California Biographies

Source: History of Fresno County, California, with biographical sketches of 
the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with 
its growth and development from the early days to the present (1919)

History By Paul E. Vandor 
Illustrated, Complete In Two Volumes 
Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1919
 
Notes: Missing+page1185-1186

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives 
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm


PETER J. WOLF.� As a horticulturist and viticulturist Peter J. Wolf 
is doing his share toward increasing the value of Fresno County real estate. 

Air. Wolf was born in Chenoa, Ill., on September 26, 1881, and is the 
son of Jacob and Annie (Fredericks) Wolf. His parents came to San Fran- 
cisco in 1887, and after sojourning there for three or four years removed to 
Fresno County with their family, where the father was employed on a vine- 
yard in West Park for a time, lie afterwards homesteaded 160 acres on the 
West Side, sixteen miles south of Mendota, and engaged in farming and stock- 
raising until he proved up on his homestead. He then located in Empire 
Colony, leased land owned by the Bank of California and was engaged in 
raising grain and as an orchardist and vineyardist. Later he purchased 100 
acres of the place he was leasing and turned his attention to horticulture and 
viticulture, and assisted by his sons, made a success of the vocation, setting 
out about fifty acres of vines. He was one of the trustees of the Empire 
school district. He finally disposed of his interests and located in Fresno 
where he died in 1910, aged about fifty-six years. His wife also died in Fresno 
in 1908. Of their seven children six are living: Peter J. is the eldest; George 
is a rancher on the old home place ; Dan is a rancher on Madera Avenue ; 
Annie is Mrs. Hayes, and resides in Sebastopol, Cal. ; Josephine is Mrs. 
Vought of Fresno ; and Jacob, who entered the United States Army in 
October, 1917, and was assigned to the Regulars, went overseas in December, 
1917, and is now in the Army of Occupation. 

Peter J. was reared in California and educated in the public schools of 
Fresno city and county. From a youth he assisted his father on the farm. 
When twenty-two he bought twenty acres on Shields Avenue in Empire 
Colony and engaged in orchard and vineyard culture and in raising alfalfa. 
In 1910 he sold the twenty acres and purchased a place of forty acres, at 
seventy-five dollars per acre, located on Thompson and Shields Avenue. He 
improved the place, built a residence, set out an apricot and peach orchard 
and a vineyard; later he purchased twenty acres adjoining his place, paying 
$200 an acre for the property. He set it to Thompson seedless vines. In the 
summer of 1918 he sold this sixty acres at a good profit and then purchased 
twenty acres, paying $250 an acre, adjoining his other eighty on the south. 
This he has improved with a fine residence. In 1916 he purchased forty acres 
across the road from his former place, paying $125 per acre for it. It cost 
him sixty-five dollars an acre to level the land and get it in shape. This is 
also well improved and is still owned by Mr. Wolf. In 1917 he purchased 
two twenty-acre pieces adjoining his forty, paying $125 an acre for one of the 
pieces and $200 an acre for the other, and this property he is improving for 
vineyard and orchard. He is one of the oldest settlers in the neighborhood, 
and served one term as trustee of the Empire school district. In his political 
views he is a Democrat. He is a member of the California Peach Growers, 
Inc., and has been a member of the California Associated Raisin Company 
ever since it was first organized. 

Mr. Wolf was married on October 21, 1903, to Miss Etta Price, born in 
Texas, and there educated and they have eight children : Goldie, Leona, 
Viola, Vernon, Lorene, Bernice, Raymond and Opal.