Complied December 28, 2025 - Person Sheet
Complied December 28, 2025 - Person Sheet
Notes for Henry Neff
There is lots of data that ties Barbara Witmer to husband Henry Bear. Perhaps there are two Barbara Witmers. Perhaps the menonnite records are in error and the wife isn’t Barbara Witmer. Many others say the wife is Barbara Heistandt. Still looking for any evidence of this.
From Find-a-Grave
Believed to be the sister of Johannes Heistandt who also immigrated to Lancaster Co., PA from the Mennonite community of Ibersheimhof, near Worm, Germany. The land acquisition records would support Johannes being Henry Neff's brother-in-Law. Johannes Heistandt also owned the adjacent land which included one half of the cemetery property. Henry Neff "warranted" this tract of land and transferred it Johannes Heistandt who then applied to the Penn Land Office in Philadelphia for it to be Surveyed and then the Patent was issued to Johannes.
DISCUSSION:
My theory is that Johannes Hiestandt's sister was name Barbara and was the wife of Henry Neff [B], the 1717 immigrant who settled in now Lancaster Co., PA, Manor Twp., my ancestor.
Henry Neff [B] came from the German Mennonite village of Ibersheimhof, near Worms, and arrived at Philadelphia in the early fall of 1717. He first purchased land northeast of Germantown, PA that Fall but sold the land in 1722 and moved his family to Lancaster Co., [then still Chester Co. until 1729] and
in 1728/9 was naturalized as part of the Mylin/ Bauman petition which included other Neffs..
Johannes and Jacob Hiestandt arrived at Philadelphia aboard the ship Friendship on 16 Jan 1727. See Hiestands by Frank S. Eby 1997. Copy at the Mennonite Historical Soc, pages 1 & 14. Both settled close by each other in Hempfield Twp., however Johannes Patented land next to the 308 acres
of Henry Neff in Hempfield twp. Johannes's land had been originally warranted to Henry Neff but was survey and Warranted to Johannes. Indication and very unusual except where close family members
are involved.
NEFF & JOHN HIESTAND'S LANDS.
Note: original survery was to Henry Neff.
Warrant #244 dated 23 June 1741 and returned the same day
Survey C76-134; Adj. landowners are Henry Neff Jr., Henry Neff Snr, and John Naef.
Re: Noted: " John Hestant, 150 acres and allowances in Hempfield Twp. (became Manor Twp. in 1750) part of 820 acres
Surveyed to Henry Neaf on 22 of Oct 1736 and June 18th 1741.
/s/ John Taylor Penn's Surveyor General.
You have been to the Neff Cem?. Originally was half on Henry Neff's land and half on Johannes Hiestandt original Patented lands.
No child of Henry and Barbara Neff married into a child or grand child of Jacob or Johannes Hiestandt. A VERY strong indication that Barbara, wife of Henry Neff was a Hiestandt.
When you compile several generations of the children and grandchildren of Johannes and Jacob Hiestandt, you will see them marrying into families the Neffs are marrying into. ie Swarr, Hershey, Long, Forrer, Lehman, etc.
Work in progress 12 June v 2024 updated.
NEFF FAMILY HISTORICAL SOC., Inc.
From Find-a-Grave
Believed to be the sister of Johannes Heistandt who also immigrated to Lancaster Co., PA from the Mennonite community of Ibersheimhof, near Worm, Germany. The land acquisition records would support Johannes being Henry Neff's brother-in-Law. Johannes Heistandt also owned the adjacent land which included one half of the cemetery property. Henry Neff "warranted" this tract of land and transferred it Johannes Heistandt who then applied to the Penn Land Office in Philadelphia for it to be Surveyed and then the Patent was issued to Johannes.
DISCUSSION:
My theory is that Johannes Hiestandt's sister was name Barbara and was the wife of Henry Neff [B], the 1717 immigrant who settled in now Lancaster Co., PA, Manor Twp., my ancestor.
Henry Neff [B] came from the German Mennonite village of Ibersheimhof, near Worms, and arrived at Philadelphia in the early fall of 1717. He first purchased land northeast of Germantown, PA that Fall but sold the land in 1722 and moved his family to Lancaster Co., [then still Chester Co. until 1729] and
in 1728/9 was naturalized as part of the Mylin/ Bauman petition which included other Neffs..
Johannes and Jacob Hiestandt arrived at Philadelphia aboard the ship Friendship on 16 Jan 1727. See Hiestands by Frank S. Eby 1997. Copy at the Mennonite Historical Soc, pages 1 & 14. Both settled close by each other in Hempfield Twp., however Johannes Patented land next to the 308 acres
of Henry Neff in Hempfield twp. Johannes's land had been originally warranted to Henry Neff but was survey and Warranted to Johannes. Indication and very unusual except where close family members
are involved.
NEFF & JOHN HIESTAND'S LANDS.
Note: original survery was to Henry Neff.
Warrant #244 dated 23 June 1741 and returned the same day
Survey C76-134; Adj. landowners are Henry Neff Jr., Henry Neff Snr, and John Naef.
Re: Noted: " John Hestant, 150 acres and allowances in Hempfield Twp. (became Manor Twp. in 1750) part of 820 acres
Surveyed to Henry Neaf on 22 of Oct 1736 and June 18th 1741.
/s/ John Taylor Penn's Surveyor General.
You have been to the Neff Cem?. Originally was half on Henry Neff's land and half on Johannes Hiestandt original Patented lands.
No child of Henry and Barbara Neff married into a child or grand child of Jacob or Johannes Hiestandt. A VERY strong indication that Barbara, wife of Henry Neff was a Hiestandt.
When you compile several generations of the children and grandchildren of Johannes and Jacob Hiestandt, you will see them marrying into families the Neffs are marrying into. ie Swarr, Hershey, Long, Forrer, Lehman, etc.
Work in progress 12 June v 2024 updated.
NEFF FAMILY HISTORICAL SOC., Inc.