Mount Morris Index, Mount Morris, IL

June 10, 1920 p. 1, col. 5

JOHN WOLF DEAD; ONE OF PIONEERS

CAME TO ILLINOIS 78 YEARS AGO AND SAW DEVELOPMENT OF MT. MORRIS TOWNSHIP

Man of Strong Convictions -- Never Joined Church -- J. E. Miller, Old-Time Friend, Talks at Funeral Services at Home.

John Wolf died on Monday, June 7, 1920, at his home in Mount Morris, one month and twelve days after his 79th birthday anniversary, and yesterday afternoon, after brief services at the house, the remains were laid away in Silver Creek Cemetery.

While J. E. Miller of Elgin, an old time friend of the deceased, made a talk to friends and relatives at the funeral, no formal religious services were held. This was out of respect for the wishes and the stipulations in the will of John Wolf, who, never having affilliated with a religious denomination, preferred to die as he had lived. Besides the kindly talk by Mr. Miller, former president of Mount Morris College, there was singing by the Kessler sisters.

John Wolf was the second son of Daniel and Catherine (Miller) Wolf and was born in the vicinity of Hagerstown, Maryland, April 24, 1841. He was one of a family of eleven, of which the following survive: Sarah Stover, Ellen Allen and Emma Wolf of Mount Morris and Susan Thomas of Rockford.

When John was a year old his parents removed to Mount Morris Township, and here he passed his quiet life. On a farm north of town, he lived with his parents for 27 years, then on January 12, 1869, he was married to Mary Catherine Kerns, and the happy couple settled on a farm northwest of Mount Morris, where they lived till 18__ (can't read year), and where five children were born to them. Georgie died when two years of age; the remaining children are: Ernest Wolf of Mount Morris, Ida Wagner of Leaf River, Ella Hiteman of Rockvale Township, and Elmer Wolf of Leaf River. With these are surviving six grandchildren and one great granddaughter.

John Wolf and his family removed to the village from their home farm thirteen years ago. The good wife and mother passed to her reward three years ago, at which time Mr. Wolf suffered a stroke of paralysis. A year later the second stroke, more severe, came to him, and it was from the effects of this that he gradually declined and became a certain victim of the third stroke on May 26.

It was to his rugged physique, hardy life, and grimly-determined mentality that John Wolf grew up into such an odd character in such surroundings. Only a graduate of a country school (Fairview), yet his sense of honesty and his grim determination was such that in his rugged way he formed opinions strikingly at variance with the community in which he lived his life and attached to them importance which larger local cultural development might have caused him to dismiss. A man of purpose and forceful character he was and wanted to be; unafraid of the hardest toil; welcome as a beneficial practice every self denial; devoted to his family; possessing a rugged constitution, it was characteristic of him that he would die as he had lived -- just plain, honest John Wolf.

The members of his family wish to express their appreciation of the many acts of kindness during the illness and following the death of Mr. Wolf.

Contributed by Peg Allen Arnold

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