| Name |
John H Wolf [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6] |
| Born |
Nov 1817
Chester, Pennsylvania, USA  [ 1, 3, 4, 6]
|
| Gender |
Male |
| Birth |
1821
Pennsylvania, USA [ 5]
|
| Race |
Mulatto [5] |
| Underground Railroad |
1842
Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA [ 7]
– While in Harrisburg he cooperated with Garrison, Douglass, and Lewis Hayden in helping fugitive slaves to make their way to Canada. He was sometimes away from home for helping the slaves to the next safe place in the "underground system," and has often amused his family by relating some of the hair-breadth escapes which he had from the owners of the fugitive slaves. He was president of that portion of the underground system in Pennsylvania. |
| Residence |
Columbia County, Pennsylvania, USA [ 4]
|
| Residence |
1850
East Ward, Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA [ 3]
|
| Residence |
1860
Ward 4, Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA [ 1]
– Residence Post Office: Harrisburg |
| Residence |
1880
Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA [ 6]
|
| Residence |
1880
Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA [ 5]
– StreetAddress: Phillips Street; 59 Age: 59; Teacher Occupation: Teacher; EnumerationDistrict: 646; Married MaritalStatus: Married; Self RelationToHead: Head |
| Died |
Abt 1899
17 Phillips, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA [ 4, 7]
|
| Notes |
- **JOHN H. WOLFF DEAD. He Was the First Colored Man to Teach School - Afterward a "Conductor" On the Underground Railway**
John H. Wolff, an old colored abolitionist, died at his residence, 17 Phillips St., last evening. He was born in Chester county, Penn, In November, 1817, of free parents, thrifty colored people of that section. He was sent to school at the age of 7, and went through the different grades of the public schools in Chester county. At the age of 15 he began to teach school, being the first colored man to teach, first in Westchester, Penn, for about five years, and then in Columbia, Penn, for three years.
In 1842 he went to Harrisburg, Penn, and was married. His wife is still living. While in Harrisburg he cooperated with Garrison, Douglass, and Lewis Hayden in helping fugitive slaves to make their way to Canada. He was sometimes away from home for helping the slaves to the next safe place in the "underground system," and has often amused his family by relating some of the hair-breadth escapes which he had from the owners of the fugitive slaves. He was president of that portion of the underground system in Pennsylvania.
At the beginning of the war, he began to recruit colored soldiers, and, as the state of Pennsylvania would not then receive them, he sent them north to Gov. Andrew. He was specially commended for his work in this particular line. At the close of the war, he came north and settled in Boston. He began to compile the lives of famous men and women of the country, and later entered the book trade, which he followed until his death.
He was the founder of the first lodge of colored Odd Fellows in Harrisburg, the name being Brotherly Love Lodge. While in Boston, he did not connect himself with any organization. Besides his wife, four children and 10 grandchildren survive him. One of his sons is Harry Wolff, who is the leader of an orchestra in Boston; another is Mrs. Bertha Cook, wife of Rev. Mr. Cook, the pastor of the Bridge St. A. M. church, Brooklyn, and another is Mrs. Mary Robinson of Philadelphia.
*The Boston Globe*. “John H. Wolff Dead.” February 8, 1899. [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-john-h-wolff-dead/130315168/](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-john-h-wolff-dead/130315168/).
|
| Person ID |
I5104
|
| Family |
Mary Ann Wolf
b. 1822, Pennsylvania, USA |
| Married |
|
| Children |
| | 1. John Henry Wolf (Age 68 years)
b. Abt 1854, Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA
d. 3 Feb 1922, Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA (Age 68 years) [natural] |
| | 2. Josephine Wolf
b. Abt 1844, Pennsylvania, USA [natural] |
| | 3. Mary Wolfe
b. 1855 [natural] |
| | 4. Bertha B Wolf (Age 85 years)
b. 4 Jul 1858, Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, USA
d. 9 Mar 1944, Chicago, Cook, Illinois, USA (Age 85 years) [natural] |
| | 5. Cora Wolf
b. 1863, Pennsylvania, USA [natural] |
| | 6. Clarence Wolf
b. 1876, Massachusetts, USA [natural] |
| | 7. Wendel Wolf
b. Abt 1847, Pennsylvania, USA [natural] |
| | 8. Edmund Wolf
b. Abt 1849, Pennsylvania, USA [natural] |
|
| Last Modified |
1 Nov 2024 |
| Family ID |
F1690
|
