Investigating the past, enriching the future

Naef Family

History

The Naefs (pronunced "nefs") arrived in Oak Grove in 1887. On Nov. 5, 1887 John Jacob Naef ("Hans") purchased 100 acres from Rudolph & Anna Staub. Naef was from Zurich, Switzerland and arrived in New York with his son Otto Naef earlier in 1887. Originally contemplating settling in Helvetia in Washington County, Oregon where there was a strong Swiss community, they eventually decided on Oak Grove. Otto returned to Switzerland and brought back his wife Susanna and sons Otto & Ernest, arriving in NY on Aug. 15, 1887. Traveling by train they reunited with John Jacob Naef in Oak Grove to begin farming. Both John J. and Otto Naef filed their Declaration of Intent (to become citizens) in Oregon City in 1888.

The Naef's 100 acres had been part of William A. Starkweather's 220 acres within the Benoni Rogers D.L.C. and stretched from just north of today's Naef Rd. south to half way between today's Naef Rd. and Roethe Rd., and from the Willamette River east to today's Harold Ave. A house was built just west of today's McLoughlin Blvd. and 100 yards north of Naef Rd. and the family commenced farming the land. In Feb. 1893 Jacob Naef deeded the East Side Railway Co. a right-of-way across his farm, as part of the company's expansion of the line to Oregon City.

In 1892 a dispute erupted between John J. Naef, and his neighbor to the south, John G. Roethe, over the ownership of a manure pile located on the shared property line. Both claimed ownership based on their perceptions of the location of the boundary line between them, and manure was important to their farming. A court case eventually ensued, and the line was ultimately agreed upon by an exchange of deeds between Otto Naef and John G. and Alweine Roethe on Oct. 17, 1907.

In 1896, at the age of 59, John J. Naef deeded his son Otto his entire farm, with the exception of the railroad line, River Rd., and 5 acres sold to A. Franklin in 1893. Otto operated much of the farm as a dairy which went by the name "Oak Knoll Dairy".

In Nov. 1910 Otto Naef sold the 17 acres west of River Rd. - of little use for farming - to Theodore Kruse. Kruse was a business tycoon in Portland.

In 1918 John J. Naef died. Otto was by then a widower - his wife Susanna having died in 1910. Otto and his two sons, Otto H. Naef and Ernest, continued operating "Oak Knoll Dairy" until 1919. Citing increased development and higher taxes "O. Naef & Sons" auctioned off their cows and ceased operation of the dairy. In early 1923 Otto deeded his son Ernest and his wife Ruth a lot on River Rd. on the N.E. corner of River Rd. and Naef Rd., upon which they built their home. When Otto died in late 1924 the remaining farm was split in two - the north half on the north side of Naef Rd. to Ernest Naef, and the south half on the south side of Naef Rd. to Otto's daughter-in-law Rosa (Rose) E. Naef who had been left a widow when Otto Sr's other son, Otto Henry Naef, had died in 1920 from the flu epidemic. Rosa leased her half of the farm to dairy operators such as the Crystal Springs Dairy and Huddle & Stoll, and lived in the house she and Otto H. Naef had built on the S.E. corner or River Rd. and Naef Rd.

Following the sale of the dairy cows and Otto's death Ernest farmed his share of the farm. In 1925 Ernest and his wife Ruth sold the east half of their property, east of the railway, consisting of 29.81 acres to Eldon J. and May Steele who operated it as Steele's Pansy Gardens into the mid-1940's. The Steele's eventually moved into the Naef's original 1890's family home and irrigated their pansy fields from the original Naef well. Steele's pansies were world renowned and Ernest served as the superintendent of the Pansy Farm for many years. When the Super 99 highway was completed in 1936 it cut the property in two, creating hardships for the Steeles and dairy operators.

As the years progressed the Naefs sold off much of their holdings. In 1946 Ernest & Ruth Naef sold some acreage on the south side of Naef Rd. to Theodore & Mildred Stringfield - - - acreage that later became Stringfield Park. Rosa's share of the farm east of McLoughlin Blvd. eventually became the "Super 99 Drive In". Her property west of McLoughlin but east of the railway was operated at one time as Crystal Springs Dairy, and was later sold to dairymen "Huddle & Stoll" (Kenneth Huddle & Ray Stoll) in 1947. Rosa sold off her remaining lots in the 1950's but continued living in her house on River Rd. until her death in 1962.

A few descendants of the Naef family still live in Oak Grove, and have kindly provided the community with the family history, and loaned many of their family photos to be shared.