Mrs. Margaretta Neff: Carlisle Milliner

Margaretta, her husband, John Cassilus Neff¹ and their children, settled in Carlisle in 1838. Dr. Neff set up a practice as a dentist, and his wife, Margaretta, opened a millinery shop, both at No. 7 Harper's Row. Mrs. Neff advertised in the May 16, 1839 issue of the American Volunteer  that she not only had a new selection of spring millinery, but that she also repaired silk, straw and braid bonnets.

In April 1848, Margaretta advertised that she “has recently returned from the city and is now opening at her store in North Hanover Street, opposite Glass’ Hotel, a large and carefully selected assortment of millinery and fancy goods, such as Pamilla [sic], Jenny Lind, China Pearl, Leghorn Braid, Casing, and Fancy Bonnets…” She also carried ribbons, laces, fringes, buttons, etc.²

Little did Margaretta know that the discovery of gold in California in 1848 would affect her directly. Her husband caught the “gold fever,” and in January 1849 he boarded a ship for California. He would not return for fifteen months, and Margaretta was left to care for the children as well as earn money for their maintenance. When her husband returned in March 1850, the newspaper reported that he had “been highly successful, having been able to deposit at the Mint for coinage about $4,000 of the precious dust.”³

It is obvious from Mrs. Neff’s advertisements, that her shop was not open continually. In November 1850, she advertised “that she opened on Saturday last, a splendid assortment of fall and winter millinery...The goods have been selected with care from the best city houses.”⁴

In March 1853, Jacob Stahl of Marietta, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania bought half of lot #61 on West High Street for $3,030 from Dr. John Knox of Philadelphia.⁵ In April 1859, Jacob Stahl sold the lot to Margaretta Neff for the same amount he had paid for it six years before.⁶ Margaretta’s maiden name was Stahl,⁷ and although Jacob was not her father, he was likely a relative.

Although there were many milliners in Carlisle, Margaretta’s business flourished. The 1860 U. S. Census of Dr. Neff’s household showed that Margaretta, as well as her 26-year old daughter, Annie, were milliners. Milliners Virginia Jones, aged 24, and Lizzie Warton, aged 14, were also living in the house and were likely Margaretta’s employees. Boyd’s 1873 Directory of Carlisle listed Mrs. Margaret Neff, milliner at 27 W. Main Street, her husband’s dentist office at 25 W. Main, and her son James’ tobacco shop at 23 W. Main (High) Street.

By 1870, Margaretta had retired from business. Her husband died in 1884. Margaretta wrote her will on July 12, 1888.⁸ She gave her daughter, Mrs. Annie E. Stine, the dividends on 60 shares of her stock in the Cumberland Valley Railroad Company to be paid during her life. She gave to her son, Theophilus Neff, the dividends on 60 shares of her stock in the Cumberland Valley Railroad Company to be paid during his life, as well as the same to her son James P. Neff. She also gave $400 to son James, in trust, to apply to the annual repair of the family lot in the cemetery. She gave $150 to the daughter of Mrs. Virginia Keepers who lived with her for 15 years. She left small bequests to several other friends, to the Presbyterian Church, to her granddaughters, to her son-in-law George W. Stine, and mentioned money that she has already given to her children.

Margaretta died at the home of her son-in-law, Dr. George W. Stine of Harrisburg, on January 29, 1890. Her obituary stated that she was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania 86 years ago.⁹ She and her husband are buried in Carlisle’s Ashland Cemetery; a large monument marks their graves.