James Bolin's Wives: Elizabeth Davenport Bolin

Of course, his last wife became the country's Last Civil War Widow as far as we know.

From the James Bolin Find-A-Grave site.

His first wife, ELIZABETH DAVENPORT BOLIN

1842-1922   Married 1868

BORN:   27 December 1842, in Alexander, Morgan County, Illinois

DEATH:  24 March 1922,  Niangua, Webster County, Missouri

BURIAL:  Niangua Cemetery  (Also known as Freewill Baptist Church Cemetery.

James Bolin, Helen Jackson's Husband (The Last Civil War Widow)-- Part 1

From Find-A-Grave.

PVT. JAMES BOLIN

BIRTH:  23 March 1843, Tennessee

DEATH:  18 June 1939, Nianagua, Webster County, Missouri

BURIAL:  Niangua Cemetery, Niangua, Missouri

14th Missouri Cavalry

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SPOUSES

ELIZABETH DAVENPORT BOLIN

HELEN VIOLA JACKSON BOLIN

He and Elizabeth had six children.  Three are buried at Niangua Cemetery in Missouri.  One is buried in California, one in Kansas and one in Nebraska.

--Old Secesh

David H. Budlong-- Part 2: On to Missouri, Idaho and Montana and GAR and Woman's Relief Corps (His Wife)

From the 1894 Journal of the Grand Army of the Republic.

David H. Budlong from Couer d' Alene, Idaho.

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Montana Territory  1885

David H. Budlong  from Cooke in Gallatin County.  Notary Public

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Report of U.S. Secretary of the Treasury  1882

David H. Budlong, 5th Missouri District had collected $15,454. 84.

$145,571.72   1881

He must have left Missouri in 1882 which is why his collection was lower.  Bryan S. Langston was also listed in 1882 with the 5th Missouri District and he collected $138,281.62

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From the Journal of the Annual Convention of the Woman's Relief Corps National Convention 1893.

1893, Mattie B. Budlong of the C.C. McReynolds Corps of Couer d' Alene, Idaho, named president.  Installed by David H. Budlong.  (White Corps)

--Old Secesh

About That Confederate Woman's Home-- Part 5: Serving Widows and Wives of Honorably Discharged Confederate Soldiers

From the Texas State Historical Association.

Opened in 1908 to take care of the wives and widows of former Confederate soldiers who had been honorably discharged.  Many of these women were related to men who were in the Texas Confederate Home in Austin.

Residents were required to be at least 60 years of age and have no means of support.

At its opening on June 3, 1908, three women were admitted to it, by 1909, 16 women called it home.  But by 1911, the expenses were too much for the UDC and it was deeded to the state.  At the time, residents numbered 18.

In 1913, a two-story addition was added which included 24 new bedrooms. and then a brick hospital was constructed to care for the increasing number of ailing residents.  From 1920 to 1935, the place housed between eighty and 110 residents any given year.

By the late 1930s, new admissions to the home were decreasing and most of the surviving residents were in poor health.  From 1938 to 1945, the population fell from eighty-seven to just fifty-five.  In 1949, the building fell under the control of the State Hospitals and Special Schools.

During the late 1950s, the nine remaining residents were housed in one wing and in 1963, the three remains women were moved into private nursing homes at state expense and the facility closed.  The state sold the property in 1986.

During the course of its run to take care of Confederate wives and widows, the home cared for 3,400 indigent women.  It was popular with the Austin community and many events took place there.

--Old Secesh

About That Confederate Woman's Home in Texas-- Part 2: Too Take Care of Indigent Confederate Widows and Wives

 "The Confederate Men's Home began in Austin  in 1884 and the Albert Sidney Johnston Chapter #105 of the Texas Division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) made visits, brought gifts, food and clothing to the veterans .  Under the leadership of President Katie  Daffan, the Texas UDC began coordination and fundraising to  secure a home for needy Confederate wives and widows through dinners, events, concerts and individual donations.

The Texas UDC  purchased property and constructed a Richardson  Romanesque revival style structure.  In addition to several bedrooms and bathrooms, the home featured a parlor, a dining area and a hospital.  UDC chapters from all over the state donated furnishings for the home.

Due to the cost to maintain the home, the UDC transferred the home to the State of Texas on Dec. 23, 1911.  An annex was built that doubled the size and increased the capacity and a hospital was erected in 1916.  The state legislature established the Board of Control to operate the home in 1920.

