Levi DeWolf was a Quaker who regularly climbed Juniper Hill to read his bible. His family farm is now the present day Juniper Hill Cemetery. Levi’s daughter, Abbey DeWolf, who was his executor, secured the original 22 acres from Levi’s heirs, for the cemetery in 1856, and the cemetery corporation that owns it, was chartered in 1864.

Quaker Levi was portrayed as someone who went on one slaving voyage, was sickened by the entire business of it, and retired to his family farm (present-day Juniper Hill Cemetery) to grow his onions.

Further research revealed that perhaps “Quaker Levi” was not quite as offended by the filthy lucre that slaving brought, finding evidence that while his involvement was a shadow of his brother James’, he nonetheless participated in at least 10 voyages, and continued to act as an agent for his brothers long after. Presented with the evidence, a dismayed descendant with a collection of Levi’s letters said “When I saw all those references to cargo, I assumed he was talking about onions.


Source:
Charles D'Wolf of Guadaloupe, his ancestors and descendants, being a complete genealogy of the "Rhode Island D'Wolfs,"... by Calbraith Bourn Perry, pub. Higginson Books Co., 1902, p. 127

Juniper Hill was incorporated in 1856. Deeds were signed in 1855 by Abigail DeWolf and other family members. Levi participated and oversaw the entire slaving operation while his brother James DeWolf was in exile trying to beat a murder charge for throwing a sick black women of one of his ships while tied to a chair. Levi was not a Quaker. This was a lie to relieve family members and other Bristolians of guilt for the trade that was practiced continuously after being outlawed in the US. See the book, James DeWolf and the Rhode Island Slave Trade which debunks these myths. “www.historypress.net
Copyright © 2014 by Cynthia Mestad Johnson
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Excerpt From: Cynthia Mestad Johnson. “James DeWolf and the Rhode Island Slave Trade.” Apple Books.