Benjamin DeWolf was a businessman and political figure in Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...

. He represented Hants County in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly

Nova Scotia House of Assembly

The Nova Scotia Legislature, consisting of Her Majesty The Queen represented by the Lieutenant Governor and the House of Assembly, is the legislative branch of the provincial government of Nova Scotia, Canada...

 from 1783 to 1798.

He was born in Lyme, Connecticut

Lyme, Connecticut

Lyme is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 2,016 at the 2000 census. Lyme and its neighboring town Old Lyme are the namesake for Lyme disease.-Geography:...

, the son of Simeon DeWolf and Parnell Kirkland. In 1769, he married Rachel Otis. DeWolf had received a number of large land grants near Windsor

Windsor, Nova Scotia

Windsor is a town located in Hants County, Mainland Nova Scotia at the junction of the Avon and St. Croix Rivers. It is the largest community in western Hants County with a 2001 population of 3,779 and was at one time the shire town of the county. The region encompassing present day Windsor was...

. In 1788, he was named a justice of the peace

Justice of the Peace

A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...

. DeWolf served as high sheriff for Hants County

Hants County, Nova Scotia

Hants County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia which was the home of Thomas Chandler Haliburton, Alden Nowlan and Noel Doiron. The county of Hants was created June 17, 1781, and consisted of the townships of Windsor, Falmouth and Newport...

. DeWolf is said to have given his slaves their freedom but they chose to remain in his employ.

His daughter Rachel Otis married James Fraser

James Fraser (businessman)

James Fraser was a Scottish-born businessman, judge and political figure in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. He represented Northumberland County in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick from 1795 to 1818....

who served in the New Brunswick assembly and the Nova Scotia Council.