covered wagon with stove that could be pulled out, also had a tent for sleeping. With the Neff's were four of their children: Alice, Ed, Vienna, and Ora. The Safford's had their three sons: Harry, Charley, and Edgar. Mr. Safford and been in the draying business in Alliance. The dray delivered everything paint lumber, feed, moved people. Harry recalls that he was very small for his age. Once he started out with a load of paint on the dray. The horses started home. They went too fast and little Harry was pulling on the reins, but couldn't stop them, Ed came along and no one was in the dray. Ed said, "Whoa," and stopped the horses. Harry was down on the tongue. In Harry's words, "he was a pretty sick kid.." Mr. Safford had sold his dray business to Edgar Martin to go to Colorado. The first night out of Alliance they stayed at the Half Way House. The next night they stayed overnight at the farm home of Harry Safford's uncle near Minatare. During the night the horses got in a fight and one ran into the bar on a mowing machine and injured her chest so she could not be hitched up so. Orange traded both she and her mate for a. big horse called, Old Dan. The three horses, one Old Sweet, were fastened one to the wagon which was trailing the spring wagon behind them, they continued their trip. In Denver they stayed long enough to tour the Capitol. Some remembrances of Ed, Alice, Vienna, Ora, and Harry of the trip. Wherever they went the covered wagon was a novelty. Near. Leadville they took all afternoon climbing a mountain. Once they had to go thru a tunnel that was so low that the bows had to be removed from the wagon while they went through and replaced on the other side. The Neff's had a little black dog, named Tige. She got lost, Ed rode back but could not her. Harry remembers that he felt sorry for Ed because he often had to drive. Ed was 16 at the time and Harry was several years younger. Harry said, "One time I got to drive Ed took a nap. I pulled on the reins and the horses almost went over the bank. I said, Whoa, and Old Bill stopped. Ed woke up scared, after that he drove." One time Vienna, Ora, and Harry went mountain climbing and found a bed of wild strawberries. They had so much fun picking and eating them they stayed there for a long while. They could see the wagon and the rest way down below but were in no hurry. their folks had even fired their guns a few times, thinking they might hear it, but they ignored it. the three had to go to bed without their supper that night, but in their words, "did not mind, they were full of strawberries. They always brought large tins of Ginger cookies which Ed remembered with pleasure, but Ora says, "she didn't like them but couldn't bear to see everyone else eating them all up so she ate them anyway. Never could stand the sight of Ginger cookies after that." They often enjoyed wild strawberries. Ed and Alice once found a trough going down the mountain side and decided to ride it. they got to going so fast that they got scared and jumped off. They followed it to where it emptied into a deep ravine. It was a logging trough used to carry logs down the mountains. They finally reached the peach country near Grand Junction, but there was so much alkali, they decided to turn back. One place where they camped a lady came out and told them not to drink the water. she said every winter they went up in the mountains and cut ice and brought it back and stored it to use for drinking water. Ora remembers when her Dad started to water horses at this place. He said, "Well Bill, I think you'll have to chew this water." On their way back they came thru Gunnison where they stayed for awhile. Orange and Mr. Safford did some plastering. Ed remembers the Gunnison River Canyon. A man by the name of George Bell was a storekeeper there, he treated the children to candy and nuts. Later Mr. Bell ran a store for many years in Alliance. At Colorado Springs the covered wagons were such a novelty many people gathered to take pictures. Ora remembers that to keep the cork in the water jug her mother had to keep a rag around it and that she had a lot of trouble getting the rag and cork in the Jug. On the way home they stopped in Brush, Colorado, because they were short of money, Orange left the family there and hurried on to Alliance by train to get work. The Saffords also stayed in Brush. Emma and children stayed there about a month, then Ed and Emma drove the wagons home. Vienna remembers she to ride one horse and it was very cold. Ora remembers that they arrived in Alliance sometime after October 15th because she celebrated her 9th birthday on the way. Before leaving on the Colorado trip Alice had met a young the name of Ben Hinman. Ben was from Ravenna, Nebraska and was working as a brakeman on the railroad. He wrote to his friend Loring Robinson, in Ravenna that he had met "'the cutest little red-head." Alice wrote to Ben all the time while on the Colorado trip and whenever they stayed any place long enough she received letters