Armstrong County PA Archives Biographies.....Nolf, Henry Gum ???? - ????
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Doris Rizza djrizz@westol.com May 20, 2025, 4:32 pm

Source: History of Jefferson County Pennsylvania 1888 page 632
Author: Unknown

Henry Gum Nolf, son of John Nolf. ran away from home when 
twelve years old traveling on foot to Clarion County where 
he settled among the indians at the mouth of Town run.  This 
adventurous beginning to his career was quite typical of his 
character energetic, self-reliant, fearless, enterprising; 
in short he had the very traits most necessary to a 
successful fight for existence in the wild region he chose. 

 "The county was full of wild game, especially wolves, 
bears, and deer, which naturally attracted hunters, and Mr. 
Geist relates the following incidents:  "Among other hunters 
who came into the region were Henry Nolf, from Clarion 
County, where New Bethehem now stands, and Lewis Doverspike. 
they were hunting in the northern part of Ringold township, 
and wounded a bear, which attacked Mr. Nolf and would have 
killed him had not his cries brought Doverspike to his 
assistance.  The latter found that the bear had Nolf down, 
and was tearing away at him in a terrible manner with teeth 
and claws.  He tried to shoot the animal, but his gun missed 
fire, and he then punched the bear in the ribs with his gun, 
causing it to leave Nolf and take after him.  It chased 
Doverspike around a tree several times before he succeeded 
in getting a shot at it.   After killing the bear he went to 
Nolf's assistance, and found him so badly wounded that he 
begged Doverspike to kill him and put him out of his misery. 
This, of course, Doverspike refused to do but being a 
remarkable strong man he picked Nolf up and carried him 
three miles to a house, from where he was removed to his 
home, and finally recovered from his wounds.   Several years 
after he was again hunting in the southern part of the 
township, where he and his son George had erected a small 
shanty to stay in at night.  One evening Mr. Nolf went to 
cut down a tree for fire wood and the tree splitting at the 
butt, snapped off, falling upon and killing him instantly.  
When his son discovered what had befallen his father, he had 
to go some three miles before he could get help and a team 
to take the body home.  They then had to summon men from the 
Dutch Settlement, near Redbank Creek, to hold an inquest: 
and a party started with a jug of whisky, and the same night 
held an inquest, and then started for Milliron's, the 
nearest neighbor's house; but on the road they lost the 
body, it having rolled out of the sled into the snow.  When 
they discovered the loss, one of the party remarked that he 
expected he (Nolf) was on a deer's track.  They found him, 
however, by the side of the road and took him home."

Additional Comments:
John, Casper, George, and Adam were brothers.

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