Missouri woman believed to be last Civil War widow dies

O’FALLON, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri woman who was believed to be the last remaining widow of a Civil War soldier has died. Helen Viola Jackson married James Bolin in 1936, when she was a 17-year-old schoolgirl. He was 93 and in declining health.

Photo courtesy: Missouri Cherry Blossom Festival in Marshfield, MO page on Facebook

Bolin was also a Civil War veteran who fought for the Union in the border state of Missouri.

Jackson died Dec. 16 at a nursing home in Marshfield, Missouri. She was 101.

Several Civil War heritage organizations have recognized Jackson’s quiet role in history. A longtime friend says she hid it for all but the final three years of her life.