Antique-shop.com
Antiques! => Antique Questions Forum => Topic started by: hosman321 on July 30, 2010, 08:50:18 PM
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I'm trying to find some more info on this man, Adam Wolf. I have found this link so far but I am hoping to find out more about him. I'd love to see what he looked like. I realize photographs were still brand new back then so the chance is slim to none. I just got this bedspread today and I just love it. I'm sure Sapphire will be able to dig up more than I have!
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Page:History_of_Richland _County,_Ohio.djvu/870
I have no idea why that link won't work properly. But if you copy and paste starting at the end and back to "http" then it will work.
Scroll down a bit for Adam Wolf.
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Bingo.
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ohsmh/ShelbyMuseum5a.html
But I'm a bit confused about who Adam Wolf was. Was he the same Adam wolf in the first link that served in the revolutionary war?
The name of the coverlet buyer was usually woven in, or the name of the weaver. Was my coverlet made for Adam Wolf by William Wolf? ??? They were both alive at this time.
Wait, wait. Adam's son was William. I'm totally confused. I think I'll find a way to contact that museum.
It seems there were 2 Adam Wolfs in richland County at that time. One that served in the revolutionary war and one younger (born in 1816). Maybe that's why I am so confused.
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How cool! Where did you find that?!
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My favorite little antique shop. They have tons of primitives from the 1700's and 1800's. I spend so much there that now they let me take stuff home and pay later with just a handshake. Great place. I'll take pics tomorrow, it's a really beautiful wool coverlet. Super smelly and dirty though. Trying to find the safest way to clean it without damage or shrinkage.
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OK, this is without pepsi or a smoke, still in my housecoat and about to leave for work (once I exchange the h/c for something more suitable) ;)
http://books.google.com/books?id=0WTYF82o5RgC&pg=PA231&lpg=PA231&dq=adam+wolf+blooming+grove+richland&source=bl&ots=9Oezh2Ahpp&sig=iz-detYrR-LtYXRtckNbBXrOcG8&hl=en&ei=n_tTTKaNBZKenQfL1vDmAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBIQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=adam%20wolf%20blooming%20grove%20richland&f=false
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Gotta love going in to work on my days off :P
Back again with this....
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ohsmh/ShelbyMuseum5a.html
One quarter of the way down the page.....
"We believe that Daniel and Catherine Wolf's oldest son was Adam, born in 1816. In 1838, Adam married Mary Ann Zeiters here in Richland County. In 1840, Adam and Mary Ann were living in Blooming Grove Twp., with no family. In 1850 they are still living in the Blooming Grove Twp., area and Adam lists his occupation as coverlet weaver. Adam's known coverlets are dated from 1833 to 1852. (2)
Adam Wolf Jr. was born c. 1852 in Michigan so the family probably moved from the Blooming Grove Twp. area to Maple Grove Twp., Barry County, Michigan sometime between 1850 and 1852. The 1860 census lists Adam's occupation as a farmer. Adam and Mary Ann as well as many of their children lived out their lives in Barry Co., Michigan.
We believe there must be examples of Adam Wolf's coverlets in the Shelby area and will continue to search them out and hopefully add them to this article in the future."
Edited to add......now that I'm more awake, I came back and realized you had already posted this link, duh :P
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http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ohwcl/OberlinTribune/ohioscenes.htm
taken from Ohio Scenes and Citizens
"The last of their children, "Aunt Mary,’’ has kept her mother’s possessions, even the blue and white hand-woven bedspread, with her named worked boldly into it, the date, 1844, the name of the weaver, Adam Wolf, Bloomingrove, Richland County. It was the first thing in her hope chest, the wool cut from her father’s sheep, spun and carded with her own hands, she herself paying for the weaving by husking corn for 4 cents a bushel.
It was a long trip to the weaver, the spread’s creation a real undertaking, and it as been treasured always, as bright and sturdy under her daughter’s care as when it first was thrown over that bed in the upstairs room where it reposes this moment. It assumed proportions beyond those of a bedspread, that day when I handled it, for it is symbol of a bit of Ohio’s past, an era as hardy as the spread, a vigorous pioneering epoch that made Ohio what it is today."
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Super-duper research there , sapphire .
Nice work !!!
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Thank you Sapphire! I wish mine had belonged to that Mary, that would be really cool. But there isn't a name on this one like there was in that article. What do you make of the Adam Wolf in the first link? Was that a different Adam Wolf? Going to post pics of my coverlet in a few minutes. I can't find anywhere to lay it out and it's super dirty so I didn't want to put it on the bed. But I think I will have to.
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Pictures show both sides, which are different. And different lighting.
