"Someone In The U.S. Is Still Receiving A VA Pension..." Topic

… From The Civil War.

"The Department of Veterans Affairs cuts a pension check check every month for $73.13 USD to Irene Triplett, an 87-year-old who lives in Wilkes County, North Carolina. Why? Because she is the living daughter of a Civil War veteran.

Though he fought in the war more than 152 years ago, Confederate-turned-Union soldier Moses Triplett didn't father Irene until his second marriage, when he was 84 years old. He died in 1938, at age 92. Her mother, Elida, was 50 years his junior, and died in 1967, which Wall Street Journal first reported in 2014.

Triplett is the only person left still collecting a Civil War pension, which she receives as a result of Title 38 under the United States Code. The law says that all surviving spouses and children whose parents fought in the Civil War can continue receiving their loved one's benefits payments…"
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Amicalement
Armand

Fathered her at 84 years of age? Holy cow.

Way to go Mr. Triplett!!!

Dan

I demand a DNA test.

$73 USD is nothing to the VA, or any large gov't agency. That's like taking out a client for breakfast.

But I don't doubt there are still some old records floating around in the VA system. It has become like any gov't agency that's been around for a while. It's morphed into a monster of monstrous proportions !

Not that I'm complaining. A couple of months ago, the VA gave me hearing aids for both ears. On 1 Aug they did my left cataract. 25 Aug I just got my right cataract done. And 01 Sep they are giving me a new right hip. I'm going there tomorrow for a pre-op check for the upcoming hip surgery.

So as I said, I can't complain, they even put us on a bus/van from my hometown Youngstown, OH. To get to the VA Hospital in Cleveland, OH. And we have a VA clinic just outside of downtown Youngstown, too. I get my "new" eyes a follow up exam there 30 Aug.

So yeah, from what I can tell $73 USD is nothing … When they are done with me. I'll be like the 6 Million Dollar Man … marked down to a few $100,000 USD !

Oh … I wasn't in the ACW … my people didn't come to the US until about 40 years afterwards …

Hmmm, she could be a distant cousin of my wife whose maiden name is Triplett. Her family came from England to Virginia, then to South Carolina, before finally settling in Mississippi.

Jim

He was 84 and she was 36?

I'm thinking that she might have out sourced the job.

Duncan

Lol!

That's a nicer way to say it.

Best of luck tomorrow my good friend!. (smile)

Amicalement
Armand

Legion 4, what's your priority? I'm a Pri 5, and they (very politely) told me to take my cataracts elsewhere: eyes were not their concern.

No complaints. Decent care of me, and great care of my father who was 30% disabled. (And two brothers attending the same VA hospital. We're VERY careful to check names and socials on everything.)

But does anyone else remember Clifford Simak's WAY STATION?

But does anyone else remember Clifford Simak's WAY STATION?

Sure do. Main character is a Civil War veteran who doesn't age. Novel dates from the early 1960s and seemed to be contemporary in its setting. Loved it when I was a teenager in the late 1960s, but haven't reread for several decades. Not sure how I would react to it now.

IIRC the US government becomes curious about the main character through something similar (i.e., pension payments or some records).

Does this mean that Luke Skywalker should still get a pension from his father's estate?

Oh … I wasn't in the ACW …

You keep saying that, but I wonder… :)

(smile)

Amicalement
Armand

Legion 4, what's your priority? I'm a Pri 5, and they (very politely) told me to take my cataracts elsewhere: eyes were not their concern.

I don't know what to tell you Rob ? I've heard some other Vets tell me similar.

I served '79-'90 on active duty with the US Army. And when I go out I worked for a business which did not provide any health car benefits. And from @ 2007-2013 I was an Independent Contractor, and had no other health care than the VA.

I can't get any dental work from the VA. I don't qualify. And there are a number of ways to qualify, but I don't have any of those.

I wish I could give you a better answer as I always like to help other Vets, all I can. I just got back a few hours ago from the VA for a pre-op check before my hip replacement on 01 Sep. The bus was loaded, with Vets from Vietnam until now.

Now I know before the Affordable Healthcare Act[ACA], the VA did a "means" test every year to see what your income was. To see if you want to use the VA you may have to pay a "co-pay" for treatment.

I was not making their "break point" which IIRC, you had have a yearly income of $45,000. USD I didn't make that. So my payments were 0.

But now since ACA, no "means" test is done. And since the VA is my only health care. I get a letter every year from them to include with my taxes. To prove that and I don't have to pay the "penalty" for not having health insurance, as the ACA requires.

Maybe you made/make more $$$$ that I did/do [which isn't too hard !] ? If you have not talked to your local VA recently, I'd check. I hope that helps ?

And thanks to you, your Brothers & your Dad for all your service.

Steve Wilcox 28 Aug 2017 10:17 a.m. PST

"Oh … I wasn't in the ACW …"
You keep saying that, but I wonder… :)

Well … you are just going to have to take my word for it ! But if I was I'd be a Yankee !

After the civil war it was common for teenage girls to marry much older men in order to get their pension money. a very common practice. This is only for Union soldiers. Confederate soldiers did not get pensions until after reconstruction ended and the pension was paid by each individual State. The Union started paying pensions right after the war ended.
Where the pension money came from, is a common way to do research to determine if your ancestor fought for the Union or Confederacy. Pension records can be found in courthouse but not as many as you think, since it was a common practice to burn the courthouse down in order to destroy property records in time of depression which eliminated property tax.
You can find pension records in old churches or libraries which collected them for the 1915 celebration, family records etc.
The teenage marriages was common after most wars including WW1 and WW2. It has even been mentioned on several History Channel show. So it is not a secret.

I even think I saw a movie where Don Sutherland(?) play an aged CSA Officer/Vet. And married a much, much, younger girl. Long after the ACW. And as mentioned that was not rare …

But if I was I'd be a Yankee !

Yes, in one of the Ohio regiments, I suspect! :)

Yep !