The Last Belle of the Confederacy

From our archives at the First White House of the Confederacy I read: "The last Confederate widow died on Memorial Day, 2004, ending an unlikely ascent from Sharecropper's daughter, to the belle of the 21st century Confederate history buffs, who paraded her across the south. She was 97."

Her May-Dec. marriage in the 1920's to War Between the States veteran William Jasper Martin, and her longevity, made her a celebrated final link to the old Confederacy.

She was a 21 year old widow with a son when she married the 91 year old Martin. They were married on Dec. 10th, 1927 and 10 months later they had a son, William. She said her husband never talked much about the war except the "starving time" in Petersburg, Virginia. They dug in the ground for potatoes as that was the only thing they could find to eat.

Four years after they were married he died in 1931 at the age of 95. Two months later Alberta married her late husband's grandson, Charlie Martin. He died in 1983.

She lay in repose at the First White House on June 10th and 11th. The Governor, Re-enactors, White House ladies and the public came to pay their respects. I was there for part of the day.

She was buried in the New Ebenezer Baptist church cemetery six miles west of Elba, with an "1860's-style ceremony".  "Mrs. Martin wanted alot of peppy music at her funeral" her caretaker said. What a woman she must have been!!!