And then in 19, responsibility transferred to the Board for Texas State Hospitals and Special Schools.

This home provided  for more than 3,400 indigent wives and widows of Confederate veterans and operated  until 1963 when the last residents were transferred to private nursing homes."

So, Does This Historical Marker Sound A Lot Like White Supremacist To You?  But, WAIT!!  --Old Secesh

Sure Was Nice to Get Together With Civil War Folk Again-- Part 4: Stephen Douglas' Connection to Rose O'Neal Greenhow

Stephen Douglas' first wife, Martha,  died in 1853.  In 1856, he remarried, this time to 20-year-old Adele Cutts who was 23 years younger than him.  She was a Southern woman from Washington, D.C. and daughter of James Madison Cutts, a nephew of former president James Madison. and Ellen O'Neal, , a nice of Rose O'Neil Greenhow, who went on to fame during the Civil War.

Adele had been raised as a Catholic and with Stephen's permission, had his two sons from his first marriage baptized Catholic and raised in that faith.

--Old Secesh

More On Oliver Dart Jr.-- Part 2: A Short, But Intense Military Career

Sometime between 1858 and 1859, he married  the 18/18 year-old Emily Goodrich.  The two settled on a small farm near the Dart family homestead.  Their marriage, however, only lasted until 1860 when Emily died.

He remarried shortly afterwards to Maria Symonds, whose brother John served with Oliver in the 14th Connecticut, whose eyes were temporarily blinded by the same piece of shell that hit Oliver in the face at the Battle of Fredericksburg.

MILITARY SERVICE

At age 23, Oliver Dart enlisted on August 1, 1862, in Company D of the 14th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry.  Also in Company D were his cousin Charles E. Dart (Color Sergeant) and his brother-in-law John Symonds (Corporal).

Oliver Dart's military service was relatively short, however, but he did participate in the bloodiest day of the war, at the Battle of Antietam.  Then, it was duty at Harper's Ferry, Reconnaissance at Charlestown, Advance up Loudon Valley,  movement to Falmouth and then the Battle of Fredericksburg.

On December 13, 1862, the 14th Connecticut crossed over the river on a pontoon bridge and began marching through the town.  This is where they came under a tremendous fire from Confederate artillery which led to the mangling of Oliver's face.

--Old Secesh

Mangled By a Shell-- Part 4: Suffered From Wound the Rest of His Life

In December 1863, Oliver Dart filed for a government pension and was approved, initially receiving $8 a month.

In 1869, he married his third wife, Aurelia Barber and they had three children.

In an attempt to cover up his grievous war wound, he grew a bushy beard and mustache.

A postwar account noted:  "In time he recovered though the wound was always visible and in later years his mind was somewhat affected, undoubtedly due  to the shock and the suffering caused from the injury.

Life for Dart remained a near-constant struggle until he was struck down with a case of consumption in the summer of 1879.  He was only 40 years old when he died on August 11, 1879 and is buried in Elmwood Cemetery in Vernon, Connecticut, next to his first wife Emily, who died in 1860 and Aurelia.

--Old Secesh

Death of Gen. William H.L. Wallace-- Part 2: Found Alive the Next Day, Meets Wife

A Federal counterattack on April 7th turned the tide at the Battle of Shiloh and the Confederates were driven from the field.  The Union had won.

About 9 a.m., that morning, a Union soldier found William Wallace where he had been left.  Incredibly, despite the severe head wound and the fact that he had lain outside in heavy rains,. Wallace was still alive.  He was placed aboard a river steamer and taken to Cherry Mansion, general Grant's headquarters in Savannah.

Also on board that transport was the general's wife, Ann Wallace.    She had arrived for a surprise visit just prior to the battle, but the two had not gotten together.  She had been told already that her husband was dead and was elated to see him still alive.

The gravely wounded general recognized her and was able to speak with difficulty.  She cared for him and he seemed to be getting better.

Kind of a Coincidence That His Wife Would Be There.  --Old Secesh

Women and Wives the Topic for McHenry County Civil War Round Table Discussion Saturday

I'll be going to the McHenry County Civil War Round Table discussion group meeting tomorrow at Panera Bread in Crystal Lake, Illinois on Northwest Highway (US-14).

The topic will be women and wives during the war.

I intend to look up some of my old blog entries on the subject.

--Old Secesh