Wacky Obit of the Day
Gertrude Janeway, 93, Is Dead;
Last Widow of a Union Soldier
. . . She lived for more than six decades after the death of the man she called the love of her life, John Janeway, who married her when he was 81 and she was barely 18.
The whole priceless obituary can be found at the New York Times. Reminds one of Gurganus's Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All, don't it?
Damn but I seem these days to be alert to everything that smacks of the Civil War or the South. Must have something to do with the fact that I'm reading James McPherson's outstanding Battle Cry of Freedom, Volume 6 of the Oxford History of the United States and the winner of the Pulitzer Prize in History in 1989. Have reached page 400 and it's an eye-opener. I'll try to post some excerpts.
Update: my friend Lee points me to this story yesterday from WMBB-TV in Panama City, Florida:
Last Known Confederate Widow Celebrates
DOTHAN, Ala. -- In 1927 at the age of 21, Alberta Martin married into history.
Today she is the last-known widow of a Confederate veteran and any American Civil War veteran. The 96-year-old Coffee County native was a special guest Monday at the annual banquet held by the Sons of Confederate Veterans in honor of the birthdays of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee and Gen. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. . . .
Damn, but I love the part about the annual banquet for the brithdays of Lee and Jackson. Those Sons of Confederate Veterans are so lucky to have that kind of time on their hands.
9:07:28 PM 
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