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Beautiful spread hosman! That's quite a find and a treasure. I'm thinking there was more than one Adam Wolf. Going to see what more I can find. ;)
Really odd how that link won't 'transfer' without getting all screwed up, tried it twice and still comes out the same. ::)
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I emailed that museum a few days back and haven't heard anything yet. Still would like to know if they have info on these 2 different Adam Wolfs and if they were related. :P
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http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Page:History_of_Richland _County,_Ohio.djvu/870
This is your first link hosman. If you continue down and read under some of the other Wolfs, you will find that the Adam Wolf(sic) they are talking about should be spelled "Wolfe". Your coverlet weaver was "Adam Wolf". I think there were two different people...Adam Wolf and Adam Wolfe. Your weaver would not have mispelled his name of "Wolf" on his own coverlet so the info sapphire supplied should be your weaver.
What a nice piece of history! I was totally confused on the two Wolfs in this thread until I read the first link. Imagine a coverlet wove in 1843 surviving all these years of use and then try and imagine a bedspread bought at WalMart surviving even one generation.
This is really wierd...in the message post page the link shows correctly but after saving the message post to the forum it morphs to hosman's link as shown in her first post. I am having the same results on this link as sapphire.
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Wanted to comment that again now that we are seeing the whole thing. Wow- it looks really beautiful! Looks great on the iron bed!
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Thanks tales! I just loved the patriotic red, white and blue. It's in remarkably good shape. The only damage is one pea-sized hole and a couple loose strands. Items back then were made so well! The iron bed is new, only a couple years old. I have 2 victorian iron beds I'm not even using yet. I have a thing for iron beds. If they are cheap, I'll buy them. Even if I don't use them. This coverlet would look great on either of them. That link is funky, isn't it? It morphs after you post the post. Very frustrating! I am a bit confused though wayward. I do see a John Wolfe (with an E) but I only see Adam Wolf (without an E).
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After seeing these recent photo's and enlarging them I got to say I'm pretty impressed with the workmanship too.As a bonus the pattern is very pleasing to the eye,not to mention the history.
Great find
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WOLFE, SARAH, widow ; P. 0. Perryville. Joseph Wolfe, her husband, was born in Beaver Co., Penn., Nov. 26, 1801 ; he was the youngest son of Adam and Rachel Wolfe.
WOLFE, JOHN, Jr., farmer; P. 0. Lucas. John Wolfe, Sr., was born in the State of Pennsylvania Aug. 13, 1794 ; he was a school teacher in early life, but he was by occupation a farmer ; in the spring of 1816, he came to the State of Ohio with his father, Adam Wolfe.
Hosman, the above is from your first source following Adam Wolf's info. Adam Wolf(sic) had 10 children and if Joseph Wolfe and John Wolfe were the children of Adam Wolf(sic) , then Adam's last name (in your first source) was really Wolfe with the 'e' on the end. The Adam Wolf in sapphire's sources is the correct Wolf (no 'e'). Just read all the info under Adam, Sarah, and John.
All I was saying is the Wolf in this source was really a Wolfe - misprinted last name.
WOLF (this should be WOLFE), ADAM (deceased); he was born in Beaver Co., Penn., Dec. 16, 1760; served in the Continental army during the war of the Revolution. He was mar- ried to Miss Rachel Oldham, of his native county, Jan. 16, 1790, by whom he had ten children, four sons and six daughters
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Keep in mind that back in those days there was a lot more misspelling in the records than we are used to now. Census records, baptismal records etc. are awash in misspellings. It is not at all unusual to see the same person's name spelled in a variety of ways. It makes it difficult to know if you have the right person sometimes and you have to look at things like where they lived, name of a spouse, profession etc. if that info is available.
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I concur, Talesof. Original records were handwritten by someone, handwriting varies, some records are phonetic, at some later date the info is transcribed by someone into type or ?; the farther one gets from the actual record, the more errors can occur in dates, names, spellings, etc. One person's 'e' looks like an 'a' or an 'o' and on and on.
My only real point was that the weaver, Adam Wolf, would not have misspelled his name in the coverlet (unless he erred in his weaving, of course) whereas, the records referred to could easily have the name misspelled. Hosman was questioning whether the Adam in the first link was the same as sapphire's Adam and I believe after reading everything given, the first Adam was a Wolfe and not a Wolf. He may have been a wolf in a coverlet but that is another story. ;D
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Wayward you little devil :o!!!!!
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(http://www.thecuddlytoyshop.com/ekmps/shops/thecuddlytoy/images/jolly-mah-wolf-in-sheep-s-clothing-cuddly-toy-nici-1259-p.jpg)
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Ohhh I see what you mean now wayward. I have read these dang links a thousand times and here is why I am confused.
In the first link, it states that Adam Wolf (born 1760) was the father of John Wolfe (born 1794). And that Adam removed to Richland county in 1816. At least I think that's what all that mumbo-jumbo translates into.
