Wulf, H. F. G.

The following data is extracted from A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans.

H. F. G. Wulf though a native of Germany grew up in Kansas, and had had a long and varied and successful experience as a farmer, merchant, and business man. His present home is at Humboldt, where he is president of the Monarch Cement Company.

His abilities were called upon to reorganize that local industry. Judge Thomas C. Wilson, of the District Court, First Division, Sedgwick County, appointed him July 10, 1912, as receiver. The plant had become heavily involved, but Mr. Wulf soon had it reorganized, and in addition to paying every creditor a hundred cents on the dollar soon had the concern on a money making basis. He not only reorganized the plant and paid off its debts, but did not squeeze out a single stockholder who had any actual cash investment. The offices and plants are situated a half mile south of Humboldt. The Monarch Cement Company had a capacity of 2,000 barrels a day, and from 100 to 125 men are employed in the industry.

Mr. Wulf was born in Steyerberg in the Kingdom of Hanover, Germany, November 20, 1871. His people were high class Germans. His grandfather, Frederick Wulf, was born in Steyerberg in 1805, served his regular term as a German soldier, and in 1885 immigrated to America, following other members of the family, and died the next year at Cheney, Kansas. He was a shoemaker by trade.

Henry G. Wulf, father of the Humboldt business man, was born at Steyerberg, Hanover, in 1847. He grew up and married in Germany and was also a shoemaker by trade. In 1885 he brought his family to the United States, spending a brief time in Furnas County, Nebraska, but in the fall of the same year locating in Kingman County, Kansas. From there he removed to Garden Plain, where he followed his trade for several years and also engaged in farming. He is now living on his farm near Garden Plain in Sedgwick County retired. After coming to America he took up party connection with the democrats and had regularly voted that ticket. He is a member of the Lutheran Church. He married Annie Wilker, who was born in Hanover, Germany, in 1848. They are the parents of several very capable sons. The oldest is H. F. G. Wulf. Otto, the second in age, is a hardware and implement merchant at Cheney, Kansas. William lives on a farm north of Cheney. Carl L. is in the hardware and implement business at Garden Plain. Minnie is the wife of George Achelpohl, a farmer near Argonia, Kansas. Ben is a farmer near Hayesville, Kansas. Edward E., formerly assistant cashier in the bank at Cheney, is now active representative for the Wulf Brothers in their real estate holdings in Texas. Dick, the youngest of the family, is still on the home farm.

H. F. G. Wulf attended the public schools at Steyersberg, Germany, and afterwards gained acquaintance with the English language in the schools of Kingman and Sedgwick counties, Kansas. At the age of twenty-one he started out for himself, spending one year as a farmer in Sedgwick County. He next became clerk in a hardware store at Garden Plain, and put in four years with the Roembach Brothers. At the end of that time he acquired a half interest in the business along with his brother Otto, and the firm thus reorganized went on prosperously for two years. The brothers then bought out the Roembach brothers and took in as a partner A. S. Heusel, changing the name to Wulf and Heusel. They also bought the business of John I. Saunders & Company at Cheney, Kansas, and continued the business there for five years. A. S. Heusel finally sold his share in the business to the Wulf brothers, and the firm had since remained Wulf Brothers, though with the admission of a junior member, Carl L. Wulf. This is one of the largest hardware firms in this section of the state.

H. F. G. Wulf continued in active partnership in the business until his appointment as receiver of the Monarch Cement Company at Humboldt. He is also president of the State Bank of Garden Plain, and had some important farming interests in Sedgwick County and owned a home at Garden Plain.

In politics he is independent. He served as a member of the school board at Garden Plain, and also a member of the council. He is a member of the Lutheran Church.

On September 6, 1896, at Garden Plain, Mr. Wulf married Miss Amalia Aehlert, daughter of Robert and Minnie (Engert) Aehlert. Her parents live at Cheney, Kansas, her father being a retired farmer. Mr. and Mrs. Wulf have four children: Martha, who is a graduate of the Humboldt High School and is now in the first year of the course in the University of Kansas; Walter, a junior in the Humboldt High School; Robert and Amanda, both in the grammar schools of Humboldt.

Source: A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans

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