from him. On June 10, 1903 Alice Neff and Ben Hinman were married in Alliance by the Reverend Horn, pastor of the Methodist Church. Ben's family came to Alliance from Ravenna for the wedding. His father, W. F. and mother, Lydia, and his sisters, Edith and Ida. Ida at least made quite a visit in Alliance that summer becoming a good friend of Vienna and Ora, also making her first acquaintance with Ed. In 1904 the Kinkaid act was passed by Congress. This opened the sandhills of western Nebraska to Homesteaders. Orange decided to take a homestead about 35-40 miles southeast of Alliance in the northwest corner of Lisco Precinct of what was then Duel County, but later became Garden County. Orange and Ed went out ahead and built a house 16' by 24'. It had two small bedrooms and one large living room and kitchen combined. They had also built a barn. Emma went out first, left Vienna and Ora in Alliance with Lena. and Alice, probably so they could stay in school. As Ora remembers, it was late April when her Mother came to get her. When they left Alliance it was a sunny spring day, but soon clouded over and the wind came up. It started to rain and turned to snow before they reached the homestead. They missed the road, but finally found the place. They were riding in a one-horse buggy pulled by Old Sweet. The house was northeast of a lake called, Horse Lake, which was not on their homestead. Ora was in the fourth grade at the time, but never went back to finish that year. Later she did go one more half year to school in town. Ora said, "I loved to read and read everything I could find." They did have a set of Alcotts' books and of course the Bible. Ora says that first night on the Kinkaid was very scary. There were still no curtains at the windows and she could hear the barking of the coyotes. She thought it was a very wild place. Orange was away plastering a lot. He plastered several places in Oshkosh and Lisco. Ed worked much of time for a rancher by the name of Sam Hickman, so Emma, Vienna, and Ora were alone quite often. They rode horseback over the hills a lot. Vienna tells about one time she and Ora went for a horse race. Ora a fell off her horse, hurting her wrist. The first Vienna knew she had fallen off was when she was Ora's horse by her side without Ora on it. She caught Ora's horse, helped Ora on the horse, and led the horse home. Ora's hands hung limp, but evidently weren't broken. Sometimes they rode as far as Hackberry Lake. (In 1949 Edith (Neff) Keller moved two miles over. the hill west from Hackberry Lake) In the summer they picked sandcherries, chokecherries, and wild currants down on Hackberry. From these they made jam and jelly. They didn't make a firm jelly, more of a thick syrup which was very good, especially on pancakes. At first there were no fences and cattle from the Eldred ranch would come very close to the house. They had a big dog though who usually kept them away. The first years they went to a ranch owned by some people by the name of Rice to get their mail. They usually went in the wagon but sometimes rode horse back. To get there they had to go through a pasture with some young mules in it. If the mules happened to be close by they would bray and try to bite and kick the horses. In Ora's words, "Mama and Vienna tried to act brave, but I usually yelled, I was so scared." When Ora and Vienna rode they had only one saddle so a blanket or old quilt was strapped on the other horse and again to quote Ora, "Guess who usually rode on that? The youngest, of course, or at least I thought so." There were now several grandchildren, John and Dessie had four boys: Ralph, Edwin, George, and Jack. They lived on a farm near Atchison, Kansas. Ward and Lena had two girls and a boy: Evelyn, Alison, and Josephine. Verner was born to Ben and Alice in July 1904. By the spring of 1905 ,Ward and Lena and Ben and Alice also decided to take Homesteads. The Johnson's Homestead was Southeast of the parents, south of Horse Lake, and the Hinman's to the west a mile or so. Other neighbors started moving in too and the Post office was moved to the Moffitt ranch which was closer than the Rice's but still a good distance away. Ben had been working with Edgar Martin in Alliance in the Dray business. When he took the Homestead he moved his barn out and fixed it up for a house. Ed helped with this, then Ben and Alice moved onto the Homestead in the spring of 1905. One time Ed and Ora were riding to the Moffitt's for the mail. They were riding a pair of black horses, riding buggy size. Ora rode the most gentle one, but he was inclined to have cinch sores so this day Ed had put a crouper on him and fastened the saddle to it. He thought it would hold the saddle back so the cinch wouldn't make a sore. They came to a fence with no gate. Ed put the wire down and stood on it so Ora could ride across. Just as the horse stepped over he started bucking. In Ora's words, "guess he didn't like the crouper ." Ed yelled, "Stay with him, Sis, stay with him." She did. He didn't