Biographical Sketches

Biographies from Cole County People



Richard E. Nacy

Richard E. Nacy of the Central Missouri Trust Company, was president of the Chamber of Commerce and former State Treasurer. He was a native of Jefferson City. His father, Peter Nacy, was a shoe manufacturer who for twenty-seven years was superintendent of a shoe factory at the state penitentiary.

Peter Nacy, a Canadian by birth, was for a time with his brothers engaged in manufacturing shoes in Chicago. There he married Miss Honora Collins, a native of Albany, New York. About 1870 Mr. and Mrs. Peter Nacy came to Jefferson City, where they spent the remainder of their lives. Mr. Nacy died in 1908, his wife in 1912. They were the parents of seven sons and five daughters. Four of the sons saw service in World War I.

Richard Nacy was born November 7, 1895. Prior to World War I he worked for Jefferson City Power and Light Company. Enlisting as a private, he served in the Trhee Hundred and Fifty-sixth and One Hundred and Seventh Infantry, saw service overseas and was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant, afterwards becoming a captain in the reserve corps.

Following his discharge Mr. Nacy was city clerk of Jefferson City from 1919 to 1923, circuit clerk of Cole County from 1923-1932 when he was elected state treasurer. He then joined Central Missouri Trust Company.

Mrs. Nacy was formerly Miss Anna B. Dorsey, a native of Saratoga Springs, New York, daughter of William and Frances Allen Dorsey, formerly of Fredericktown. Mr. and Mrs. Nacy had three children: William Peter, John Dorsey, and Richard Robert. Mr. Nacy was a member of the Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus and the American Legion.


H.H. Neef

 Herman H. Neef
Herman Henry Neef was born July 18, 1833 in Baden, Germany and died at his home in Jefferson City on March 31, 1900. His parents were Joseph and Susannah Neef. His father was a wealthy and prominent citizen, owning a large hotel at the fashionable watering place of Constance, in the southern part of the Grand Duchy of Baden. His early education was the schools of his birthplace, later in Switzerland where he attended a Lyceum. In early manhood he learned the trade of tinner. In 1848 they came to America due to conflicts in their country and in 1854 they settled in Carbondale, Illinois. Soon after, they moved to St. Louis. His mother died in St. Louis and then Mr. Neef tried to make his way to Jefferson City, on foot, working as a tinner, but met with discouragements and returned to St. Louis.

Soon afterward he moved to St. Genevieve where he opened a hardware store and after only a few months, moved to Jefferson City. In 1858 he moved to Tipton, Missouri where he engaged in the hardware business with great success, and within a few years he owned hardware stores in Tipton, Sedalia, Warrensburg and Versailles. After accumulating a considerable wealth, he retired from the hardware business and established a large brewery at Tipton, which was destroyed by a fire five years later. He then opened a large hotel in the same city, which was consumed by fire six months later.

He soon after moved to Jefferson City where he opened another hotel and had a good business for six years. Mr. Neef was married on February 1, 1858 to Mary G. Brenneisen, daughter of Joseph and Theresa Brenneisen of Jefferson City. Six children were born to this union: Amelia, Clara, Bertha, Louise, Augusta and Julius.

 Neef Terrace

Neef Terrace

Mr. Neef was a charter member of the A.E.U.W. lodge at Jefferson City and while at Tipton he served his community as a member of the School Board, City Council and was the City Treasurer. In 1861, he enlisted in Co. H, Cole County Home Guards, in which he served as sergeant. He was in active service during the whole of the Civil War and near the close of the war, he was commissioned Lieutenant of the State Militia.

He was a Catholic and is buried in the St. Peter Church Cemetery on the summit of the Missouri bluff.


G. L. Neide, Jr.

 George L. Neide
Rev. George L. Neide, Jr. was born in New York City, a son of George L. Niede, D.D. He attended school in the city until the age of 14 when he entered the St. Stephen’s College in Anondale, NY where he graduated with a degree of A.B. He then attended the Theological School a t Syracuse, NY and graduated in 1885.

He was ordained deacon and his first charge being at Bay, St. Louis where he remained one and a half years. He then went on to work in Grenada, Mississippi where he remained two years, following on to Greenwood, Mississippi for two years. He was made priest in 1891 at Jackson, Mississippi and on May 1, 1896 he went to Jefferson City where he was in charge of the Rector of Protestant Episcopal Church.

On May 29, 1889 he married Jennie Odell McCormick of Batesville Arkansas. He resided at the Rectory on the corner of Jackson and Water streets with his wife and two daughters.







Anna Angenendt Norwood

Anna Norwood was born in 1875, the daughter of Theodore Angenendt, for years an active businessman in Jefferson City (see sketch). She was married to Dr. J. B. Norwood and the couple resided at Spring Garden where the doctor practiced his profession until his death in 1901.

Mrs. Norwood and her three children moved to Jefferson City and upon the death of her father, she took over the management of his coal business. She was very successful, increasing the business until it was one of the leading industries of its kind in Jefferson City. She had two sons, Ernest and Everett; a daughter, Alpha, died in 1926.

Mrs. Norwood was active in political affairs and owned considerable property in the city. She made her home on Fairmount Avenue.




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