Thomas Leroy Wolfe was born in Tahlequah, April 12, 1871, the son of John W. Wolfe and Belle Gibson, daughter of Leroy Gibson, a white man. His grandfather, Thomas Wolfe, was one of the old settlers, and in conjunction with Blue Jacket, built the first house in Tahlequah. His father, John W. Wolfe, was district judge for some time, and at present resides within one-half mile of the capital. The subject of this sketch is the eldest of three sons. He was sent to the Tahlequah public school in 1879, and there continued till 1883, when he began work in the office of the Cherokee Advocate, devoting his time to the newspaper business for two years. In 1885 he entered the Indian university and completed a collegiate course in 1887, after which he joined the staff of the Advocate for a short time. Later he became a clerk in the mercantile establishment of R. C. Adams, as well as assistant postmaster at Viau, Illinois district. Leaving there at the end of one year, he took a position in W. T. Culbertson’s store, Savannah, Choctaw Nation. Later on Mr. Wolfe traveled for the Arrow, Telephone and Advocate, three Cherokee newspapers, and was special reporter for the first named paper during the election campaign of 1891. Mr. Wolfe is an intelligent, well-educated young man, and quite popular with his acquaintances. Like most of his name in this nation, he is a member of the national party.
