“History of York County Pennsylvania” Volume I
By GEORGE R. PROWELL Curator and Librarian of Historical Society of York County;
Member of the National Geographic Society; Member of the American Historical
Association Chicago J. H. BEERS & CO. 1907 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2009
with funding from University of Pittsburgh Library System
http://www.archive.org/details/historyofyorkcou01prow
The Village of Mt. Wolf
Mt. Wolf, nestling in a little valley, a half mile northeast of Manchester Borough, has
become a center of trade and industry. Being situated in a fertile agricultural region and
having recently received an industrial boom, the future prosperity of Mt Wolf is assured. The
first post office in this vicinity was established in 1850 and was named Mt. Campbell in
honor of John Campbell, a prominent lawyer of York, who was identified with Thomas C.
Hambly of York and others in the construction of the railroad from York to Harrisburg
completed in 1851.
Mt Wolf is seven miles from York and the grade of the railroad from this place to the
"summit." one mile to the south is fifty feet to the mile. Two years after the railroad was
completed from York to Harrisburg. Adam Wolf & Sons opened a store and also began the
purchase of wheat, coal and lumber. The business was conducted by this firm, until 1863.
When William Wolf, the youngest son of Adam Wolf, was elected sheriff of York County,
and removed to York, where he died, before his term of office had expired. Adam Wolf
retired from business, when the mercantile and business interests of this place were continued
by George H. Wolf, until his death in 1900. Since that time the same business has been
carried on by his two sons. Henry and George A. Wolf, under the firm name of George H.
Wolf & Sons. For many years George H. Wolf Co., of which John Wogan was a partner,
purchased large quantities of tobacco, raised in this vicinity. The flouring mill, a short
distance north of the town is now run on the roller process plan, and owned by the
Kochenour Brothers.
Mt. Wolf was known as a village and railway station for a dozen years before it was regularly
laid out in 1867 by Samuel Hoff a prominent citizen of the town. Daniel M. Ettinger of York
made a survey of thirty acres and laid it off into 165 lots. The population in 1907 was 350.
Three industrial establishments have recently been founded. In November 1899, the Mt.
Wolf Furniture Company was incorporated with a capital of $18,000. The entire stock was
purchased by citizens of the town. Henry Wolf was chosen president of the company; A. H.
Diehl, secretary; J. G. Kunkle, treasurer; George A. Wolf, William D. Linebaugh, I. Parke
Wogan, J. M. Rodes, with the officers composed the board of directors. This company has
done an extensive business in the manufacture of sideboards, which have found a ready sale.
About eighty workmen are regularly employed in the three-story building used as a factory.
The Pennsylvania Wire Cloth Company erected a factory 180x90 feet with an annex of
60x90 feet in the year 1905. They began operations with C. L. Hoff, president ; W. H.
Ottemiller, vice-president; Henry Wolf, treasurer ; George A. Wolf, secretary. These,
together with W. S. Schroll, M. G. King and H. L. Eichinger form the board of directors.
The Mt. Wolf Shirt Company was organized November 29, 1899, by Henry Wolf, George A.
Wolf and C. H. Hummelbaugh. About thirty hands are employed.
The grist mill a short distance north of the village was built in 1813 by John Rodes, a
Mennonite preacher. It subsequently passed into the hands of John Gross, George Mathias
and J.M. Rodes. In 1820. Christian Rodes built a fulling mill, a short distance above Mt.
Wolf and for many years manufactured woolen cloths for the neighboring farmers. It was
later owned by Zebulon Rodes, a grandson.
The name Mt. Wolf originated in 1852 when the post office was removed from Mt.
Campbell, half a mile down the railroad to the store of Adam Wolf and Sons. George H.
Wolf was the postmaster for a period of thirty years continuously, except during the
administration of President Johnston when Andrew Bongey held the appointment. The
postmasters of recent date in order of succession have been Jacob Nes and Henry D. Hoff.
The Church of the United Brethren in Christ was erected in 1870, under the direction of
Henry Hoff, Sr., John Spahr and Samuel Bear, as the building committee. Including the bell,
it cost $2,800. It was dedicated the same year by Rev. William B. Raber. The pastors have
been W. H. Craumer, S. T. Wallace, George W. Beatty, Alexander Tripner, A. H. Rice, I. H.
Albright, Thomas Garland, A. H. Shank, W. H. Shearer, J. W. Housman, D. W. Solenberger.
M. J. Hebberly, E. H. Hummelbaugh. J. E. B. Rice, H. L. Eichinger, A. B. Mower.
The York Haven Street Railway Company extended its line from Manchester Borough to Mt.
Wolf in March 1903.