The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-02-07
HER LARGE PENSION.
FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR MRS.
KNuD KNUoSoN.

She Had Never Crossed the Ocean-For
eign Citizenship No Bar to Uncle Sam
Generosity-Her Husband Fought Fol
the Union and Was Killed In 1858.
When the elder Weller admonishet
his susceptible son to avoid widows, the
possibilities of the American pension
system had not developed. Now his adj
vice would be to marry widow, secure
her pension and live life of luxury.
The intent Of the pension laws is to
make the most ample provision for
widows. All other classes of benefici-
aries can take their chances, but a
widow is promptly tucked under the
protecting governmental wing.
1t does not matter if she has never
seen the ocean boundary line of the
United States. It is not necessary that
she should speak the English language.
1t is not essential that she should have
seen her husband since the civil war.
The only requisite is that she should
have had husband at some period of
uCI phSNlOuS AAAo VIM SS4NSN IL bhO
Union army.
The guardianship which this great
government extends over widows was
strikingly exemplified recently. A
widow who had not seen her husband
for 40 years was allowed pension,
with back allowances aggregating near
~ So, 900. The bureau devoted nearly
three years to an examination of the
case and finally decided that there was
no alternative but payment.
In 1861, three years after his mar
riage, Knud Knudson left his home in
Norway and started for the new world.
His wife remained behind. He came TO
Wisconsin, and after working for a
time on farm enlisted in the Fifteenth
Wisconsin regiment.
AS soldier Knud Knudson made an
excellent record, and he died year and
half after his enlistment, fighting for
the cause he had espoused
In her little Norway home, unac-
quainted with the country which her
husband had made his own and with
out advisers who could enlighten her,
the woman who had known but three
years of wifehood plodded along in her
customary mode of life.
More than three decades were thus |
passed when some one brought to her |
attention the beneficent provisions the |
adopted government of her husband had |
made for widows.
Thirty.one years after the death of |
Knud Knudson, which occurred on Oct.
l6, 1868, an application on behalf of |
his widow was formally filed at the |
pension bureau. 1t was decided that I'M
der the act of June q, 1883, the widow
was entitled not only to pension for
the remainder of her life, but to an
equivalent monthly allowance for the
entire period of her widowhood.
Mrs. Knudson is past 60 years of age,
md the sum thus placed at her disposal
will be equivalent to a competency for
the remainder of her days
The officials of the pension bureau
ay that the fact of her permanent resi-
lence abroad could not be taken into
The only thing necessary
or her to prove was that her husband
lad died while in the service.
The extent to which the government
axes care of widows is further illus.
rated by the fact that pension, with
rrears aggregating $4,000, has been
ranted woman whose husband died
n 1871. An additional sum was allow
d her some 10 years after her husbands
cath, she being then married to anoth-
r man. The law stipulates that upon
he remarriage Of a soldiers widow she
aust give up her pension.
In the case of another veterans wild
W pension was recently granted to
over period of five years which inter
ened between the death of her first
usband, who served in the army, and
er marriage TO No. 2. New York |
World.