Along with trading in slaves, DeWolf invested in sugar and coffee plantations in Cuba and became the wealthiest man in his state.

[1] James DeWolf went to sea at an early age, shipping as a sailor on a private armed vessel during the late years of the American Revolutionary War.

[3] He was alleged to have directed the murder of a female African slave in 1789 who was sick with smallpox on the ship Polly, which he commanded; after having been treated to the best of the crew's knowledge, she was bound to a chair and lowered overboard.

[3][4] In 1795 DeWolf testified about the case in court in Saint Thomas, West Indies, with no one present to oppose his testimony; the Danish judge ruled in his favor.

[3] With wealth gained from the trade, James DeWolf also bought and operated three sugar and coffee plantations in Cuba.

[2] At this time, DeWolf also became a pioneer in cotton textile manufacturing, which expanded rapidly in New England.

[7][8] The textile mills of New England relied on cotton cultivated by slaves throughout the Deep South and shipped to the North.

DeWolf became active in politics and highly influential in the new state during the decades of the Federal period.

[9] DeWolf died in New York City in 1837 at the age of 73, thought to be a millionaire and the second-wealthiest man in the United States.

His body was returned to Rhode Island, and he was buried in the DeWolf private cemetery on Woodlawn Avenue in Bristol.

[3] This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress