Jay H. Neff

Who was Jay H. Neff?

Jay Holcomb Neff 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 in Peru, 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 and St. 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.

His residences: 1319 Washington Street, 520 Gladstone Boulevard, 1008 Valentine Road