10/29/2025
One of the most famous widows, Mary Todd Lincoln, was hit by tough economic times, but even she was forced to navigate the red tape of postwar bureaucracy, to obtain a Civil War Pension for her husband service as Commander in Chief.
Did you know that Mary Todd Lincoln—yes, that Mary Lincoln—once applied for a widow’s pension just like thousands of other women after the Civil War?
In 1869, she submitted a petition to Congress, explaining that her limited finances kept her from living “in a style becoming of the widow of the Chief Magistrate of a great nation.” The following year, Congress passed a special act granting her $3,000 per year, a sum worth more than $60,000 today.
Because her husband had served as the nation’s Commander in Chief, she was eligible for a military widow’s pension. Her application was unlike any other, yet her experience reflected the struggles of so many women who had to prove their worthiness for support after the war.
Her pension file has been digitized and can be viewed on Fold3, offers a fascinating glimpse into how even the most famous widows navigated the red tape of postwar bureaucracy.
What's at the National Archives for YOUR Civil War ancestors? Visit www.CivilWarRecords.com and let us help you find out!
