Quote of the Day
Pay no attention to what the critics say; There has never been a statue erected to a critic.
— Jean Sibelius
I like to watch CSPAN's history coverage. During a recent program, I heard an historian say that John Tyler (US President from 1841 to 1845) still had two grandchildren alive − a statement that floored me. I was able to confirm that statement. While researching Tyler's grandchildren, I also saw a couple of Civil War facts that surprised me. Here is what I learned:
- As of 2012, President John Tyler had two grandchildren that are still alive.
- As of 2013, the US government was still paying out a Civil War pension to the surviving child of a Civil War veteran.
- The last Civil War pension to a spouse was paid out in 2003.
I guess the US is still a young country, at least in some ways. Also, it is amazing how long some government programs last −the US Civil War ended in 1865.