WOLFE, William Henry

Prescott Evening Courier, Prescott, Arizona Friday, February 19, 1926, page 8, column 3 Pioneer of Wild West Dies Word had been received here that W. H. Wolfe, who died Wednesday night in his 88th year at Tapco, was one of the foremost figures in the early west history and especially prominent as an Indian scout and fighter and pioneer cattleman in the early territorial days of Arizona. Mr. Wolfe was an intimate friend of Buffalo Bill, participating in the Indian fights under General Nelson A. Crook. By coincident, Mr. Wolfe passed away on the hour and day of his oldest son's birthday, M. W. Wolfe, of Tucson. Born in Detroit, Michigan in 1838, he left home at the age of 14 to become a sailor on the Great Lakes. From the lakes he went to San Francisco, where he spent eight years sailing on the Pacific. He captained a six master that rounded Cape Horn twice during his sea service. From San Francisco, Wolfe moved to Arizona to take part in the war carried on by the government against Geronimo, during which time Wolfe served as a scout for the army. With a pioneer named Coole, he built the first cabin erected on the site of Fort Apache, going from there to Fort Grant, where he established the Farhion G cattle ranch, the largest of the day, 40 miles north of Willcox, in Graham county. After the drought of 1891, in which Wolfe lost several hundred thousand head of cattle, the family moved to Prescott. The deceased is survived by two sons and three daughters, all of whom are now living in Arizona. The oldest son, W. M. Wolfe, of Tucson is first vice-president of the Arizona Federation of Labor. Another son, Ray Wolfe, lives in Clarkdale. The daughters are Mrs. Minnie Cassell of Fossil Creek, Mrs. H. Harland of Prescott and Mrs. Gus Garbarino of Phoenix. The funeral services will be held at Ruffner's Chapel tomorrow morning at 11 o'clock and followed by burial in the family plot in the Citizens cemetery.