Scope and Content Note
The papers of John Jacob Wolfe (1903-1990) and Esther Blum Wolfe (1909-1999) span the years 1929-2012. Although the papers touch on their entire married lives, the major portion of the collection pertains to their experiences while living in China and India in the 1930s and 1940s while John worked as a dentist and surgeon and served as a medical officer during World War II.
A chronological run of correspondence comprises the largest portion of the collection, and it consists primarily of letters that Esther wrote to her family from China and India and those that John (nickname, Jack) wrote to Esther (nickname, Jill) while he was serving as a medical officer with the United States Tenth Air Force. Esther’s letters contain details about her daily life in China and India. Their writings provide additional accounts of their experiences, including their interactions with Ganga Singh, Maharaja of Bikaner, and his family. John’s wartime journal chronicles his thoughts about his service in the China-Burma-India Theater. Additional writings by their daughter, Meera Wolfe (called Judy, Julia, and Meera at various times in her life), provide additional insights into her parents and her life with them.
Other material includes a file of material pertaining to their friend, Duci di Belatini Hadzsy, a Hungarian sculptor who was the official court painter for the Maharaja of Bikaner.