Jacob Wolfe 1815-1910

WOLFE, MOHLER, BLACKBURN, LORTON, LINEAWEAVER, WARD, HENRY, ROLLINS

Posted By: Volunteer - Rhonda Rowe
Date: 3/13/2003 at 21:41:46

To live to the ripe old age of ninety-five is a privilege allotted to about one in ten-thousand; but to live without serious illness, to retain the use of mind and body, to rear a family of ten children, twenty-two grandchildren, and twenty great-grandchildren, is a record not equaled by one in a million. Had Jacob Wolfe been allowed to remain on earth six days longer he would have been ninety-five years old.

He was born in Pennsylvania, November 16, 1815, being a son of Phillip Wolfe; came to Ohio when a boy and was there married December 18, 1837, to Catharine Mohler. They came to Iowa in 1851, locating on Vernon Prairie. They homesteaded a farm and built a log cabin where is now the residence of William Blackburn, a son-in-law of Alfred Wolfe who is now the owner of the old home place.

To them were born ten children, two of whom are deceased, viz., Samuel, who died when about two years of age, and Mrs. Sarah Lorton. The eight living children of these pioneers are William of Hillsboro, Oregon; Alfred, Mrs. Mary Lineaweaver, Mrs. Christina Ward, John Wolfe, and Mrs. Amanda Henry, in or near Bonaparte; Mrs. Margaret Lorton, of Mt. Sterling; T.J. of Rollins, Montana.

In 1884 they retired from the farm and moved to Bonaparte where the good wife and mother died in 1900. Mr. Wolfe continued to live in the Bonaparte home until recently when he took up his abode with his son John, on Vernon Prairie and where he died Thursday forenoon, November 10,1910, after an illness of two weeks. He had been quite vigorous throughout his later years, taking an active interest in the affairs of his town and country. He retained the use of his mind throughout his illness being conscious until the end.

He was always a farmer but was also an excellent stone mason, much of his handiwork still remaining in the vicinity of his old home. When a young man Mr. Wolfe united with the Lutheran Church. He was honest and upright, a citizen loved and respected. Everybody liked "Uncle Jacob".

Funeral services were held at the John Wolfe home Sunday afternoon being in charge of Rev. Hamilton. The remains were placed in the family lots in the Willits Cemetery.

I am not related to this person, I am posting it for those how may find this person among their ancestors.

Taken from the scrapbook of Iowa McCracken Rankin and Jenny Rankin Matheson, now in my possession.

Also found in Obituary Scrapbook A, page 343, Van Buren Co. Genealogical Library Collection, Keosauqua, IA

Another Source: Entler Scrapbook, vol. 5, Iowa Historical Library, Iowa City, IA

[originally posted 27 Jul 2000]