Civil war pensions. If you need records, we will gopher you. Menu If you need records, we will gopher you. The Last Widow’s Pension The last widow of a Civil War veteran was not entitled to his pension. Applies to: Union Pensions During Reconstruction and thereafter, former Confederate states had even less money to devote to the pension system so they were likewise suspicious of any attempt to abuse it. Much has been written about the recent (16 Dec 2020) passing of Helen Viola Jackson, the last known widow of a Union Civil War veteran.
But not only did the widow not apply for his pension – she was not entitled to it and, with some notable exceptions, the supposed “common practice” was largely a myth. The U.S. government always intended to provide ongoing support for Union veterans and, upon their death, their widows (and other dependents) who were left in financial hardship. Starting in 1862, the U.S. James Brolin’s pension index card. In 1920, the cutoff date for the marriage was moved to 27 Jun 1905. Follow Us: