In the Clive Cussler novel ‘Raise the Titanic, one of the plot twists noted that at the time (late 1970’s), there were still over 50 women alive drawing US Civil War widow pensions. It mentioned that it was not uncommon for elderly Civil war veterans to marry very young women, thus securing these ladies pensions upon the soldiers’ deaths. This at a rime before Social Security or much of any social safety net benefits for the poor.
A lot of drummers were very young at the time.