Multnomah County OR Archives Biographies.....Wolfe, Adolphe  May 5, 1848 - 
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Ila L. Wakley iwakley@msn.com August 29, 2010, 10:55 pm

Source: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. III, Published 1928, Pages 571 - 573
Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company

     ADOLPHE WOLFE.  Among Portland's residents whose lives have conferred 
honor and dignity upon the city and whose personal characteristics have 
established them high in the regard and esteem of their fellowmen Adolphe 
Wolfe is numbered. To few is extended the cordial friendship and kindly good 
will that is accorded him, and because of his long connection with the 
commercial interests of the city his name is inseparably interwoven with 
Portland's annals.

     Mr. Wolfe was born in Hohengollern, Hechingen, Germany, May 5, 1848, a 
son of Gaetz and Sarah (Lipman) Wolfe. His parents, realizing the importance 
of thorough educational training, gave him the benefit of excellent 
instruction and after attending the Kaiserliche Realschule he continued his 
studies in a commercial school. About that time events occurred that drew his 
attention to the new world. His uncle, the late Solomon Lipman, founder of the 
firm of Lipman Wolfe & Company of Portland, visited Europe and, returning to 
America, was joined by Adolphe Wolfe, who arrived in San Francisco after a 
thirty days' sea voyage from New York, making the trip in that manner as there 
was no railway connection then between the Atlantic and Pacific. Since 1863 
Mr. Wolfe has been continuously connected with the Pacific coast country. From 
San Francisco he went to Sacramento, then a great distributing point for the 
various mining districts in northern California. In the capital city the first 
store of the Lipman Wolfe Company was established seventy-eight years ago. 
Even at that early day Mr. Lipman visioned the time when he might open other 
stores in other cities and he worked to that end. The firm became interested 
in a large San Francisco store and also established a branch store in Napa, 
California. At the time of the great mining excitement, when the discovery of 
the Comstock lode was drawing great numbers of people to Virginia City, 
Nevada, Mr. Lipman visited that district, recognized its trade possibilities 
and telegraphed for his nephew, Mr. Wolfe, to start for the new mining camp. 
Thus came into existence another branch store of the firm, of which he was 
placed in control although then but nineteen years of age. It was a typical 
mining district, but there are many who have felt that mining camps were 
composed only of a lawless element. While such was true to a degree, there 
were also people of the highest type — men and women of liberal culture and of 
broad capabilities. The leading newspaper of Virginia City, called the Daily 
Enterprise, had as its editors and personnel such men as Mark Twain, San De 
Quilla, Lou Goodwin and Joe Goodman, who was the owner of the paper, and with 
all of these Mr. Wolfe had a close acquaintance, meeting them almost daily, as 
the newspaper office was situated just across the street from his store. Among 
the residents of Virginia City at that time were also Senator Jones, Senator 
Sharron and Senator Fair, and in the town were some of the eminent mining 
engineers not only of the east but of foreign lands as well. Another 
outstanding figure was the multimillionaire, John Mackey, whom Mr. Wolfe 
described as "one of the best of men, to whom no one ever appealed in vain, 
who in a quiet way did more good, was more helpful and generous than any man I 
ever had the privilege of knowing and I knew him intimately, met him nearly 
every day but never importuned him to give me any tip, for strange to say, I 
was about the only citizen who never speculated or owned a share of mining 
stock." A warm friendship sprang up between Mr. Mackey and Mr. Wolfe and on 
the former's visit to Portland, as the Lipman Wolfe store was closed all day, 
it being a holiday, he delayed his departure until evening in order to spend 
an hour with Mr. Wolfe. Association with such people naturally had much to do 
in influencing the course and the ideals of the young merchant in this mining 
town, and all the time he was gaining knowledge of business conditions in 
America and of the opportunities here offered.

     In 1876 Mr. Wolfe returned on a visit to his native land but after a year 
again took up his abode in Virginia City. Here he gave demonstration of the 
keen business insight which has always characterized him. He felt intuitively 
that the future would bring a noticeable change in business conditions here 
and deemed it wise that his firm should withdraw from the field. Accordingly 
he went to California that he might discuss the situation with his uncle, Mr. 
Lipman, and their business associates. His uncle did not agree with him, 
feeling that his opinion was premature, and so Mr. Wolfe determined to return 
and give the matter further consideration. About a month later, however, Mr. 
Lipman, who must have been impressed by the arguments of Mr. Wolfe, sent for 
him to meet him in general conference in Sacramento. On his arrival Mr. Lipman 
informed Mr. Wolfe that he had just an hour's time in which to catch the train 
for San Francisco and there take the next steamer for Portland, Oregon, which 
was leaving the following morning. At that time Portland was to him only a 
name of a vague place, quite distant, and when asking what he was to do there 
he received the answer: "To look over the field for another branch store since 
Virginia City isn't big enough for you." The minutes passed rapidly, but ere 
the hour had elapsed Mr. Wolfe decided to follow the course marked out for him 
and Portland thereby received one of its most valued citizens.

