Home » Law & Government » Government » The last US Civil War Widow died in 2020. The practice of a young woman marrying an older man for his Civil War pension as a dependent was common practice in the early 20th century

The last US Civil War Widow died in 2020. The practice of a young woman marrying an older man for his Civil War pension as a dependent was common practice in the early 20th century

American Civil War widows who survived into the 21st century

William Cantrell and his wife Maudie (later Hopkins) in 1936. Their ages, about 88 and 21.

At least four widows of veterans of the American Civil War are known to have survived into the 21st century. All were born in the 20th century and married their husbands while the women were still young and the men were in advanced age. This practice was not uncommon at the time 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.

List of Civil War widows who survived into the 21st century

Name

Birth

Death

After the

Civil War

Marriage

Age at

marriage

Husband

State

Name

Birth

De… Continue Reading (6 minute read)

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