People

Nicholas Wolaver

Nicholas Wolaver was a resident of Dundee, Illinois, who served in the American Civil War as a member of the Fifteenth Illinois Infantry Regiment. He is notable for his role as Drum Major on the Non-Commissioned Staff, a position he reportedly attained after beginning his service as a private in Company F of the same regiment.

Known Activities

According to the History of Kane County, Ill. (Joslyn, 1908), Wolaver enlisted from Dundee and served initially as a Private in Company F of the Fifteenth Illinois Infantry Regiment. He was subsequently transferred to the Non-Commissioned Staff, where he served as Drum Major. (Source: History of Kane County, Ill., Vol. 1 (Joslyn, 1908))

The Drum Major role placed Wolaver within the regimental band or musical corps, responsible for leading and coordinating the regiment's field music. Such positions were considered non-combat but were essential to unit coordination and morale during the Civil War era.

Wolaver appears to have had a family connection to fellow Dundee soldier James Wollaver, who served as a Private in Company F of the same regiment and was discharged on August 13, 1861. The shared surname and overlapping unit assignment suggest the two men were likely relatives, though the precise relationship is not confirmed by the available source. Note that the 1908 history records the surname with variant spellings — "Wolaver" and "Wollaver" — for what may be the same family or the same individual in different entries. (Source: History of Kane County, Ill., Vol. 1 (Joslyn, 1908))

Timeline

DateEvent
1861–1865 (approx.)Serves in the American Civil War with the Fifteenth Illinois Infantry Regiment, from Dundee, Illinois
Date unknownEnlisted as Private, Company F, Fifteenth Infantry Regiment
Date unknownTransferred to Non-Commissioned Staff; designated Drum Major
No specific enlistment, discharge, or muster-out dates are recorded for Nicholas Wolaver in the available source.

Sources