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sturnus-vulgaris OP t1_iwefd5m wrote

American Civil War, but I didn't want to alter the title.

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gener4 t1_iwegu73 wrote

Since your source is broken the math for this to work has to be pretty fucked.

The war ended in 1865 and let’s say the guy was only 15 at the end of the war thus born in 1850. If he married a 25 year old at the age of 70 in 1920, SHE would still have been 100 at her death.

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kozmonyet t1_iweh3s3 wrote

If you want to get into some catty shit, look into civil war pension applications from Mormon wives from plural marriages. After they had to break up, the wives tended to all apply for the benefit when only a single one was eligible--so they'd submit some really bitchy stuff to try and keep the other ex wives from winning the prize.

I've seen a bunch of letters to the pension office from my own ancestors as well as some from another "plural marriage" family and talk about "mean girls" in real life...

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Yanoku t1_iweh4vi wrote

Where does that put Betty White?

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Jaded_Prompt_15 t1_iwehfsn wrote

Replying to gener4 (#531,292)

> The war ended in 1865 and let’s say the guy was only 15 at the end of the war thus born in 1850. If he married a 25 year old at the age of 70 in 1920, SHE would still have been 100 at her death.

She was like 17 and his caretaker while he was on his deathbed.

They got married in name only right before he died because there wouldn't have been any work for her.

I don't even think there was a priest, but he wrote something in the family bible saying they were married and back then that was good enough.

So she got a widow's pension until the day she died.

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sturnus-vulgaris OP t1_iwehp3o wrote

Since the link seems to be broken for some, here is the important part:

>People Magazine recently reported the last known surviving Civil War widow veteran died December 16, 2020 at 101 in Marshfield, Missouri. Helen Viola Jackson, at age 17, married 93-year-old widower James Bolin. He fought for the Union Army in Missouri during the Civil War which ended in 1865.

>Amazing as that sounds, Mrs. Jackson shared a logical reason why a 17-year-old would marry a man 76 years her senior.

>According to People Magazine, she was one of ten children growing up during the depression and money was scarce. She met Mr. Bolin at her family church. Her father realized James Bolin needed care, so he volunteered his daughter to assist Mr. Bolin with household chores.

>Eventually, James suggested that they marry. His rationale was that he had no money to pay for his much-needed care and if married, she could receive a military survivor’s pension after his death. So they quietly married at his home on September 4, 1936. Out of respect for Mr. Bolin, she kept her marriage secret from most people and continued to use her maiden name and live with her parents. After his death, she never claimed the pension in fear of her reputation and accusations of taking advantage of an elderly man.

>However, according to her minister, in the final three years of her life, Helen decided to embrace her place in history as the last Civil War widow. Well-wishers began sending her cards and letters. She was honored by several Civil War organizations. She was even bestowed a spot on the Marshfield, Missouri’s Walk of Fame in 2018 by the town’s Cherry Blossom Festival committee.

>Four Civil War Widows Lived During the 21st Century

>Four known Civil War widows lived to see the current millennium. Gertrude Janeway, Alberta Martin, Maudie Hopkins and Helen Viola Jackson. They were all born in the 1900s, all married between the ages of 17 and 21 to veterans between the ages of 81 and 93. These marriages occurred due to the possibility of receiving pensions as dependents of Civil War veterans. Some of these unions were in name only, while others lived together as married couples

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BerzerkerJr82 t1_iweio4a wrote

The title sounds like her husband died in the civil war, but she married a civil war veteran (76 years her senior)

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Alternative_Sort_404 t1_iwevypv wrote

And we care why? Esp after reading the ‘explanation’ too… ? Clickbait

−3

NetDork t1_iwew219 wrote

What blows my mind is that the last US civil way veterans died when my parents were alive.

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SaborW t1_iwf0o3u wrote

Replying to j4ckalop3 (#531,342)

It's really not that yikes-y. We are talking the Great Depression era after all, and she was basically voluntold by her father to help care for the old dying man, in return since he had no money to pay her, they could get married and she could claim his benefits from being in the civil war. During that time, that amount of money could be everything to someone. They kept the marriage a secret, didn't live together, and to my knowledge she never even bothered taking advantage of the benefits after he died

There are still 12 states in the US where there is NO minimum age for marriage, and most states are okay with 17 and under. All requiring parental consent obviously. Now that's pretty yikes

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LinearFluid t1_iwf2j9g wrote

I counted 5 TIL of this same topic before this one. Another few posts in different subs.

This should go the way of the widow.

0

KolechkaMikhailov t1_iwf2xzr wrote

I’m sure the future widows of the next one are alive right now.

1

RevengencerAlf t1_iwf8t7l wrote

Replying to Jaded_Prompt_15 (#531,335)

What I've read is that she never claimed the pension and she didn't openly acknowledge it until very late in her life for fear of people jumping to the rather obvious (but in this case incorrect) conclusion.

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sturnus-vulgaris OP t1_iwfati2 wrote

Replying to LinearFluid (#532,661)

Do you mean this comment?

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/yvefw4/til_52_submarines_and_3500_men_are_lost_at_sea/iweeug5?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share&context=3

I wrote that and then wondered when the last widow died (because that was a child of a veteran). So I kept reading. I learned something-- so here we are.

The sub is "Today I learned." I learned something, so I posted it.

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moonlightpeas t1_iwfj3he wrote

Hopefully she wasnt there when josie rode in and shot the last red leg

1

DL_22 t1_iwflfob wrote

Replying to gener4 (#531,292)

If you want something a little juicier than this good deed, John Tyler was President 1841-1845 and he has a grandson still living. He just turned 94.

1

karkonthemighty t1_iwfvzgf wrote

It's wild to think in the 1930s there were still Civil War veterans around. Considering how far back the Civil War 'feels', that's when my grandparents were alive.

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ST616 t1_iwg3ssb wrote

In 2004 it was thought that the last widow of a US Civil War veteran had died, then they found another one. When she died in 2008, it was thought that she was the last one. Then they found yet another one and she died in 2020. It's not impossible that there are still living widows who haven't been publicly identified.

The marriage took place in 1936. The last known veteran didn't die until 20 years later. In many states it was (and still is) legal for 13 year old girls to marry as long as they have parental permission.

It's possible (albeit unlikely) that there is a widow who won't celebrate her 100th birthday for another decade or two.

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HPmoni t1_iwhljef wrote

Replying to kozmonyet (#531,314)

Polygamy was literally illegal. I assume they were trying to call the other "wives" whores or mistresses.

The first wife is the wife.

Pretty sure not many Mormon civil war veterans. Most were in Utah territory.

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uwpxwpal t1_ix6nc6w wrote

If the marriage wasn't consummated, was it really a marriage?

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