I'm really into history, and longevity is a subject that's always interested me as well, so I like to look at the years ranging a person's lifespan and think about what kind of events, discoveries/inventions, and cultural periods they lived through.

Here is a link to Wikipedia which shows a chronological list of the oldest person in the world from 1955 to the present. The first two colums show the dates through which they held the title of the world's oldest living person (look for your birth date there) and the the second-to-last column shows their birth and death dates as well as their ages at death:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldest_people#Chronological_list_of_the_verified_oldest_living_person_since_1955

I was born October 28, 1990, so for me it was Carrie C. White. She was an American, born November 18, 1874 and died February 14, 1991 at the age of 116 years, 88 days. It is strange to think that for 4 months I shared the earth with someone born in the first half of the 1870s!

However, it appears her case is disputed so it may have actually been Jeanne Calment, who actually has the longest lifespan in recorded history (122 years, 164 days; Feb 21, 1875 – August 4, 1997)

This one makes me feel weird..OK...weirder than usual.

Mary Kelly was the oldest person alive when I was born. She lived from 7 June 1851 – 30 December 1964. That means when she was a teenager, Lincoln was US president and she probably had a decent recollection of the US civil war.

Imagine that. She was alive for the US civil war and the British invasion ( Beatles, Stones, etc...)

All of a sudden I'm getting this yearning to watch "Little Big Man" with Dustin Hoffman.  ;)

This one makes me feel weird..OK...weirder than usual.

Mary Kelly was the oldest person alive when I was born. She lived from 7 June 1851 – 30 December 1964. That means when she was a teenager, Lincoln was US president and she probably had a decent recollection of the US civil war.

Imagine that. She was alive for the US civil war and the British invasion ( Beatles, Stones, etc...)

All of a sudden I'm getting this yearning to watch "Little Big Man" with Dustin Hoffman.  ;)



Didn't go to the link but she was alive when I was born, too.


Oops, I guess I just dated myself again, huh?  :-\\



Cat

Didn't go to the link but she was alive when I was born, too.

Cat


Ditto!

When I lived in an apartment there was a lady across the walk who was born in 1911. At 89 she still had her wits about her
and I used to talk to her for hours about her life as a child, the things she lived through and how the world changed. I think
she enjoyed our chats just as much as I did. I do miss her and our chats.

February 16th, 1985-October 21, 1986: Augusta Holtz.

She was 115 and 79 days when she died.

Ditto!

When I lived in an apartment there was a lady across the walk that was born in 1911. At 89 she still had her wits about her
and I used to talk to her for hours about her life as a child, the things she lived through and how the world changed. I think
she enjoyed our chats just as much as I did. I do miss her and our chats.


Nice!

When I was in elementary school, a teacher of mine (He was in his 70s, the school let him teach well beyond age 65, he was very capable) had participated in WWI.  :o
I adore chatting with elderly people, enjoy the discussions of things they lived through, how the world has changed and the wisdom they offer.

Oh yeah, I've looked at the list before.  Interesting subject, super centenarians.

For me it was Marie Bernátková (Czechoslovakia, October 22, 1857-May 4, 1969). 

Ditto!

When I lived in an apartment there was a lady across the walk that was born in 1911. At 89 she still had her wits about her
and I used to talk to her for hours about her life as a child, the things she lived through and how the world changed. I think
she enjoyed our chats just as much as I did. I do miss her and our chats.



My grandmother was born in 1908. She died at the age of 99 1/2 years young. She was still as sharp as a tack right before she passed away. Can't tell you how much I miss her.



Cat

What I find interesting is that this is the first year since 1986 that Shigechiyo Izumi has been removed from the Guinness World Records list of oldest people in the world, after doubt was cast on claims as the oldest person. Seems he had a 15 year old brother who passed away and they used his name as a necronym.

Still, I wouldn't mind living to 105! Augusta Holtz was the oldest person alive when I was born.

Looks like mine is Betsy Baker 1842-1955...Born in Great Brington , England died in Tecumseh, Nebraska.  There has to be a story there.

Mathew Beard, July 9th, 1870 - February 16th, 1985. 114 years, 222 days, and it says he was from Florida. I turned five years old the year he died, that means when I was born he was 110 :o

Looks like mine is Betsy Baker 1842-1955...Born in Great Brington , England died in Tecumseh, Nebraska.  There has to be a story there.


The longest-lived person since Delfina Filkins (May 4, 1815 – December 4, 1928) from upstate New York.  Filkins lived a couple of months longer than Baker.  In those days they didn't have nearly so many drugs and devices to keep you alive.  Reaching the age 110 or more before before the 1960s required hardy genetics and some good luck.

