American History

eppur_se_muova

(37,665 posts) Wed Jan 20, 2021, 03:02 PM Jan 2021

Last Known Surviving Widow of a Civil War Veteran Dies at 101 in Missouri

At just 17, Helen Viola Jackson married 93-year-old widower James Bolin, who she had been providing daily care for

By Joelle Goldstein January 05, 2021 02:18 PM

Helen Viola Jackson, the last known widow of a Civil War soldier, has died. She was 101.

Jackson's death was confirmed in a statement by the Missouri Cherry Blossom Festival, which revealed that she died on Dec. 16 at Webco Manor Nursing Home in Marshfield, Missouri, where she had been living for many years.
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At the time, Jackson had been providing daily care for Bolin, a widower who served as a private in the 14th Missouri Cavalry through the Civil War.

Because the war veteran "did not believe in accepting charity," he asked Jackson "for her hand in marriage as a way to provide for her future," according to the statement.
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more: https://people.com/human-interest/last-known-widow-of-civil-war-veteran-helen-jackson-dies/

4 replies

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Last Known Surviving Widow of a Civil War Veteran Dies at 101 in Missouri (Original Post) eppur_se_muova Jan 2021 OP

Again? Dream Girl Jan 2021 #1

something doesn't work with the math. getagrip_already Jan 2021 #2

Her husband was born in or around 1843. They married in 1936, when he was 93 and she was 17. Celerity Jan 2021 #3

She didn't file for his pension though because she didn't want to be known as a gold digger. hedda_foil Jan 2021 #4

Dream Girl

(5,111 posts)

1. Again?

Reply to eppur_se_muova (Original post)

Wed Jan 20, 2021, 03:07 PM

Jan 2021

getagrip_already

(17,549 posts)

2. something doesn't work with the math.

Reply to eppur_se_muova (Original post)

Wed Jan 20, 2021, 03:37 PM

Jan 2021

The civil war ended in 1865. Ok, so some was 15 when the war ended. that means he was born in 1850.

His widow was 101, so she was born in 1919.

Her husband would have been 69 the day she was born. So he would have had to marry a 15 y.o. girl when he was 84.

Possible I guess, if she was a gold digger and he was rich. But she sure as shit wasn't his nurse in the war.......

Celerity

(46,866 posts)

3. Her husband was born in or around 1843. They married in 1936, when he was 93 and she was 17.

Reply to getagrip_already (Reply #2)

Wed Jan 20, 2021, 04:00 PM

Jan 2021

She was his nurse during the Great Depression. He had no extra money to pay, so they married, as she would then get his Union pension (from the war) after he died as his way of paying for her care of him.

hedda_foil

(16,519 posts)

4. She didn't file for his pension though because she didn't want to be known as a gold digger.

Reply to Celerity (Reply #3)

Thu Jan 21, 2021, 12:49 AM

Jan 2021

She was a sweet farm girl who continued to live at her parents' home throughout their "marriage" and didn't disclose it to many people.

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