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He died while still serving in the legislator. At that time, news dispatches described him as "one of Mississippi's most powerful and most beloved political figures."
Death came to this native of Mississippi and leader in her legislative halls, at 8:30 a.m., on the date mentioned. A heart ailment with which he had been afflicted for several years, claimed the legislator. The state-at-large mourned the death of Mr. Woolfolk, and his name was on every lip.
At the time, The Clarion-Ledger, editorializing, described him as on of "Mississippi's most admired, respected and influential legislators and politicians."
He was best known over the state as chairman of the House appropriations, committee. Scrap Woolfolk had talents and qualities which eminently qualified him for the task of watching the taxpayer's pocketbook, and at the same time attending the best interests of the state itself.
"He believed in the wisdom and necessity of the balanced state budget." the late Thomas Hederman Sr. wrote of Mr. Woolfolk. "He also recognized the growth of the state's obligations and services, and the needs and dues of the dependent upon the state.
"In hard times, he voted to prune every essential appropriation to the absolute minimum, to protect the state's credit and the taxpayers. In better times, with the revenue structure yielding more money, he approved an obtained reasonably increased support appropriations to finance new or expanded services. In good times and bad, he insisted that appropriations be kept within anticipated revenues.
"As chairman of the appropriations committee, he was stubborn when he needed to be stubborn, but he was also courteous and fair." as the late Editor Henderman wrote of Mr. Woolfolk.
Known as an anti-bilbo man, Rep. Woolfolk won even the praise of the Sen. Theo G. Bilbo, during one heated political campaign, when Woolfolk's home county of Tunica, voted against the senator.
"We all know the folks there vote like one man," the late Sen. Bilbo, admitted.
Mr. Woolfolk first came to the Mississippi legislator in 1926, when he succeeded S.W. Owen s state senator from the 34th Senatorial district.
Born at Senatobia, Oct. 6, 1877, he was the son of a Confederate veteran.
His father, Joseph Woolfolk, a native of Alabama, lived at Senatobia and served as a lieutenant under General Wirt Adams in the Confederate Army, Mr. Woolfolk's mother was Sarah Ann (Gilmore) Woolfolk, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gilmore of Senatobia.
Rep. Woolfolk attended school at Senatobia and Jacksonville, Fla. and in 1899, he became a merchant planter in Tunica county. He was active in the public affairs of his country, serving as a member of the board of supervisors from 1910 and 1916, sheriff and tax collector from 1916 and 1920, a commissioner on the Yazoo and Mississippi Delta Levee Board from 1920 and 1924 an then went to the legislature as a senatar.
During World War I, he was chairman of the exemption board for Tunica county. He was a Democrat, Presbyterian, Scottish Rite Mason and a Shriner.
In 1920, at Memphis, he was married to Miss Burchet Peters, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William L. Peters of Senatobia. There were two children E.T. Jr., and Charles Ernest.
The stocky, dark-haired legislator was one of the more energetic men in the legislature and immediately rose to prominence s an able law-maker.
At his death, the Veterans of the Foreign Wars here, recognizing the great part he played in getting the new state office building appropriation of 1946, urged the State Building Commission to name the structure for Mr. Woolfolk.
His wife, who survives him, and two sons, are expected to be among those attending the dedicatory ceremonies here March 16.
An old friend an colleague, Senator John H. Culkin of Vicksburg, is chairman of the committee in charge of the ceremonies, which two other colleagues, Sen. Oscar Houston, of Tunica, and Rep. Tom Garrott, of Tunica, and Rep. Tom Garrott, of Tunica, are servicing as members of the committee also.