James DeWolf

James DeWolf (March 18, 1764 – December 21, 1837) was an American slave trader and politician. He served as a state legislator for a total of nearly 25 years, and in the 1820s served as a United States senator from Rhode Island. Along with trading in slaves, DeWolf invested in sugar and coffee plantations in Cuba and became the wealthiest man in his state. By the end of his life, he was said to be the second-richest person in the entire United States. During his lifetime, his name was usually written "James D'Wolf".

Early life James DeWolf born in Bristol, Rhode Island, in 1764 to Mark Anthony DeWolf (November 8, 1726 – November 9, 1793) and Abigail Hazel Potter (February 2, 1726 – February 7, 1809). He had eight siblings including four brothers: Charles (1745–1820), John (1760–1841), William (1762–1829) and Levi DeWolf (1766–1848).

James DeWolf went to sea at an early age as a sailor on board American privateers during the later half of the American Revolutionary War. He participated in several naval encounters and was captured twice by the British.

Slave trade After the war, DeWolf was selected as captain of a ship in his 20s. He began to engage in commercial ventures, including slave trading, often purchasing seasoned slaves from Cuba and other ports in the West Indies and transporting them primarily to southern markets in the United States. Although Rhode Island outlawed slave trading in 1787, DeWolf and his family continued to finance and command slaving voyages to West Africa.

In 1791, DeWolf was indicted for murder by a grand jury in Newport, Rhode Island. The case was widely reported in the New England press. He was alleged to have directed the murder of a female African slave in 1789 who was sick with smallpox on the ship Polly, which he commanded; after having been treated to the best of the crew's knowledge, she was bound to a chair and lowered overboard. Such cases were known at the time, as all the persons on a ship were threatened in cases of severe disease outbreaks. The judge in charge of the case ultimately accepted the prosecuting attorney's filing of nolle prosequi, a formal declaration "that he did not wish to pursue the case."

DeWolf financed another 25 slaving voyages, usually with other members of his family. His father and uncle Simeon Potter were slave traders since 1769. His nephew George DeWolf kept it up illegally until 1820. The textile mills of New England relied on cotton cultivated by slaves throughout the Deep South and shipped to the North. There were strong economic ties between the regions through the period of the American Civil War.

Political career

DeWolf became active in politics and highly influential in the new state during the decades of the Federal period. He was first elected as a member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives in 1798, and served until 1801. He served again from 1803 to 1812, 1817–21, and 1829–37. He was elected as speaker of the House from 1819 to 1821.

DeWolf advanced to national office when elected by the state legislature as a Democratic-Republican (later Crawford Republican) to the U.S. Senate, as was the procedure before popular election of US senators was authorized by constitutional amendment in the 20th century. He served part of his six-year term, from March 4, 1821, until he resigned on October 31, 1825.

Death DeWolf died in New York City in 1837 at the age of 73, thought to be a millionaire and the second-wealthiest man in the United States. His body was returned to Rhode Island, and he was buried in the DeWolf private cemetery on Woodlawn Avenue in Bristol. His estate included properties in Bristol, New York, Maryland, Kentucky, and Ohio. Nancy and DeWolf had twelve children together including. James "Gentleman Jim" DeWolf II (1790–1845) m. Julia Lynch Post (1797–1878) Francis LeBaron DeWolf (1793-d. young) Mary Ann DeWolf (1795–1834) m(1). Lt, Raymond Henry Jones Perry (1789–1826) m(2). Gen. William Hyslop Summer (1780–1861) Francis LeBaron DeWolf (1797–1825) m. Eleanor Post (1799–1872) Mark Antony DeWolf (1799–1851) m. Sophie de Chappotinf (1802–1879) William Henry "The Commodore" DeWolf (1802–1853) m. Sarah Ann Rogers (1802–1864). Maternal grandfather of DeWolf Hopper. Harriet DeWolf (1804–1863) m. Jonathan Prescott Hall (1796–1862) Catherine Hersey DeWolf (1806–1853) m(1). 1823 Joshua Dodge (c1803-1872), a descendant of the Crowninshield family, m(2). 1848 Andrew Jackson Davis (1826–1910) Nancy Bradford DeWolf (1808–1856) m. Fitz-Henry Homer (1799–1856) William Bradford DeWolf (1810–1862) m. Mary Russell Soley (1805–1881). Their daughter, Harriette would marry Lloyd Aspinwall. Josephine Maria DeWolf (1812–1901) m. Charles Wally Lovett (1801–1873)

Relatives

DeWolf is one of the members of the Bristol (or also called Rhode Island) branch of the DeWolf family.

Legacy DeWolf is featured prominently in an Emmy nominated 2008 documentary, Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North, co-produced and directed by Katrina Browne, a DeWolf descendant, which describes the DeWolf family's major role in the United States slave trade.