M. W. Neff – Grant County Treasurer and Meerschaum Discoverer
Neff served as Grant County Treasurer, with his books found well kept and correct in 1890 [1][2]. That same year, a grand jury committee examined his records and reported a cash balance of $16,867.87 on deposit [2][4]. In early 1891, Neff’s attention was called to a deposit of earth suspected to be meerschaum; he sent a sample to Europe, where experts confirmed it was meerschaum of the finest quality [3]. Neff then located the property on the Sapello River, establishing what was described as the biggest meerschaum mine in the world [3].
Sources
- We find the treasurer’s books to be well… (1890)We find the treasurer’s books to be well kept and his accounts all correct — as follows — taken from the books of Treasurer Neff :
- Silver City Enterprise — 1888-1890 (full OCR, Internet Archive) — 1890-09-05 (1890)f the county at all times excepting one session each day in the jury room. These committees report- ed as follows: To the foreman of the grand jury: Your committee appointed to examine the records and acco…
- GRANT COUNTY MEERSCHAUM (1891)GRANT COUNTY MEERSCHAUM Grant county is prolific of the greatest variety of minerals and at the same time sur- prises, of any region of the same area on earth. Now, what is it? Why, it is the biggest meer- …
- Committee called on Mr… (1890)Committee called on Mr. S. T. Harkey, of the First National Bank and learned that the above balance of cash was on deposit to the credit of the County Treasurer.