But in the second link, the one to the museum, it states that, "We believe that Daniel and Catherine Wolf's oldest son was Adam, born in 1816." Who the heck are Daniel and Catherine?? And Adam couldn't have been born in 1816 if his son John was.
Maybe I'm missing something totally obvious, it wouldn't be the first time. :P
One of the problems is that back then names were very common and not all fancy like today. John, Adam, Wolf and Wolfe were probably some of the most common, and things are getting lost in translation here. Or someone please tell me I'm blind as a bat!
By the way, cute wolf in sheep's clothing tales!
By the way, I think the Adam Wolf and the John Wolfe in the first link are completely different families. The story just kind of ran together.
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"In the first link, it states that Adam Wolfe (born 1760) was the father of John Wolfe (born 1794). And that Adam removed to Richland county in 1816. At least I think that's what all that mumbo-jumbo translates into"
Hosman, you are getting me confused when I thought I had understood it. I have gone back and read the first link again. The first link is an Adam WOLFE born in 1760. This would have made him 83 if he wove your coverlet. In 1843 terms, this guy was ancient and not similar to a present day 83 year old. This is not your Adam (all this is totally my opinion and I have been known to be wrong) in my opinion.
The second link (museum link) states "We believe that Daniel and Catherine Wolf's oldest son was Adam, born in 1816. In 1838, Adam married Mary Ann Zeiters here in Richland County. In 1840, Adam and Mary Ann were living in Blooming Grove Twp., with no family. In 1850 they are still living in the Blooming Grove Twp., area and Adam lists his occupation as coverlet weaver. Adam's known coverlets are dated from 1833 to 1852." This, I believe is your weaver. He would have been 27 when he wove your coverlet and they show an example dated 3 yrs later than yours. I do not know why they show Adam Wolf/Wolfe in the paragraph heading when his coverlet has "WOLF" wove into it. The weaver should know how to spell his own name if he was literate. I previously referred to this Adam as "sapphire's Adam" for clarity.
Daniel and Catherine Wolf were the parents of 4 sons and 1 daughter; Adam b1860, William b1820, Daniel b?, Henry b1825, and the daughter b?. Part of the problem lies in the museum link going back and forth between spellings of Wolf and Wolfe. Phonetically they are the same and were probably spelled in various records both ways but if the name in their coverlets is "WOLF" they really must be Wolf with no 'e'. I think with the museum using both spellings, the problem and confusion just continues.
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Hey there Hosman, I thought you might want to see this Craigslist ad that just popped up for a similar coverlet with an asking price of $1500. Yours is older and nicer than this one is:
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/atq/2062391614.html (http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/atq/2062391614.html)
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Thanks for thinkin' of me tales! That one is pretty, but you're right, it is pretty faded and worn. I've been watching on ebay for coverlets like mine. They rarely go for $1,500 so they are asking a bit too much for that CL one. I see some other Wolf coverlets on ebay go for good money but I still haven't found another Adam Wolf. So I still would like to know if mine is worth a bit more. I'll go to ebay again right now. That museum never responded to me.
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This is closer to the price they go for, not $1,500. This one's actually a wee bit on the cheap side.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Coverlet-signed-W-Wolf-Shelby-Richland-C-Ohio-1853-/200462808466?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2eac83b592
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Not sure how I missed this one the first go round...but guess summertime was busier than I thought.
Concur with Waywards comments about a weaver knows how to spell his name!
Really like the coverlets! Nice piece of history you have!
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http://www.prices4antiques.com/textiles-clothing/coverlets-jacquard/Coverlet-Jacquard-Pennsylvania-1835-Wolf-Adam-Medallion-Field-Bird-Rose-Border-4-Colors-D9761469.htm (http://www.prices4antiques.com/textiles-clothing/coverlets-jacquard/Coverlet-Jacquard-Pennsylvania-1835-Wolf-Adam-Medallion-Field-Bird-Rose-Border-4-Colors-D9761469.htm)
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Nice example, KC! I wonder if hosman has seen this? The pic does not enlarge so the blocks in the corner that would show the weaver's name are too fuzzy to compare with hosman's. The subscription rate(s) are also up there for a one time use.
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Thanks for looking! I think this is the same one as above, got just over $500.
http://pookandpook.com/cat/2009-04-24/312?xfsid=u8gpl7s1kp1ft34cj8sjts8s42
I think it might have brought a wee bit more if it didn't have the pink it in. Personally, I don't like the ones with pink. I think it makes them look washed-out, like faded red and kinda girly. I like that mine is red, white and blue because a man or a woman might be interested in it. Well, a man might like the pink one just as much, but you know what I mean. ;)
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Well, I went into my antique room today because I was feeling so down. Lots of stress this week. Was gonna cozy up on the antique sofa, cover up with my precious coverlet and read antique books under candle light. Well, it is full of holes. BIG holes. I just sat there and cried. As if today couldn't get any worse. It must have been a mouse, although I have never seen a mouse or mouse poo anywhere in this house. I guess this is the first sign that summer is here and so is rodent season. Money and American history flying right out of the window. It was folded so neatly on the antique sofa, I didn't even notice it. I'm crushed and I don't think it can ever be repaired.
