The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-11-09
rETERAN OF THE SEA.
r,ath of Capt. W. II. De Wolf. a
Hero Of the Rebellion.
r..e or RevoLuT,onARYsr STOCK
=. orssdfAther was . Prfvstesr Of Re-
newn sud He Maintained the
Glory Of His Family.

-<Af "A
- = his residence. 1876 Madison street,
r.5aesaay afternoon in his 65.h year.
..tho,gh is is not generally known in this
~ where the captain has resided for
rsay years. be vas directly connected
III the most hlustrious families
4 Rhods Island. and Was the per-
.r.., friend Of Gen Burnside. Ad-
- Rogers. Henry Willard. the fnsncier.
a many other prominsnt men. He was
rs.ter of the American Shipmsstsrs'
s~oelstson. and during his seafaring life
r,,ed almost every port in the world
rsst De Wolf was . candidate for the
..stsen OF harbor master after the last
g, escslon, but his hopes were not real
"a He was made baiiif Of the munich
8. eourf but the position Was not to his
s..,e ard the disappointment st not secur-
a. The position he coveted weighed on his
~,.d About four weeks ago he caught
"a. congestion Of the lungs set In and.
sltAou9h be survived the attack. death
con followed.
Cart William Fl. De Wolf was born In
aristol. X. l.. October "a. is29, his parents
Mag William III. DE Wolf. sr.. and Sarah
ips De Wolf. His grandfather. on his
iuster,s side, was Hon. James De Wolf.
sas Of the most prominent figures in Bris-
Il. n. l.. during the French and Indian
rsr yho died possessed OF d fortune es-
tmsssd at S. GO. 900. James De Wolf suf-
i kred by the French and English spolia-
i tops in 1872 TO the amount of 500. 900.
\ which he made up through the success of
! he csletfated privatesr. Yankee. which
\ i fitted mp for that purpose. When the
j $4,000 balance was settled he closed the
ACCOUNT and named the vessel he captured
i ne Balance He loaned TO the govern
i nsnt nearly ali of his disposable fortune.
/ sad also persuaded the Bank Of Bristol, In
i which be had large interest. to convert
I a iis capital into government securities.
i Be also built the sioop-of-war Chippewa,
4 sdysncing the funds for the purchase OF
I bm material and equipment. He built the
i krkxright cotton mills ~ Coventry. *. l..
h 1871 Eight years later he was elected
n Unted States senator, and during his
nsny years of service was an intimate
tdsnd OF Clay and strong advocate OF the
4 prineple of protection. He Was also
lsrmsr on a large scale. experimenting
. he cultivation of nearly 200 acres which
y owned in his native town and its i'm
nsdiate vicinity. Indeed. his chief pleas
ures were derived from this source. and no
Gould be seen sfield during tho busy sea-
0ns Of farming long before the rising sun
| slded the sides of Mount Hope. This
mss of the warliks king was part OF Mr..
ps wolf's domain, and he always spoke of
| the msfortunes of that brave patriot In
Mms of sympathy and regret. Attracted
by the beauty Of the spot, Mr.. De Wolf de-
| voted some of the fruits Of his first indus
| ky to the purchase of part OF the posses
ton of the renowned Metacom. This liz
mtrious ancestor OF Capt. William III. De
| Wolf. of this city, died at New York city
b 1887. and the papers devoted columns TO
lie career.
The captains grandmother. Ann Brad
| bird De Wolf. was the daughter of Gov.
fradford, of Providence. Il. l., who was
| randson of tho second governor OF the
| Rymouth colony.
Capt. William II. De Volts grandfather
| en- his mother side was the Rev William
Rogers. A. NJ, professor of English and
sratory In the college and academy. Phil
sdelphla. beginning December, iss9. lie
vas the first graduate of Brown univer-
siy, OF Providence, X. l., and also n chap
lain in the Revolution. lie delivered the
prayer over the remains o. George WASH
+ ingson. IN the German Reformed church,
| Philadelphia, before the celebrated Cincin-
naius Society. In l7g2 he was elected
professor of English and bellies iettrss IA
the university of Pennsylvania.
William H. De Wolf. sr.. father Of Capt
w. H. DE Wolf, was appointed United
States consul at Dundee under Franklin
i Piesce's administration. When nyears old
deserved as midshipman on the Java, under
Commander Oliver Perry. but soon after
! eturned To Bristol, where he resided the
nmainder of his life. engaging extensively
Ia the whaling aud shipping business.
! Capt. De VOLTS mother was the daughter
! Il Rev. Dr. Rogers, Of the university Of
Pennsylvania
Capt William ii. De Wolf was the elder
Of tao sons As BOY he desired 10 enter
The United States navy. bat his father OBJ
eesed His Wish was gratlfed In later
ysars through his own exertlons- When
about IS years old the captain went 10 New
York city and secured a position in for
ssgn importing house. After remaining
h shls business fer some time he went to
ss 10 the employ Of the importing firm of
Seodhue & Co. ana remained with this
Arm until the breaking out OF the rebellion.
Ne Joined the First Rhode Island reg iment
Aprs Il. 1851. "a private. and took part
l 10 the iirst battle OF Bull Run. Al the ex-
piration Of three months he joined the
savy under a commission as masters
naie. secured for him by Gen, A. +. Burn
AIDE. lie served in this capacity Tor lev
Eonths sad then as acting master from
Ksvember rs. 1851, until November 4. 1888
Daring that time he WAS two years and
I ere month. on board the United States
gsnboat Chippewa as senior wstch ana
aasisatng officer. also as executive officer.
Fer Eew months he was on the light draft
nenitar Tunxis. He WAS then ordered By
ne navy department to the command
4 the Uaitea states steamship Norwich,
Il that time on the ST. Johns river.
FerldA lie remained In command
snsll July. issS when she VAS pas
eat Of commission a. fhiiadeiphis
VALE on the 81 Johns river he contracted
nalArial asthma from which he never
aessy recovered. he vas In command OF
zee ef tAe Eunboats that took part IN TIE
sesalag Of the Mississippi river aad Al one
tse Of the squadron that block AIDED
sAsEleston. aud took part Ia many engage
Eenss He was not given 10 telling his
srpla.ts SO that his fall career IN battle
sAl never 30 known. TAss be was q
/ have, efficient officer IS sstessej by the
ssssss be received from Admiral Rogers.
eensasaaiax him for gallant and rnsTisers-
sas service Do the United States navy.
After Toe var Can't. Re Wolf made sew
sa trips 20 European ports ana Seath
AssfsSA a. captain and mate o. aiasFehs
saips. Thea Re went On business TIP
teA ~ a