Jeanne Calment (1875--1991) is the oldest verified.  There are hundreds of 120+ claims, but so few can meet the verification standards.  The thing is, before the 20th century births often recorded informally, such as in family Bibles.  Even if the claimant is telling the truth, there is often no way to verify it.  A person born in 1900 turns 112 this year.  As the dawn of the modern era grows more distant it is likely there will be a verifiable case to beat Calment.  Even then, it might be only by months.  I can imagine a person living to 125, but 135 stretches credulity.  Geneticists consider 110 years to be about the end of the human mortal coil.

It's funny you made this thread my great-grandfather just recently passed and he was 106 going on 107.

It's funny you made this thread my great-grandfather just recently passed and he was 106 going on 107.


Wow! That's way old for a man.  Most people who make it past 100 are women.  A man living to 107 is like a woman living to 110!

My gramps died in 2006 at the age of 100.

I'm really into history, and longevity is a subject that's always interested me as well, so I like to look at the years ranging a person's lifespan and think about what kind of events, discoveries/inventions, and cultural periods they lived through.

Here is a link to Wikipedia which shows a chronological list of the oldest person in the world from 1955 to the present. The first two colums show the dates through which they held the title of the world's oldest living person (look for your birth date there) and the the second-to-last column shows their birth and death dates as well as their ages at death:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldest_people#Chronological_list_of_the_verified_oldest_living_person_since_1955

I was born October 28, 1990, so for me it was Carrie C. White. She was an American, born November 18, 1874 and died February 14, 1991 at the age of 116 years, 88 days. It is strange to think that for 4 months I shared the earth with someone born in the first half of the 1870s!

However, it appears her case is disputed so it may have actually been Jeanne Calment, who actually has the longest lifespan in recorded history (122 years, 164 days; Feb 21, 1875 – August 4, 1997)

I'm 6 months older than you, so it's the same for me, Carrie C. White.

The oldest person I personally knew was my grandmother's aunt back when I was a kid. She passed away in 1999 at the age of 97, so she lived through nearly the entire 20th century. Amazing that I knew someone who was already old by the time JFK was shot, and the Beatles burst onto the scene.

I'm not sure who the oldest person I personally knew was. Oldest I can think of was my dad's family's live-in maid from the '70s who they kept in touch with over the years. I believe she was born in 1908. Unfortunately, my last living great grandparent, born 1895, died a few months before I was born in 1990. I don't think I ever personally knew anyone born before 1900.

The oldest person I personally knew was my grandmother's aunt back when I was a kid. She passed away in 1999 at the age of 97, so she lived through nearly the entire 20th century. Amazing that I knew someone who was already old by the time JFK was shot, and the Beatles burst onto the scene.


The oldest person I personally knew was my great-grandmother who was born in 1902. However I only have very vague memories of her since she already passed away in October 1990. Though I remember her funeral quite well.

The oldest person in the world, Besse Cooper, turned 116 a few days ago!

If I make it to the same age, the year will be 2106. I wonder what the world will be like then. Just think of all the technological, political, and cultural change Ms. Cooper witnessed. Having been born in 1896, she lived through the entire 20th Century and could conceivably have memories from 1899!

The oldest person in the world, Besse Cooper, turned 116 a few days ago!

If I make it to the same age, the year will be 2106. I wonder what the world will be like then. Just think of all the technological, political, and cultural change Ms. Cooper witnessed. Having been born in 1896, she lived through the entire 20th Century and could conceivably have memories from 1899!


So she came of age during the Woodrow Wilson years, and was our age right when the Great War was ending.

Amazing that she's still alive.

Unfortunately, we lost Besse on December 4. The oldest person alive now is a man, which is rare. He's from Japan and his name is Jiroemon Kimura, born April 19, 1897. He also surpassed the previous record for male longevity a few days ago and is now the longest-lived man ever.

http://blu.stb.s-msn.com/i/FC/4CB3425A8572BB1AB435CA7AFE1C51_h316_w628_m5_ceFBrdbbE.jpg

Looks pretty good for his age!

John Turner 15 June 1856 – 21 March 1968  (111 years, 280 days), England.

The Delany Sisters aren't mentioned. They lived to be 104 and 109yrs but their story is quite remarkable.

Now I must go find that movie starring Ruby Dee and Diahann Carrol

Jiroemon Kimura has passed away :( The new world's oldest person is Misawo Okawa, born March 5, 1898.