Draft:John DeWolf (1779–1872)

Capt. John DeWolf (D'Wolf, in some sources; 1779–1872) was an American seafarer. grandson of Mark Anthony DeWolf through his son Simon DeWolf. He was also known as John DeWolf II and "Norwest John". After many years exploring the coast of Alaska and the Northwest on the board of the ship Juno, he crossed the Pacific Ocean, then Siberia all way to St. Petersburg, Russia, by land, becoming the first American who crossed Asia. He captured this 1804–1807 expedition in his 1861 book A Voyage to the North Pacific and a Journey through Siberia More Than Half a Century Ago.

Born in Bristol, Rhode Island. "John D'Wolf was an American from Bristol, Rhode Island, where he was born in 1779 and died in 1872. As a sea captain he sailed in 1806 to Alaska, but sold his ship there to Dr. Langsdorff in order to be free the next year to continue his voyage via Asia and return by land, crossing Siberia and Europe."

"The Phoenix... gives an account of Captain John D'Wolf who died at the residence of his son in law Mr. Samuel Downer, Dorchester, Mass., on the 8th instant, aged ninety-two years. He was born in this town in 1780, and was the son of Samuel DeWolf, and grandson of Mark Anthony DeWolf.

His father followed the seas and died when John was quite young. The latter received his education in the private schools of our town at that time. He early commenced a seafaring life end of the age of 24 commanded the ship Juno, from this port on that celebrated voyage to the northwest coast, returning here in 1808. The net proceeds of that voyage was over $90,000. He made several other successful voyages to Russia and other foreign ports and retired from the sea about the year 1828, after which he followed the business of agriculture, on a farm near Mount Hope. He moved to Roxbury, Massachusetts, about the year 1840 and continued to reside in that vicinity until his death. A few weeks before his decease he stricken with paralysis from which he not recover."

D'Wolf married Mary Melville, aunt of author Herman Melville.