My Genealogy Hound

Frank Wolfe is numbered among the residents of Shannon City, whose intense and well directed activity is devoted to the commercial growth and upbuilding of the village. Here he has lived for sixteen years, while his residence in Union county dates from 1874 and in Iowa from 1864. He was a lad of fourteen years at the time of his arrival in this state, his birth having occurred in Ashland county, Ohio, January 7, 1850.

His parents were Daniel and Sophia (Deeter) Wolfe, the former a native of Maryland and the latter of Ohio. The father, however, was reared in the Buckeye state, whither he accompanied his father, Daniel Wolfe, Sr., at an early day, the family casting in their lot with the pioneer settlers of the Buckeye state. Daniel Wolfe, Jr., became a blacksmith by trade, a pursuit which he learned under the direction of his father, who also followed that occupation. Both carried on business in Ohio for many years. Daniel Wolfe, Jr., however, died in 1852, when his son Frank was but two years of age, and his wife passed away two years later.

Following the death of his parents, Frank Wolfe went to live with his paternal grandfather, with whom he continued until the latter’s death in 1857. He remained in Ohio until his fifteenth year, when he came to Iowa, joining an uncle in Washington county, with whom he remained for three years. He then provided for his own support by working at farm labor by the month for several years, and at length, desiring a home of his own, he was married in Washington county on the 1st of January, 1873.

The lady of his choice was Miss Sarah M. McCaleb, who was born and reared in that county and following their marriage Mr. Wolfe there rented a farm which he cultivated for two years. In 1874 they removed to Union county and Mr. Wolfe purchased land in Grant township, making investment in forty acres of raw prairie. Not a furrow had been turned nor an improvement made on the place but he resolutely took up the work of tilling the soil and soon the track of the plow was seen across the fields, which in due course of time brought forth rich harvests as the visible evidence of the planting and cultivating which had been carried on through the spring and summer months. On this place Mr. Wolfe remained for two years and then sold that property, again investing in raw land—eighty acres—which he broke, fenced and cultivated. Gradually the place was converted from a tract of wild prairie into well developed fields and as he prospered in carry ing on this farm he saved from his earnings sufficient capital to enable him to purchase eighty acres additional and still later forty acres more, so that he owned two hundred acres, constituting one of the valuable farms of the community. He built good barns and a substantial residence, also fenced the place, set out an orchard and planted a grove of trees, which adds much to the value and attractive appearance of the farm. His place adjoins the corporation limits of Shannon City and in connection with the cultivation of the fields he also raised and fed stock. Extending his efforts to other lines in 1889 he embarked in merchandising as a dealer in hardware and groceries, continuing in business for sixteen years, being one of the first merchants of Shannon City. He erected a business house there in 1891 and also built a residence which was destroyed by fire on the 10th of May, 1907. Recently he has erected an attractive home on the same location, where his former dwelling stood. He still owns an eight acre farm near Shannon City, together with land in Thomas county, Kansas.

As the years have passed by the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Wolfe has been blessed with seven children: Clara, the wife of Henry Jacobs, now of Colorado, but formerly of Shannon City; Delia, who is connected with the business interests of Des Moines; Willis, who is married and carries on a drug store in Akron, Colorado; Pearl, at home; Frank, who is a student in the Agricultural College at Ames, Iowa, who in 1908 will complete the veterinary course; Grover, a drug clerk in Des Moines; and Vera. The family are well known in Shannon City and this part of the county, where they have an extensive circle of friends.

Mrs. Wolfe is a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Wolfe is a charter member of the Odd Fellows lodge at Shannon City, having previously joined the order in Washington county when twenty-one years of age. He has served through all of the chairs in the local lodge and is a past grand. For a number of years he has been its financial secretary and is much interested in its work. Both he and his wife are connected with the order of the Rebekahs, in which they have held office and Mr. Wolfe is a district grand deputy. His political views accord with the principles of democracy and his fellow townsmen, recognizing his worth and loyalty to public interests, have called him to several local offices. He was justice of the peace for four years and highway commissioner and was officially identified with the schools for some years, filling the office of school treasurer at the present time. He also served as postmaster of Shannon City for five years, being appointed during President Cleveland’s second administration.

Mr. Wolfe has a wide acquaintance in this part of the state and his friends admire him because of the excellent record he has made in business and in social circles. Like the great majority of American citizens, he started out upon the business world with no capital save a determination to win success. He has placed his dependence upon the substantial qualities of energy and determination and as the years have gone by has made progress in those lines of life demanding close application, indefatigable determination and strong intellectuality.