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Very sad, hosman. Mice are destructive little rodents. I had one chew through wood on the back of my garage cabinet on the wall and build its nest on the top shelf. Another nest in my wood scrap box and more mice coming in through the hole they chewed in the garage door bottom weatherseal. I got them all and haven't had one in the garage for a year. I still have traps out for the little monsters.
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I suspect they just got in within the past week or two because this is the first sign I have seen. And there wasn't any poo on the blankie, like they just took chunks of wool for a nest somewhere and went and hid. I have checked under the sinks and in the closets and can't find anything else that has been torn up. I guess I get to go buy a ton of traps and put them everywhere. I still can't believe it man. I don't even want to go look at it again or I'll scream. I showed that thing off to everyone. How can I ever display it or show it off now?
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Oh poor sweetie!! I wish you were closer I would give you a big hug right now!
I detest rats/mice (non-pet ones) and living in a redwood forest we have all kinds of transient critters that come and go under the house. Once some rats chewed all the way up through the floorboards and into a closet! They can be determined lil' buggers and up here they are big, about the size of small guinea pigs. *shudder*. Fortunately this summer we have a family of cats that has moved in.
Don't blame yourself Hosman, these kinds of things happen and I'm a firm believer that antiques should be out where they can be loved, gently used and appreciated, not locked away in where they never see the light of day. It's a tragic loss and I totally feel your pain sweetie. My suggestion would be to do what our ancestors did when the exact same thing would happen to them. Re-purpose it into something wonderful- maybe a pillow or a smaller lap blanket?
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Thank you tales. I keep blaming myself, I feel like I am supposed to protect these items and this is just heartbreaking. I will find a safe place for it and store it until I have money for a conservator. Maybe they can fix it. It's nice to have people here who understand how much it meant to me. Nobody else seems to get why I am even upset. :/
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So sorry Hosman ... but I'm with you on your last comment. Secure it, then go back to it when the initial shock has worn off, and maybe, just maybe, it won't seem quite so bad. If it can be repaired, then that is also what your ancestors would have attempted. New repairs always devalue antiques in many ways, but the older the repair, the more acceptable it becomes. In 100 years some expert on the AR will say ... 'Yes, it has been repaired, but sympathetically way back in the 20th -21st c but it's still a beautiful example of ....' ;)
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I agree mario. :)
It will never be "all original" again but maybe I can make it presentable again and it can be around for another century or two. I always expected one of the animals in this zoo would be the first to damage one of my antiques. Turns out that it was a pesky little rodent instead. :-\
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The good news is that the market for these old coverlets has come down a significant amount since I bought mine. If all goes well in court tomorrow (to see if husband gets his job back) then he said he'll buy me another one. Ebay has several right now and I have added them to my watch list to see what they go for so I can have an idea. Some really beautiful ones from the 1830's. I'll let ya'll know how it goes. ;)
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That is good news, but that old one might still have a lot of good years left.
I hadn't realised your husband was having problems with his work .. so hope all goes well there!!
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What a sweetie your hubby is! Best of luck on that. As far as the damaged quilt goes, would you like me to put you in touch with a friend of mine who is a textiles conservator at the DAR Museum in Washington DC? She could probably offer some suggestions for how to best stabilize the damage.
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Believe it or not...it could have been a moth that did this! IF there are not signs of droppings....I am betting that is the case. We used to own a cabin at Green Valley Lake, CA (by Big Bear & Lake Arrowhead) and this happened to a few items just like what happened to you. We first suspected mice and then found out it was hatching moths that come out every few years (not every year) and are only out at night!
If it is these moths you need to fumigate the room or they will spread over the years. They live in rafters, etc.
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KC - That was my thought too. I don't think mice are capable of spending anytime w/o leaving their poopy evidence. We've had a cool wet spring and now summer so I'll bet they will be out in droves this year...
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I don't think moths did it, they are big holes and I last looked at it about 2-3 weeks ago. Plus, all the stuffing fell out when I picked it up, don't moths eat the wool? Maybe there was poo and I didn't see it. Either way, I still haven't gone back in that room. Maybe I should though. :(
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You could always sprinkle flour on the floor with a tasty treat in the center. If you have footprints by morning...well, you have your answer :'(
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Oh, and thank tou tales, that would be great!