Although the Civil War seems like distant history for many Americans, the last recipient of the Civil War pension only passed away last week, according to reports by multiple media sources.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Irene Triplett passed away at the age of 90 in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. Multiple sources confirm that Triplett was the last surviving recipient of veteran pensions that have been given out because of the Civil War.
Irene’s father, Moses, married her mother when he was 78 and his wife just 28. Moses was a deserter from the Confederate army who later went on to join the Union. By the time Irene was born, Moses was already 83 years old.
Although it seems absurd that a 28 year old would marry someone 50 years her senior, historians explain that these kinds of marriages were very common among young American women after the war ended. This was because they knew they will receive a widow’s pension, along with securing a lifetime pension for their children.
Since her birth, the Wilkes-Journal Patriot reports that Irene has received just over $73 each month from the government. In other words, the US government has been paying pensions for veterans of the civil war and their families for 155 years until last week.
The rather incredulous story gathered quite some attention online. For example, Federal Communications Commission chairman Ajit Pai shared the report by the WSJ on his twitter account and sent his regards to Triplett’s family.
Relics and new stories about the biggest military conflict that took place in the US continues to resurface although more than a century has passed since the Union armies emerged victorious over their Confederate foes.
For instance, an artillery shell that was used during the War was found in Charleston in February 2020. The Secretary of Defense announced that they sent their explosive experts to dismantle and remove the shell from the historic downtown area.
Cannonballs, gravestones and even the physical remains of soldiers have been unearthed until recent years. Even bigger relics, such as a sunken warship that was utilized by the Confederate forces, were only recently excavated and studied by experts.
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Replaced!