The old merchants of New York City / by Walter Barrett.

152

THE OLD.MERCHZANTS

rank, though, at this moment, no name occurs to me.
From the Southern States there have not been so many
merchants as from the Northern. From Virginia, the
largest Southern State, but few names occur to me at
this moment. Edward Vincent, of the firm of Brette
& Vincent, was from Richmond. So, too, was Joel
Wolfe, and his brother Udolpho, forming at one time the
large house of Wolfe & Co. Joel Wolfe came to this
city, about forty years ago, from Richmond, and established himself in business. His younger brother followed him two years later, and became a clerk; but in
the year 1828 went into business on his own account at
No. 63 Wall street.
There are three distinct species of the mercantile
Wolfes in this city. One family is the hardware Wolfes,
Christopher and J. D. Wolfe in Maiden lane. They
came from Rhode Island. Another family Wolfe is
that of N. H. Wolfe, who was so largely in the flour
business. I think he was from the South.
Joel and Udolpho are of the Virginian family, and
were both born in Richmond. That family, 100 years
ago, was a German Wolfe. The son of that Wolfe was
named Benjamin, and was born in London after his German father had removed there, about 1774. Soon after,
in 1776, the Revolutionary war began, and Benjamin
Wolfe entered the American army under the command
of General Washington. He went through the seven
years war, and reached the rank of Major. After it was
over, he resigned his commission, and engaged in mercantile business in Richmond. Soon after the war, he
presided at the meeting when James Monroe was first
nominated for Governor of Virginia. He was then
Mayor of Richmond. He belonged to the Republican
party led by Mr. Jefferson, now called the Democratic