buck long and when he stopped she got off saying, "I'll not get on him again." Ed leaned against the horse and laughed until he cried. Then he took off the crouper and told her horse would I be all right now. Ora said the rest of the ride went without incident In the winter they often went skating on a pond near the house. Once while Vienna and Ora were skating the ice broke and Vienna went into the water. It wasn't quite to her waist but every time she tried to get back on the ice it would break. She finally made it to shore. Ora said "it struck me as very funny and I stood and laughed. She was mad enough to bat me with her skates, but I giggled all the way to the house The mail was very important way out on the Homestead. Vienna wrote to Ida Hinman in Ravenna. Dear Ida, I sent away twice for cards and got 120 cards for 55 cents. I sent to two different places. They are all nice ones. Mama and Ora both sent to one place. They got about 70 apiece. Come to our Halloween masquerade. V.E.N. In the summer of 1906 Minnie came from Falls City to visit her family in the sandhills . On February 14, 1907 she married Howard Long in Falls City, Nebraska. June 25, 1909 Dear Ida, Well I wrote to Bess and Nell so guess I'll send you a card as I haven't time to write tonight. Alice and Mama are going to the post office tomorrow. I'll write one of these days and let this do now. I sent and got these cards 12 for 10 cents, pretty good isn't it? Vienna Neff. Dear Ida, I had a nice time the fourth. Went to the dance in the evening and danced all night. I went with Ed and his girl. I like her real well. I had an invitation to a dance next Saturday night but guess I won't go. The folks are all gone and its been an awful long day. I'm baking bread and its awful hot work. Well by, by. V.E.N. Ed's girl was Maud Moffit who later married Sam Smith. These cards were written to Ben's sister, Ida in Ravenna, Nebraska. In March 1908 Ben and Alice had another son, William. The old barn that had been fixed up for a house was pretty cold. One time when Bill was little he got a very bad cold. Ben rode over to ask Emma what to do. She told him to wrap the baby warmly in a good quilt and bring him over. They did and Emma put hot cloths on his chest and back all night. First she rubbed his chest and back with turpentine and lard. His lungs were rattling but by morning be was better. They stayed several days. Vienna tells one time she was helping her Dad loading a hay rack with hay. He says. "lets see how much hay we can put on a load." Vienna tells she stacked the hay for her Dad on the rack. She kept asking for more hay, and asking for more hay. Never again did he want to stack hay on the rack. To buy groceries and other supplies meant a long trip by wagon to either Alliance, Lisco, or Broadwater. Often on these trips Orange. would get out and walk beside the horses. Ed received the following card unsigned. Nov. 22, 1909 (Picture on front said) 'tis sweet to love but oh how bitter-to Love a girl and then not git her. A Friend. (signed on back ) Another card to Ed. Friend Ed. Got home O.K. at three o'clock, ate breakfast at the Golden's. Did you and the girls get home all right. Answer. Leo 12-27-09 Friend Ed. I will send you a card. How did you get over the dance? I have still got the headache. I guess I will come to the Lisco dance if it isn't too cold. Hoping t hear from you if I don't see you. Leo (from Oshkosh) Dec. 1907 (dateline Ravenna, Nebr.) I am patiently waiting to know whether you are dead or alive. I think your sister must be or she has gone back on me. Your friend. Box 1205 (Unsigned but was written buy Ida Hinman) Card sent to Orange and Emma. Dec. the 31, 1909 Dear Children. I thought I would write a few lines this morning to you both. Am glad that Orange is at home this bad weather. How are all of you buy this time. I am tolerable. Well wish you all a Happy New Year. Your Mother E & E Neff (Emeline Neff) To: Mr. Edwin Neff, Moffitt, Nebraska Feb. 24, 1909 We are tolerable well today. hope you are all well. Your Grandmother Emeline Neff Around 1908 or so Ed had taken a Homestead of his own just two or three miles Southeast from his parents. On this he built a Sod House. One winter a Retta Meiers boarded with the Neff's and taught a three month term of school in Ed's Soddy. Lena's three oldest:. Alison, Evelyn, and Josephine along with Ora Neff attended this school. Also a close neighbor to Ed the Belieu's: Nellie, Myrtle, and Forest. That was 'he last year that Ora went to school. There were some neighbors by the name of Ufford who became life long friends. They had three children: Eldo, Byron, and Delight. One time Ed and Eldo Ufford were this old rifle, the shells didn't quite fit. Ed shot and the chamber the bullets went past his head. it cut his hand and the powder burned his eyes. Orange took a clean cloth and cleaned out his eyes as best he could. He couldn't see for awhile. His hand wasn't badly cut and soon healed. Once Ora was raking hay in the lower