LISBON — Lisbon and Civil War historian Dr. Charles W. Plummer will pesent a talk at the Wednesday, Aug. 12, meeting of the Lisbon Historical Society.

He will draw on the memories of Bertha Curtis Woodbury, the widow of Robert Woodbury, a Civil War veteran of the 29th Maine Infantry Regiment. Robert Woodbury was only 14 years old when he enlisted as a drummer boy with the 29th Maine, and Bertha Curtis hadn’t even been born at the time, nor would she be born in Lisbon Falls until many years after the war was over. In fact she was only 24 years old and he was 68 when they did marry in 1916. In spite of the difference in their ages, their marriage was happy, and they were blessed with the birth of one child, a daughter.

Woodbury died at the age of 86 in 1934 and was laid to rest in Hillside Cemetery in Lisbon Falls. At his death, Mrs. Woodbury became one of 537 widows of Civil War veterans living in the United States and one of the five living in Maine.

As a Civil War widow, she received a check in the amount of $70 a month. In her later years, one of her favorite pastimes was sharing humorous stories relating to their marriage, revealing her to be a witty lady.

One of her favorite comments about her husband was, “Some men are ugly, but he wasn’t. He’d do anything I wanted.” Mrs. Woodbury lived her entire life in Lisbon Falls and died on May 21, 1983, at the age of 90 at Marcotte Nursing Home in Lewiston.

In addition to sharing many of the stories that Mrs. Woodbury told to friends and others, Plummer will share some of Woodbury’s Civil War experiences while serving with the 29th Maine as well as information relating to his life following the war.

The society archives are again open following the recent remodeling, but Plummer’s talk will take place in Room 10 near the front of the MTM Center. Attendees may park at the front and use the front entrance of the building. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m., with the program beginning at 7.

FMI: Dorothy Smith, 353-8510, or [email protected].