Megan's Civil War Story

Until recently, there were two surviving widows of veterans of the Civil War.  Gertrude Grubb Janeway, Age 93, was the last known  widow of a Union soilder. She had married John Janeway when he was 81 and she was 18. She died on Friday Jan. 19, 2003. Gertrude died in the Tennesse log cabin where she had lived most of her life. Now there is only 96 year old Alberta Martin, frail and forgetful, the last widow of 3.2 million men who fought  the bloodiest war our country has ever experienced. Alberta lives in Alabama and was the wife of a Confederate soldier. She was the third wife of William Jasper Martin. He was 81 and she was 21. She had been abandoned by a taxi driver she had married.  He was lonely and she was needy. The couple were serenaded with cowbells and horns on their wedding night. She bore him a son, Willie, which pleased Martin so much he'd strut through town with Willie on his shoulders. Martin died after less than 5 years of  marriage. Alberta Martin is the only surving person who was married to someone who fought in the Civil War.   My Principal, Mr. Brown, helped me find this story.  He is from Alabama just like Alberta Martin.

This is a photograph of Alberta Martin.

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