part of the meadow and it had big bumps in it. She turned the horses too short, the rake hit a bump, the wheel bounced up and hit the fence. Ora bounced off the seat and was sitting on the cross bar that stiffened the frame. They hit another bump and she went down. The teeth bounced over her, the team broke loose and kept on running. Ora picked herself up and' walked the half mile to the house. Her clothes were torn, she had a deep cut on her right arm, which left a scar, many scratches, and was pretty well shook up. Ida Hinman was at the Neff place that day and saw her coming. She took one look and rushed in to tell Emma. In 1910 Hinman's had cone west to stay. W. F. Hinman had sold his livery barn in Ravenna. Ida had come ahead and was visiting her sister, Edith, who had married Archie Gregory, a dispatcher for the Burlington Railroad in Alliance. She also spent a good deal of the summer with Ben and Alice. Ora says that dances were their main source of amusement until schools were started and then there were many box suppers. Emma was a strict Methodist and did not believe in dancing. Ed and Vienna did go to them a lot though. Ora says she often went with them and always had a good time didn't mind that her Mother thought she was young to go with boys. Eldred's had a dance to Victor's first birthday. Ora says, "sounds funny to have a dance for a year old baby." Eldred's were building a barn and they used the lumber to build a platform in front of their house. The piano was pulled out on the porch. That and a violin furnished the music. Ora attended this dance with Vienna and Charlie Riter. They danced till sun-up On April 8, 1910, Vienna married Charley Riter, a well known rancher. She was married in her parents home by the Rev. J. T. Ellis from Broadwater. Eveline Johnson was ring bearer for her Aunt. Ora was bridesmaid. They took a honeymoon trip to Falls City, Nebraska and Atchison, Kansas to visit Minnie and Dessie. On the way they stopped in Kearney to visit Emma's brother, and family, Their house on the homestead was a soddy. The place was about fifteen miles southeast of Ed's. One time a group of the young people got together for a party at the Ufford's. There were Delight Byron Ufford, Ora and Ed Neff, and Ida Hinman, also Willard Golden who played the harmonica. Sometimes Ed played the harmonica too. Ora remembers that Byron, who was over 6' tall grabbed her and danced her around the room. Ora was just over 5' and she remembers "her feet barely touched the floor as they waltzed around ." On May 17, 1910 word was received that Minnie had a baby daughter, named Ruth. A month later they were saddened by the news of Minnie's death. She died June 12, 1910. Emma and Orange went to Falls City for her funeral. W. F. and Lydia Hinman took a Homestead not too far from the Neff's. Ida worked a year or so for a Dr. Bauman (great Uncle of Bernard Bauman) in Alliance. They lived in the big house at 901 Cheyenne. She wrote to her mother at Moffit. Dear Mother: Please let me know right away when you can come and get me, next week or the next. Mrs. B. wants her nephews to come stay while I am gone Ida To Ed on his birthday. Sept. 10, 1911. How is this for a birthday card? How do you like baching? Hope your hay is up. Will you have much to sell. Dessie About 1912 Ida Hinman also took a Homestead in the same neighborhood. She moved her piano out there. She and Ed were now "Keeping steady company" and Ora Neff was going with Roy Watters. Many pleasant evenings were spent around Ida's piano. She played while they all sang. As the neighborhood had grown a Sunday School (non-denominational) was started in the school house. The women also had a Ladies Aid. It was evidently called the Ladies Aid because that was the only kind of an organization any of then had ever known so their club Ladies Aid. In 1911 Ed took his team and went to work on the big ditch being built to carry water from Guernsey Dam to irrigate the North Platte Valley around Mitchell and Scottsbluff. Ida received a card from Mrs. Frank Golden. Dear Ida, How are you getting along? Ed is here and is going to the ditch tomorrow. Write me a card. May 2, 1911 I'm on my way to Hope, Nebraska to work on the ditch. Write when I get there. E. N. (card sent to Ida) May 29, 1911 Dear Ida, How are you - I am an Orphan. Mama is down with Vienna we have another nephew . The Dr. gave very little hope that either would live but think both will be all right now. Ma and I went down there last Wed. and Vienna was sick so Ma stayed. The kid came Fri. morning. Ben and Alice and kids were going down Sun. but didn't get to go. With Love Ora Vienna named this first son, Ernest.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1880 United States Federal Census (Name: Name: The Generations Network, In
   Database online. Divide, Buffalo, Nebraska, ED 157, roll T9_743, page290.2000, image 0588.

   Record for Orange Neff

2. ↑ Kearney Nebraska City Webpage, www.cityofkearney.org
   Lot 139, Space 2, Field East.