     It was a far different Portland from the city of today — small buildings, 
unpaved streets and seemingly few advantages. It was February, 1880, and the 
streets were in a chaotic condition following a severe storm. At the landing 
Mr. Wolfe was met by Mr. White, a retired merchant, who introduced him to 
Henry Failing, C. H. Lewis, H. W. Corbett, William S. Ladd and other of 
Portland's leading men of that day. On his first day in the city Mr. Wolfe saw 
at the corner of First and Washington streets the small store of Clark, 
Henderson & Cook, which was then poorly managed but which occupied what Mr. 
Wolfe regarded as a most advantageous corner. The following day he offered to 
purchase the business and the offer was accepted. He immediately left to 
purchase a complete new stock and in due course of time the new branch store 
of Lipman Wolfe & Company was doing business, enjoying a constantly increasing 
patronage. The growth of their trade necessitated a removal and they found a 
new home in the Dekum building at Third and Washington streets. Even up to 
that time there was no such an institution as a department store either in 
Portland or on the Pacific coast. Some years later this building, too, proved 
inadequate to the needs of the house of Lipman Wolfe & Company and a most 
attractive department store building was erected at the corner of Fifth and 
Washington streets. With the passing years a most progressive and modern 
department store was developed — a store that would be a credit to any city in 
the country — and back of the enterprise has been the progressive spirit, the 
determination and the laudable ambition of Adolphe Wolfe, honored by all not 
only for his success but for the straightforward policy that he has ever 
followed, making the firm name a synonym for all that is commendable in 
commercial activity. To found and develop an enterprise of this character 
would alone entitle him to representation as one of Portland's foremost 
citizens, but other interests have also been successfully promoted by him and 
he is today the vice president of the Oregon Life Insurance Company, of which 
he was one of the founders. He was also vice president and a director of the 
Lewis and Clark exposition and his cooperation has been a salient feature in 
the development of many projects which have been of direct benefit to city and 
state.

     Mr. Wolfe was married to Miss Sadie Wendel, of Piqua, Ohio. He has long 
occupied a most prominent social position and he has been particularly 
prominent among those of his own race. He is an honorary member of the 
executive committee of the Union of Hebrew Congregations, has been president 
of Temple Beth Israel for twenty-three years and is a past president of the 
Independent Order of B'nai B'rith of Portland. He was also one of the founders 
and is the treasurer of the Oregon Social Hygiene Society, is the first vice 
president of the Portland Junior Symphony Orchestra, is honorary vice 
president of the Portland Council of the Boy Scouts of America and a member of 
the executive committee of the Neighborhood House. He was also a member of the 
executive committee of the National Retail Dry Goods Association. He is a 
trustee of the Hebrew Benevolent Society and is constantly extending a helping 
hand where aid is needed. He belongs to the German Aid Society, the National 
Economic League and the Playground Association of America and is a life member 
of both the Portland Art Association and the United States Flag Association. 
In Masonry he has attained the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite and 
is a Mystic Shriner, and he has membership in the Lang Syne Society, the 
Concordia Club, of which he was formerly president, the Tualatin Country Club 
and the Masonic Club and the Men's Temple Club. Mr. Wolfe is still active in 
business at the age of eighty years and he is also active along various lines 
which make for progress and development. On the occasion of his eightieth 
birthday, from his pastor, Rabbi Henry J. Berkowitz of Congregation Beth 
Israel, he received a letter which said in part: "I share with the entire city 
of Portland the feeling of intense joy and thanksgiving that God has been good 
to you in crowning you with the blessing of four score years. We are very 
proud of you, Mr. Wolfe. Yours has been a consecrated life. The terrible blows 
which Life has dealt you have forged out a glorious character that is a 
precious example in the sight of all men. Your career is a testimonial to the 
power of Judaism to sustain and beautify a human life, and in you our beloved 
patriarchs have found reincarnation. One of the privileges of my Portland 
ministry has been the opportunity to come under your influence, and I assure 
you that I am a better man for it. Please accept the sincere congratulations 
of myself and my dear wife, with the hope that the loving God whose spirit has 
ever been resident in your heart, will bless you with many more years of 
health and joy." The sentiments herein conveyed were the expression of the 
opinion of many of Mr. Wolfe's fellow townsmen. All through the years, 
notwithstanding his success, he has remained an unassuming gentleman, free 
from ostentation and display, his high position being that accorded in 
recognition of true worth of character.

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