" B.D. WOLF"

WOLF, CHISMAN, NYE, DORR, EYRE, WILSON, MAHOLAM, JOHNSON

Posted By: Mary E. Lanigan (email)
Date: 2/22/2004 at 16:11:24

Biography for B.D. Wolf as found in "Portrait and Biographical Wapello Co. Iowa 1887 by Selby Publishing; pg 417 - 419.

B.D. WOLF, a prosperous member of the agricultural community of Columbia township, owns and occupies a comfortable homestead on section 32, and besides his ordinary farm work, has attained quite a repution as a breeder of fine stock.

Our subject was born in Athens County Ohio, on the 19th of March 1815, and is the son of Christopher and Rhoda DORR WOLF, natives of Westmoreland County Pa., and New York.

Christopher WOLF removed from his native state to Ohio, where he formed the acquaintance of the lady whom he married, their wedding taking place about the year 1804. They settled in Athens County, and the father of our subject became one of the most extensive farmers of that region. He also engaged in milling, and shipped the first boat-load of produce that was sent down the Hocking River from Athens to Louisville Ky., about 1824. He was one of the early pioneers of Athens county, and became a useful and highly respected citizen. He lived there until 1840, and then sold out his farm and milling interest and removed to Hocking County, where he purchased another tract of land, which he occupied until the time of his death. He posessed a large estate there, aggretating about 900 acres of land. The effectionate wife and mother departed this life on the 9th of May 1843; the father surviving her only until the following September 1844. Mrs. Wolf was a consistant member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, a lady highly esteemed for her excellent traits of character, and at her death was greatly mourned by a large circle of friends and acquaintances.

The parental family included 10 children of whom the record is as shown; William and Lida deceased; Andrew has been a practicing physician of Vinton County, Ohio, for forty years; Mathew is a farmer of Hocking County, Ohio; our subject was next in line of births, Rhoda died in infancy; Edmund is engaged in farming and sheep raising in Vinton County, Ohio; Joseph is deceased; Elizabeth became the wife of Wilford STIRES, a farmer and stock dealer of Hocking County, Ohio; Jonathan is dedeased.

B.D. Wolf of our sketch, on the 19th of November, 1836 married Miss Eliza JOHNSON, who was born in Hocking County, Ohio, March 3, 1813. They remained in the Buckeye State until 1856, and then moved to Iowa. The early years of our subject had been spent on his father's farm and he also assisted about the mill.

After coming West, he located in Wapello County, Iowa, purchasing about 887 acres of land, and was engaged in it's improvement and cultivation, until he now has one of the finest farms in Columbia Township. Out subject and his wife became the parents of seven children, as follows; Josiah, a farmer of Monroe County Iowa, was born Nov. 19, 1838; Hiram, born April 29,1840;enlisted as a soldier during the Civil War in the Union Army, and in 1863, with a number of comrads, was captured by the enemy and taken to Andersonville prison where after great suffering and privation he died, and was buried in one of the trenches, the bereaved and afflicted parents never having been able to recover his body; Elizabeth was born Aug, 14, 1842 and became the wife of Benjamin CHISMAN, a farmer of Columbia Twp; Henry another son who had enlisted in the Army, died in the hospital in Nashville, Tenn.;he was born the 7th of Oct., 1844 and with his brother Hiram was a member of the 8th Iowa Calvary; Eliza born Dec. 18, 1845 is the wife of J.W. NYE, a farmer in Monroe County, Iowa; Mary L. was born Jan. 28, 1851 and married Samuel NYE; a farmer of Columbia Twp' S. P. NYE was born April 6, 1847, and is farming in Columbia Twp.

Mrs. Elizabeth WOLF died Oct. 3, 1873, and was buried in the cemetery at Columbia Township. She was a faithful and effectionate wife, a loving mother, and highly esteemd by her neighbors and acquaintances.

The second wife of our subject was Mrs. Elizabeth EYRE, to whom he was married April 30, 1874.This lady was born in Brown County, Ohio, Sept. 22, 1818 and was the daughter of William and Sarah WILSON MAHOLAM, natives of Ireland and Virginia respectfully. The father is deceased, but the mother yet survives, and is living in Green Township, Wapello County, Iowa, at the ripe old age of ninety years. Mrs. Wolf is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Mr. Wolf gave his children the advantages of a good education and divided up a portion of his large landed estate among them; giving to each a good farm, and yet has 230 acres left for his own use. The family residence is one of the finest farm dwellings in Columbia Township, and the barns and outhouses are of the description, conveniently arranged for the shelter of stock and storing of grain. Everything in and about the premises betokens a cultivated taste of ample means. Mr. WOLF takes great pride in his stock, which consistst of high-grade Short-Horn cattle, which he is crossing with Herferds, and exhibits some of the finest animals in the Mississippi Valley. His horses are principally Normans and models of symmetry and strength.

Politically our subject is a stanch Republican and a great admirer of the lamented Lincoln. In his social life he hosts of friends, who respect him a like for his rare business qualities and straight forward dealings, and his kindness and hospitality as a friend and neighbor. Mr. WOLF, however amid; all his prosperity and the comfort and society of friends will never cease to mourn for his two fallen sons in the Republic. They were unusually bright and promising young men, admired by all who knew them, and of whom great things were expected in the future. The manner of their taking-off is a perpetual sorrow to the hearts who loved them.