Life in New Orleans Part III (1876-1906) Upon the death of his second wife, Carolina, Philipp Neff was left with five young children to care for. He hired a housekeeper, Elizabeth Kaul, to assist him in his Dauphine Street home. Six months later, they were married. Elizabeth,  born in New Orleans on 11 October 1854, was the daughter of John and Margaretha Hoffmann Kaul. She was from a Roman Catholic family and was baptized on 3 January 1855 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, the German congregation serving the Third District of New Orleans.
Philipp Neff and Elizabeth Kaul were married on Thursday, 23 November 1876, by Father Leonhard Thevis, the priest then serving Holy Trinity Catholic Church, located in the 700 block of St. Ferdinand Street. The ceremony was likely in their home or in the rectory, given that Philipp was a Lutheran. The German Catholic Church of the Holy Trinity on Ferdinand Street (later Holy Trinity Catholic Church) was founded in 1847. The church building, constructed in 1853, still exists (2009), but the congregation was deconsecrated by the Archdiocese of New Orleans on March 31, 1997.
Philipp and Elizabeth had three children of their own:      Philipp, born 24 August 1878 (He later married Belle M. Payton and Gertrude M. Kenny.)      Maria "Mazie," born 23 July 1880 (She later married Milton Acker.)      Anna Margaretha "Maggie," born 24 December 1881 (She remained single.) All three were baptized at Holy Trinity Catholic Church. In keeping with the agreement Philipp Neff would have made at the time of his marriage, the children were baptized in the Catholic Church. Philipp, however, remained a faithful and supportive member of his church, today's St. Paul Lutheran Church. While living in his home on Dauphine Street, Philipp Neff left his carpenter position with the federal government at the Customs House and apparently struck out on his own in a carpentry business.
In the 1880 federal census, Philipp and his family were enumerated at their home on Dauphine Street. His third wife Elizabeth was listed as "Lizzie." Philipp's occupation was given as "cabinetmaker" and his son, Gustav was listed as an "App.[Apprentice] to Carpenter."
	On 11 December 1883, Philipp Neff purchased additional property next to his home and constructed a carpentry shop, which can be seen in the 1893 Sanborn map. His home is identified as No. 713 and the "Carp'r Shop" (Carpenter Shop) as 715 Dauphine Street. By at least 1908, the carpenter shop was gone and a double house was constructed in its place, perhaps built by Philipp Neff or his sons, who were also carpenters and house builders. Detail, 1893 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, Sheet 144
Philipp Neff's successful contracting business allowed him to acquire additional property in downtown New Orleans. He purchased property at least in 1888, 1890, 1894, 1895, 1897, and 1906. In addition to constructing numerous houses, Philipp Neff was responsible for the construction of several larger structures, including a school house for the Bethlehem Orphan Asylum and also St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church (1890).
A happy event for Philipp Neff would have been a gathering of most of his large family in the spring of 1906 to welcome his niece, Julia Villhard, who was visiting New Orleans from Illinois following her recent marriage to Wilbert Crossmeyer. At the occasion, a family photograph was taken, likely in the side yard of the Neff house at 3107 Dauphine Street. A larger image of this photograph, with an identification of everyone present, can be found here.
In early October, Philipp Neff suffered a "cerebral hemorrhage" [stroke] and passed away in his home at 4:45 in the afternoon of Tuesday, 2 October 1906 . He was 74 years old. A funeral service was held the next day at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church (today's St. Paul Lutheran Church) and his remains were interred in St. Vincent de Paul Cemetery, No. 1.
	The Neff family tomb in St. Vincent de Paul Cemetery, No. 1. Photo by Norman Hellmers
On the day after his death, The Daily Picayune published a large article about the life and work of Philipp Neff. The complete article can be seen here. Photograph of Philipp Neff that appeared with the news article.
Upon Philipp Neff's death, a succession was opened to distribute to his heirs the assets he held, including at least ten houses and two lots, valued altogether at $21,450. The judgment filed at the completion of the succession can be found here. After Philipp Neff's death, his widow, Elizabeth Kaul Neff, lived with her children. The house on Dauphine Street may have been sold, as she was living with her unmarried daughter Maggie at 825 Desire Street at the time of the 1910 census. At the time of the 1920 census she was living with Maggie at 1115 France Street. By the time of the 1930 census, when she was 75, she was living with her daughter Mazie Acker and her family at 716 Pelican Avenue in Algiers. It was at this house that Elizabeth Kaul Neff died on 27 May 1924, after suffering a stroke. She was 79 years old. Her remains were interred in the Neff family tomb in St. Vincent de Paul Cemetery, No. 1, with those of her husband of 29 years.
Philipp Neff led a remarkable life. He was born to a family of landless farmers in a tiny German village. Losing both parents when he was 15 years old, he determined to emigrate to America to make a better life for himself. He arrived in New Orleans in 1853 and made it his home. He found work as a ship carpenter and then secured positions with the federal government, which he held for twelve years. As an independent builder, he constructed numerous houses throughout downtown New Orleans and at least two large school houses. He had 8 children who survived, 26 grandchildren, and numerous descendants. At the time of his death, he was still actively involved in his construction business. He owned a significant number of houses and property and left a substantial estate to his widow and family. His was truly an American success story.
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