Former Union Resident
Dies In California
The San Anselmo (California) Herald gives the following account of the death of J. T. Wolfe, who, with his wife and three sons, made their home in South Union some years ago.
John Taylor Wolfe, 83, a pioneer and educator of Wyoming, who had been a resident of San Anselmo for 12 years, died Saturday morning in a San Francisco hospital following an illness of two weeks. He had been in failing health since the death of his wife, Mrs. Bessie Wolfe, two years ago.
Born in Indiana, Mr. Wolfe, with his parents had gone to Minnesota where he had grown to manhood. He had later driven across the plains alone with a team and wagon and settled in northern Wyoming, where he established the first public school. He was the first superintendent of schools in a large county which took in the greater part of northern Wyoming.
For many years Mr. Wolfe held the office of justice of the peace and was the only man in that part of the state who knew anything about legal work.
He prepared many legal documents in his own handwriting. His advice and assistance was sought by many. He was called Judge Wolfe and was one of the most prominent men in early days in Wyoming. Owen Wister’s story, The Virginian, was written about the locality of Mr. Wolfe’s Wyoming home and he knew many of the characters made famous by Wister.
Surviving him are three sons, Denver Wolfe of San Anselmo, Ralph E. Wolfe of Oakland, and R.M. Wolfe of Pittsburg, Calif.
Newspaper Article Dated November 1930
Contributed by: Larry Rader