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
Since he was 93 at the time of his marriage, and she was 17, then she went on to live until 101 herself – a full 155 years AFTER the Civil War ended.
In 1936, in the midst of the Great Depression, she married 93-year-old James Bolin (1843–1939), who had served in the 14th Missouri Cavalry. Jackson was 17. She met him when her father volunteered her to help the elderly Bolin with basic chores. With no other means to repay her kindness, Bolin offered to marry Jackson so she would become eligible to receive his pension after he died. Similar marriages had occurred before.
Jackson and Bolin were married outside his home in Niangua, Missouri. Following the marriage, the couple never made their marriage public, fearing damage to Jackson’s reputation. She continued to live with her parents. Following Bolin’s death, three years later, Jackson decided against applying for the $73.13 monthly pension after Bolin’s daughters threatened to ruin her reputation.
