1st Lt. & Q.M. Joseph Vollor
Settled in Elgin, Ill's. in 1849.Enlisted at Lincoln's first call but the unknown company wasn't accepted.
From the Report of the Adjutant Genera of the State of Illinois
? Co. 42nd Ill. Vol. Inf.
Three Years Service
Douglas Brigade
Harker's Brigade
Newton's Division
Fourth Corps
Enlisted Aug. 1, 1861 as 4th Cpl.Home of record listed as Batavia, Ill's.
Mustered In Sept. 20, 1861.
Wounded in Action in the Foot and Right Elbow at Stone's River.
Re-enlisted Jan. 1, 1864 as a Veteran and paid a $300 Veteran's Bounty, then sent home on 30 days Veteran's Furlough.
Mustered Out Dec. 16, 1865.
Known actions;
New Madrid, Mo. Feb. 28, 1862
Island No. 10, Tenn. Feb. 28 - April 8, 1862
Siege of Corinth
Stone's River, Tenn. Dec. 31, 1862
Tullahoma, Tenn. June 24, 1863
Chickamauga, Ga. Sept. 20, 1863
Missionary Ridge, Ga. Nov. 25, 1863
Buzzard's Roost Gap, Ga. Feb. 25, 1864
Resaca, Ga. May 14, 1864
Peachtree Creek, Ga. July 24, 1864
Jonesboro, Ga. Aug. 31, 1864
Spring Hill, Tenn. Nov. 29, 1864
Franklin, Tenn. Nov. 30, 1864
Nashville, Tenn. Dec. 15, 1864
From the July 2006 issue of The Crackerbarrel, Pg. 6
Joseph Vollor
Visitors to our museum often smile when they wee the little display on Vollor chewing gum in the "Made in Elgin" exhibit. The story of the man who began the enterprise is most interesting because of the many hardships and disappointments he faced during his life.Joseph Vollor was born in Toronto Canada in 1836. His father owned and operated a ship on Lake Ontario. His mother died when he was eleven and after his father moved his family to Batavia, Illinois, his father died. Joseph was only fifteen. He was raised by a farmer who promised to send him to school for three months each winter so his education was minimal. When his teacher told him he would have to speak a piece on Friday afternoon, he packed up his books and left the school at noon for good.
Joseph caught the gold fever in 1859 and set off for California with a group of friends. He had spent all the money he had saved on a team and wagon which he bought for the journey. They had been on their way for only a short time when they began meeting half-starved people coming back with the news there was no gold there, so Joseph turned back and went home "busted" as he put it.
He worked a farm on shares for a year and saved $400 to go to business school. He spent $200 to start his classes and put the rest in a bank. The bank failed and he lost his money.
He joined the 42nd Illinois Infantry in 1861 and saw much fighting and experienced many hardships during the campaign at Murfreesboro. Rebel cavalry had destroyed their supplies and they had to face cold rain without tents or food. Joseph was hit in the elbow but stayed with his unit although he couldn't use his arm for three weeks. After fighting in the battle of Chickamauga, the 42nd was hold up in and around Chattanooga on short rations and in danger of starvation. General Grant ordered that Chattanooga be held at all costs and was reported that 10,000 mules and horses starved to death during that long campaign.
After the war Joseph returned to Batavia and began a wholesale business in Chicago. He met and married Martha Waldron who was the sister of Dunbar Waldron of Elgin and the daughter of A. J. Waldron. Joseph and Martha lived in the large Waldron home known as "Grandview" with E. Dunbar and his family. The beautiful home on a hill between Channing anbd Gifford is now gone and has been replaced by nice new homes during the past year or so. Joseph and E. Dunbar began many business ventures together including wood ware and novelties. One of Joseph's business ventures was establishing and managing a chewing gum factory at Dexter and Douglas. After several moves, they settled into an old shoe factory at Slade and Prospect. They specialized in packaging gum with picture cards and annual production reached 30 million pieces. Too heavy an inventory of old card made their gum hard to sell when styles changed and they went bankrupt in 1890.
Joseph Vollor died at aged 81 in Florida in 1918.
From the Post #49 Files
Joined Elgin GAR Veteran's Post #49 Aug. 10, 1883.
From the 1900 Census
Name - Joseph Vollor
Aged - 63 Years
Born - Canada
Home in 1900 - Elgin, Kane Co., Ill.
Obit; Jan. 21, 1918 issue The Elgin Daily Courier.
Joseph Vollor, well known civil war veteran and for many years a prominent Elgin business man, died at Seabreeze, Fla., yesterday morning following an illness extending over several months.
He was stricken with bronchial pneumonia last October and never fully recovered. Members of his family sent him to Florida in the hope that he could rebuild his health.
Mr. Vollor retired from active business nearly thirty years ago. For many years, he conducted a large gum manufacturing business in this city.
Following the war, he was an active member of the G.A.R. and other veteran associations and was honored with offices in many of these organizations. He made his home with his daughter, Miss Helen Vollor, 169 South Channing street.
Mr. Vollor was born in Toronto, Canada, October 12, 1836, the son of Joseph and Ellen Vollor. For twenty years his father owned and operated a vessel on Lake Ontario, and for several years carried passengers between Toronto and Rochester, N. Y.
Mrs. Vollor died at Milwaukee in 1847, and Mr. Vollor at Batavia in 1851.
Joseph Vollor spent the first ten years of his life in Toronto and then accompanied his parents to Milwaukee. After living there eighteen months, the family removed to Chicago and six months later to Batavia.
Upon the death of his father, Mr. Vollor was taken by Spencer Johnson, a farmer, who was to keep him until he was 21 years of age. The understanding was that he was to attend school three months each year and when he became of age was to be given $100 and two suits of clothes.
In 1859, he was taken with Pike's Peak fever and with his hard earned savings invested in teams, provisions and the outfit necessary for digging gold, full of hope and with big letters "Pike's Peak or Bust" on his wagon cover, started out. He did not get half way before thousands were met coming back footsore and hungry and he and his companion had to join the procession and return. When the outfit was disposed of, he had but little left of his seven years savings and felt that he was "busted".
At the outbreak of the Civil War, Mr. Vollor was residing in Batavia and enlisted under the first call for troops but the company was not accepted. He enlisted twice afterwards, and was finally mustered in August 1, 1861, as fourth corporal, Company I, Forty Second Illinois, Infantry. In September, the regiment proceeded to St. Louis and for a time was quartered in Benton Barracks.
From there, they went to Jefferson City and then started on a tramp for Springfield, Mo., to meet the rebel army under Price. During the first winter of the war, they were at Farmer City, patrolling railroads.
In the spring, they went to Fort Holt, Kentucky, and then to Columbus, Kentucky, being the first company to enter the city April 1, 1862, the company was present at the taking of Island Number 10 with 6,500 rebel prisoners, 7,000 small arms and 100 pieces of artillery.
The they participated in the siege of Corinth. The flag of the Forty Second was the first to float over Corinth after the rebels left. They followed the rebels to Rienzel and were then ordered to Cortland, Alabama, remaining until September 8, 1862. From there, they marched to Nashville, Tenn., having a skirmish with rebel cavalry on the way. Mr. Vollor was one of the first to reach Nashville.
On December 26, 1862, the winter campaign toward Murfreesboro was started. Continual rains made it one of continual hardship. December 30, Mr. Vollor's regiment was flanked by the rebels and driven back. During the retreat, Mr. Vollor was hit on the foot by a spent bullet, and also on the right elbow, his gun dropping from his hand.
He narrowly escaped capture on account of stopping to recover his gin. Altho unable to use his arm for a week, he remained with his company. Three galls passed thru his clothing during the battle. His name was placed on the Roll of Honor of the Army of the Cumberland for meritorious service and he was promoted to quartermaster sergeant of the regiment.
Following this, Mr. Vollor sent thru great hardship at the battle of Chicamauga and later, he being with the army which defeated Chattanooga with only light provisions.
On January 1, 1864, Mr. Vollor with others in his company re-enlisted for three years. He put himself down as a private. The Forty-second then participated in the Sherman's Army campaign to Atlanta, taking in the following engagements: Rocky Face Ridge, Resaca, Adairsville, New Hope Church, Pine Mountain, Peach Tree Creek, Siege of Atlanta, Jonesboro and Lovejoy Station.
During this campaign, Mr. Vollor's superior recommended for a lieutenancy, but the commission was not granted. Several times, he had narrow escapes from death. Following the surrender of Lee, he was sent to Texas and later to Nashville and finally mustered out December 16, 1865.
After the war, Mr. Vollor returned to Batavia and was employed as a bookkeeper in a wholesale house in Chicago. Later, he went into the wholesale wood ware, cordage and notion business and was cleaned out by the fire of 1871. In 1872, he went to Portland, Maine, and was there two and one-half years. He then returned to Elgin and for many years did an extensive business as a manufacturer of chewing gum.
In 1868, Mr. Vollor married Miss Martha C. Waldron, a daughter of Andrew J. and Caliata S. (Smith) Waldron.
Since casting his first vote for John C. Fremont-first candidate of the Republican party for the presidency- Mr. Vollor was an unwavering G.O.P. He was one of the most prominent members of Veteran Post 49, G.A.R.; serving four years as quartermaster, two years as junior vice-commander and three years as commander. He was also a member of the Loyal League; president of the Veteran Illinois Veterans association. He served on the staff of Commander-in-Chief Adams and on the staff of three different department commanders.
He is survived by a sister, Miss Ellen Vollor of Batavia; a daughter, Miss Helen Vollor of this city, and a son, D. W. Vollor of this city.
The remains will be brought to Elgin in the spring for burial.
Interred at - Bluff City Cemetery in Elgin, Ill.
Location - Lot 18, Section 2
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| Used with permission Dan Mallett |
Many members of Post #49 sewed watch faces to their ribbons to show they were from Elgin.
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