Maudie Hopkins
Encyclopedia
Maudie Hopkins was an American
woman believed to be the last publicly-known surviving widow of a Civil War
veteran.
Born as Maudie Cecilia Acklin in Baxter County, Arkansas
, she married William M. Cantrell (aged 86) on February 2, 1934, when she was 19. Cantrell had enlisted in the Confederate States Army
at age 16 in Pikeville, Kentucky
, and served in General Samuel G. French's Battalion of the Virginia Infantry. He was captured in 1863, and was part of a prisoner exchange
. He had had a previous wife, who died in 1929.
Cantrell supported her with a pension
of US$25 every two or three months, and she inherited his home in 1937. She received no further pension benefits after his death. She remarried later in 1937, and twice thereafter, and had three children.
It was not especially uncommon for young women in Arkansas to marry Confederate pensioners; in 1937 the state passed a law stating that women who married Civil War veterans would not be eligible for a widow's pension
. The law was later changed in 1939 to state that widows born after 1870 were not eligible for pensions. Hopkins generally kept her first marriage a secret, fearing that the resulting gossip (of marrying a much older man) would damage her reputation.
After researching records from Arkansas and United States Census Bureau
data, Hopkins was certified by various historical organizations, most notably the United Daughters of the Confederacy
. A spokeswoman for the UDC, Martha Boltz, has said that there may be two other widows, one in Tennessee
and another in North Carolina
, but if they are still alive, they choose to remain in anonymity.
Maudie Hopkins died on August 17, 2008 in a nursing home in Lexa, Arkansas
, aged 93.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
woman believed to be the last publicly-known surviving widow of a Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
veteran.
Born as Maudie Cecilia Acklin in Baxter County, Arkansas
Baxter County, Arkansas
Baxter County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. It is in the northern part of the state, and shares a border with Missouri. It is commonly referred to as the Twin Lakes Area because it is bordered by two of Arkansas' largest lakes, Bull Shoals Lake and Norfork Lake...
, she married William M. Cantrell (aged 86) on February 2, 1934, when she was 19. Cantrell had enlisted in the Confederate States Army
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
at age 16 in Pikeville, Kentucky
Pikeville, Kentucky
Pikeville is a city in Pike County, Kentucky. The population was 6,903 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Pike County.-History:On March 25, 1822, the county's government officials decided to build a new county seat named Liberty, one and one-half mile below the mouth of the Russell Fork...
, and served in General Samuel G. French's Battalion of the Virginia Infantry. He was captured in 1863, and was part of a prisoner exchange
Prisoner exchange
A prisoner exchange or prisoner swap is a deal between opposing sides in a conflict to release prisoners. These may be prisoners of war, spies, hostages, etc...
. He had had a previous wife, who died in 1929.
Cantrell supported her with a pension
Pension
In general, a pension is an arrangement to provide people with an income when they are no longer earning a regular income from employment. Pensions should not be confused with severance pay; the former is paid in regular installments, while the latter is paid in one lump sum.The terms retirement...
of US$25 every two or three months, and she inherited his home in 1937. She received no further pension benefits after his death. She remarried later in 1937, and twice thereafter, and had three children.
It was not especially uncommon for young women in Arkansas to marry Confederate pensioners; in 1937 the state passed a law stating that women who married Civil War veterans would not be eligible for a widow's pension
Widow's pension
A widow's pension is a payment from the government of a country to a person whose spouse has died.Generally, such payments are made to a widow whose late spouse has satisfied the country's requirements, including contribution, cohabitation, and length of marriage.-United States:In the United...
. The law was later changed in 1939 to state that widows born after 1870 were not eligible for pensions. Hopkins generally kept her first marriage a secret, fearing that the resulting gossip (of marrying a much older man) would damage her reputation.
After researching records from Arkansas and United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
data, Hopkins was certified by various historical organizations, most notably the United Daughters of the Confederacy
United Daughters of the Confederacy
The United Daughters of the Confederacy is a women's heritage association dedicated to honoring the memory of those who served in the military and died in service to the Confederate States of America . UDC began as the National Association of the Daughters of the Confederacy, organized in 1894 by...
. A spokeswoman for the UDC, Martha Boltz, has said that there may be two other widows, one in Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
and another in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, but if they are still alive, they choose to remain in anonymity.
Maudie Hopkins died on August 17, 2008 in a nursing home in Lexa, Arkansas
Lexa, Arkansas
Lexa is a city in Phillips County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 331 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Lexa is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
, aged 93.
See also
- Alberta MartinAlberta MartinAlberta Martin was once believed to be the last living widow of a Confederate soldier. This has been contradicted by Maudie Hopkins, but Mrs...
— one of the last known Confederate war widows, died 2004 - Gertrude JanewayGertrude JanewayGertrude Janeway was the last known widow of a Union Civil War veteran. She married John Janeway, an officer in the 14th Illinois cavalry, in 1927 when she was 18 and he 81. They lived together in a log cabin in Blaine, Tennessee until John Janeway's death in 1937 . Gertrude continued to live in...
— last UnionUnion (American Civil War)During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
widow, died 2003
External links
- Meet Maudie Hopkins CivilWarNews.com
- Infoplease article: Last Civil War Widows