Biographies:  Victor WOLF (#1), Eau Claire, Eau Claire Co., WI 

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VICTOR WOLF, who had the longest military record of any man in the Chippewa
valley, and who for fifty-two years was a resident of Eau Claire, was born 
in Obendorf, Baden Baden, Germany, December 28, 1824, the son of George and 
Margaret (Haas) Wolf, both natives of Germany.  In 1847 Captain Wolf came to
the United States and upon landing in New York he learned of the Mexican war,
and his ancestors having been warriors, the soldier element asserted itself
in him and on February 23, 1847, he enlisted in the United States Army in
New York City, expecting to go at once to the field of action, but instead
he was ordered to Governor's Island, where he did duty until 1850.  During 
the Seminole war he was sent to Florida as second in command of 400 recruits.
He was assigned to Company H, Fourth Artillery, and fought there in the 
swamps and at Key West.  At the expiration of this term of service he 
re-enlisted for another term of five years.  In 1852 he returned to New York
and was sent to Fort Niagara, and in 1854 was transferred to Oswego and 
remained there until 1856, and was discharged with a pension on account of
injuries sustained in mounting guns at Fort Ontario.  During his ten years
of service he served as sergeant four years.

In 1848 he married Miss Ann McLaughlin and to them were born seven children,
as follows: Elizabeth, wife of E. M. Harrigan; John C.; Cecelia, wife of 
Edward Larson; Ada, deceased wife of Louis Schmidt; George; William J., and 
Lilly, wife of Joseph Figlmiller.  After leaving the regular army Mr. Wolf
became general manager of Ex-Governor Tallmadge's large farms at Fond du Lac,
Wis., and in 1858 he came to Eau Claire, built him a home and engaged in 
teaming.  He opened a stone quarry and in the winter did freighting between
Eau Claire and Sparta.

When the civil war broke out he drilled a company of recruits and on July 17,
1861, enlisted in Company C, Eighth Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry,
and in August following was elected first lieutenant of this, the famous
Eagle company of the Eagle regiment.  They left Eau Claire for the front in
September, 1861, and in May, 1862, he was promoted to captain of the company.
This company was selected as the color company of the regiment, and they
carried "Old Abe," the American war eagle, through the war, which soared 
over the regiment in many a bloody fray and was with the command in nearly
every action in which they participated, about twenty-two battles and sixty
skirmishes.  On September 26, 1864, "Old Abe" was presented to the state of
Wisconsin, being given to Governor Lewis in person by Captain Wolf at Madison.
Among the important engagements in which he took part were Frederickstown,
Farmington, siege of Corinth, Burnsville, Corinth, Tallahatchee, Fourteen-
mile Creek, Mississippi Springs, Jackson, Vicksburg, Brownsville, Fort Scurey,
Fort de Russy, Henderson Hill, Grand Ecore, Pleasant Hill, Machitoches, Cane
River, Clontierville, Bayou Rapids, Bayou Roberts, Simsport and others.  He
was honorably discharged from the service at Madison April 1, 1865, by 
special order from the war department.
	
On his return to Eau Claire he resumed his teaming business, which he 
continued until 1872, when he was elected first chief of police of the city,
serving in that capacity until 1877.  In 1880 he engaged in the livery 
business, which he conducted for several years.  Her served as town treasurer
of North Eau Claire for two years, was chairman of the town board of 
supervisors, road master, served for nine years as district clerk and was
alderman of the city for two years.  His certainly was an eventful life, and 
at the time of his death, January 21, 1910, at the age of 85 years, he was
a member of the Catholic church and Eagle Post, No. 52, G. A. R., and held
the honor of having named the war eagle "Old Abe" after Abraham Lincoln.

--Taken from "The History of Eau Claire County, 1914, Past & Present",
pages 904 - 906