H.P. Wolfe, humanist and entrepreneur and brother, Robert Frederick Wolfe, were long involved in the development of Columbus in character and economic growth. As cofounder of the Wolfe Bros Shoe Company in 1895, and as publisher of the Ohio State Journal (1903) and The Columbus Dispatch (1905), the Wolfe brothers battled for the civic welfare of Columbus citizens, exposing graft and corruption without regard to personal strife.
Through his efforts, H.P. Wolfe was in the creation and development of the Columbus Zoo, which now ranks as one of the finest in the United States.
Remembering his poor beginning, Wolfe was ever mindful of those less fortunate and was known for his financial generosity to organizations involved in childcare.