Life in New Orleans
Part II (1862-1876)

Having lost his first wife, Philipp Neff, now 30 years old, sought a new bride in the heavily German community of New Orleans' Third District. In the Leonhard family, Philipp found 18-year-old Carolina, daughter of Ludwig Leonhard and Louisa Margaretha Göttel.


Philipp and Carolina Leonhard were married on Thursday, 18 December 1862, by the Rev. Christian G. Mödinger, pastor of the First German Evangelical Lutheran Congregation of New Orleans (today's St. Paul Lutheran Church).

This is the church building that the congregation erected in 1860 at the corner of Port and Burgundy Streets. It was here that Philipp Neff and Carolina Leonhard were married and their six children were baptized.




St. Paul Lutheran Church
as it appeared from 1860 to 1889.
 St. Paul Lutheran Church as it appeared from 1860 to 1889.


Detail, 1887 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, sheet 57.
By at least the end of 1863, Philipp and Carolina had moved to No. 133 Port Street . This double house (later renumbered 1025-1027 Port Street) still exists today (2009) on the downtown side of Port Street between St. Claude and Rampart.












Detail, 1887 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, sheet 57


While living at No. 133 Port Street, the Neffs had three children. A year after they were married, the Neffs had their first child, Ludwig Wilhelm (Louis William), born 29 December 1863. Sadly this child died only seven months later on 7 August 1864, and was buried in St. Vincent de Paul Cemetery. About sixth months later, on 12 February 1865, the Neffs had their second child, Josephine. (She later married John Biehler.) On 11 October 1866, Johann Theodor Gustav was born. (He later married Margaret Hamburger.)

New Orleans city directories show that up to 1867, Philipp Neff was employed as a "ship carpenter," but sometime in 1865, he was employed by the U. S. Customs Service, first as an Inspector of Customs and later as a carpenter. At that time, the federal government published a list of all employees every two years. The document was called the "Register of Officers and Agents, Civil, Military, and Naval, in the Service of the United States." The register included the name of the employee, the "office'" (position), where employed, where born, "whence" appointed, and the pay the employee received. Philipp Neff was included in six of these registers:

[Year]
 Name
 Offices
 Where employed
 Where born
 Whence appointed
 Compensation
1865
1867
1869
1871
1873
1875
 Phillip Neff
Phillip Neff
Philip Neff
Philip Neff
Philip Neff
P. Neff
 Inspector
Inspector
Inspector
Carpenter
Carpenter
Carpenter
 New Orleans
New Orleans
New Orleans
New Orleans
New Orleans
New Orleans
 Hesse Darm’st
Germany
Germany
Germany
Germany
Germany
 Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana
 $1,095.00
$4 p. day
$1,460.00
$1,460.00
$1,460.00
$1,200.00

The records of the Department of the Treasury (in which the Customs Service was located) indicate that his position as carpenter at $1,200 per year was abolished as of 25 June 1877.


The U.S. Custom House on Canal Street in New Orleans. Philipp Neff worked here for the federal government as an Inspector of Customs and as a Carpenter from 1865 to 1877.

Construction on this building began in 1848 and was not finished until about 1880, thus Philipp Neff may have been involved in its completion.

Harper's Weekly, February 16, 1861
The U.S. Custom House on Canal Street in New Orleans, 1861.


On about 18 April 1867, Philipp and Carolina Leonhard Neff purchased a double house at No. 671 Royal Street (today's 3131-3133 Royal). It was while living at No. 671 Royal that Philipp received mail from Germany in four envelopes preserved by his family. A letter addressed to Philipp Neff—which came in one of the four envelopes or a different envelope—was also preserved. The letter was from Philipp Neff's sister and brother-in-law in Dusenbach. The story of this fascinating letter can be found here.


The Neff house at 3131-3133 Royal Street as it appears today.





Google Maps Street View, 2009
 3131-3133 Royal Street.


While on Royal Street, the Neffs had their fourth child (the third to survive), Johann Michael "John" Neff, born 16 February 1869. (He later married Marie Landwehr.)
Signature of Philipp Neff.
When Philipp Neff reported the births of his children, he would sign the record. This is one of those signatures. In all cases, Philipp added a "period" after his signature.


In the 1870 census, Philipp Neff is listed with his wife Carolina and their three children. Philipp's occupation is listed as a "House Carpenter." The census taker indicated that he owned $2,000 in real estate. Detail from 1870 federal census.


Wilhelm Ludwig "Louis" Neff was born on 4 February 1871. (He later married Johanna Waldow.)

Records in the Notarial Archives of New Orleans show that on 20 October 1871, Philipp and Carolina Neff purchased No. 713 Dauphine Street (later changed to 3107 Dauphine). The last child of Philipp and Carolina Leonhard Neff, Louise, was born here 26 July 1873. (She later married Henry Landwehr.)


Doorway to 3107 Dauphine Street.
 Doorway to 3107 Dauphine Street (formerly No. 713 Dauphine), home of Philipp Neff and his family from about 1871 to his death in 1906.











Photo by Norman Hellmers


Once again, Philipp Neff seemed to have everything he could want: a wife and young family, a comfortable home, employment with the federal government, and successful self-employment as a carpenter and house builder. Tragically, Philipp's young wife Carolina Leonhard Neff was stricken with tuberculosis. She died on 15 May 1876. A simple death notice in the Daily Picayune said: "NEFF—On Monday morning, at 1 o'clock, CAROLINA LEONHARD, wife of Philip Neff, aged 32 years, a native of Bavaria."


The remains of Carolina Leonhard Neff were interred in the Leonhard family tomb in St. Vincent de Paul Cemetery, No. 1.











Photo by Norman Hellmers
 The Leonhard family tomb in St. Vincent de Paul Cemetery, No. 1.


At the time of Carolina's death, the couple owned the house at No. 713 Dauphine Street, as well as the house at No. 671 Royal Street, where they had previously lived. In order to settle Carolina's estate, a succession was opened, and the property on Royal Street was sold at auction.


Tutor's oath from Carolina Leonhard's succession.
 Philipp Neff was appointed natural tutor for his five children, listed in the Tutor's Oath as Josephine, Theo. Gustave, Jno. Michael, Ludwig Wilhelm, and Louisa.

Details of Carolina's succession can be found here.


When Carolina died, Philipp was left with five young children, ranging in age from Josephine, age eleven, to Louise, not quite three years old. Philipp hired Elizabeth Kaul as a housekeeper, but on 23 November 1876, she  became his third wife. The story of their life together is found in Part III of Philipp Neff's life.


Go to next section: Life in New Orleans, Part III (1876-1906)
or
Continue to: Leonhard Family Descendants


Return to Neff Family History Opening Page