- Jay H. Neff
Jay Holcomb Neff (July 6, 1854-August 14, 1915) [ [http://www.kclibrary.org/localhistory/media.cfm?mediaID=115889 Local History - Kansas City Public Library ] ] was a newspaper publisher and
Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri in 1904-1905.Neff was born in
Hartford, Indiana . He sold books to pay his way through Asbury College. He studied law and practiced inPeru, Indiana . He moved to Kansas City in 1881 where he started working the Kansas City Daily Price Current and eventually owned the publication which he renamed the Daily Drovers Telegram.He was to buy similar publications in
Omaha, Nebraska andSt. Louis, Missouri .In 1901 an editorial in the "Kansas City Drovers Telegram" entitled "Call It The American Royal" was to end up causing the Kansas City Livestock Show to change its name to the
American Royal .After his death his son Ward Andrew Neff bought the "Chicago Daily Drovers Journal" and all the publications were merged into the Kansas City Drovers. His son also donated money from the estate to move the
University of Missouri School of Journalism from Switzler Hall to a new building which was named Neff Hall in honor of Jay Holcomb. At the time it was the biggest donation in University of Missouri history. [A Creed for My Profession: Walter Williams, Journalist to the World - By Ronald T. Farrar - University of Missouri Press - 1998 - ISBN 0826211887 - Page 175 (available on print.google.com)]His residences: 1319 Washington Street, 520 Gladstone Boulevard, 1008 Valentine Road [ [http://www.kclibrary.org/localhistory/media.cfm?mediaID=115780 Local History - Kansas City Public Library ] ]
He is buried in Forest Hill Cemetery.
References
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