Miriam Polock Wolf was the daughter of Rebecca and Hyman Polock. Her parents, both born in Amsterdam, married in London and raised their family in Philadelphia, including Miriam’s siblings Moses Polock and Isabella Polock Rosenbach. Her father was a jeweler and a Jewish communal leader—an original member of the Hebrew Society for Visitation of Sick and Mutual Assistance in 1813 and a founder Hebrew Education Society.

In 1844 Miriam married Abraham Simon Wolf. Born in Charlottesville, Virginia, Wolf had clerked for several firms before becoming a partner in the dry goods company and subsequently in a clothing company. He next found success in land speculation and was elected president of the Locust Gap Coal Company, a position he held until the company was purchased by the Reading. Railroad. Like his father-in-law, Wolf was active in Jewish communal life and charities. He was a member of congregation Mikveh Israel and replaced Hyman Gratz as the synagogue’s treasurer in 1856. He was an early member of the Hebrew Charity Association and served as president of the Hebrew Education Society from 1854 until 1862 and of the Hebrew Hospital Association from 1871 to 1878.

Although they had no children, Abraham’s name was passed on to their nephew, Abraham Simon Wolf Rosenbach, the great antiquarian, bibliophile and scholar.