American Woman Becomes World’s Oldest Living Person

Aug. 31, 2005 – An American woman, Elizabeth "Lizzie" Bolden, 115 years and 14 days old, has officially become the oldest living person and woman in the world, according to an announcement by the Guinness World Records. The previous title holder, Hendrikje Van Andel-Schipper of the Netherlands, died in her sleep at 2 a.m. yesterday. She was 115 years and 62 days old.

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Bolden's family in Memphis said she is "doing exceptionally well for a 115-year-old lady." They have requested that, for her well-being, the public not seek her out, according to the Memphis Commercial Appeal.

Bolden, who lives in a Memphis, Tennessee, nursing home, was born Elizabeth Jones on Aug. 15, 1890 in Somerville, Tennessee. She already held the title as the oldest living American, which she was awarded by Guinness on June 23. She was 114 years 312 days old at the time.

“Her claim has been accepted without a marriage certificate due to the evidence we were able to gain from census reports and her seven children's documents. Having married Lewis Bolden about 1909, their first child Ezell was born 21 September 1909,” Guinness announced when she was named the oldest American.

When Bolden was first recognized by Guinness, she replaced Bettie (Rutherford) Wilson, born Sept. 13, 1890, who had officially became the oldest living American on the death of Emma Verona Johnston on Dec. 1, 2004. Wilson lost the title when the age of Bolden was verified as being four weeks older than hers in April 2005.

Wilson is the oldest resident ever of Mississippi and has a son, Willie, born Oct. 27, 1909 - making him 95 today. She is now listed as the second oldest living person by the Gerontology Research Group. Their Website publishes a list of supercentenarians and now shows Americans hold the top three spots.

Behind Bolden and Wilson is Susie Gibson of Alabama, also born in 1890.

	Birthplace	Residence	Name	Born	Years	Days	R	S
1	Netherlands	Netherlands	Hendrikje van Andel-Schipper	June 29, 1890	115*	56*	W	F
2	U.S. (TN)	U.S. (TN)	Elizabeth "Lizzie" Bolden	Aug. 15, 1890	115*	9*	B	F
3	U.S. (MS)	U.S. (MS)	Bettie Wilson	Sept. 13, 1890	114*	345*	B	F
4	U.S. (MS)	U.S. (AL)	Susie Gibson	Oct. 31, 1890	114*	297*	W	F
5	Puerto Rico	Puerto Rico	Emiliano Mercado del Toro	Aug. 21, 1891	114*	3*	H	M
6	Canada (Que)	Canada (Que)	Julie Winnefred Bertrand	Sept. 16, 1891	113*	342*	W	F
7	Italy	Italy	Virginia Dighero-Zolezzi	Dec. 24, 1891	113*	243*	W	F
8	France	France	Camille Loiseau	Feb. 13, 1892	113*	192*	W	F
9	U.S. (PA)	U.S. (PA)	M. Gladys Swetland	Apr. 18, 1892	113*	128*	W	F
10	India	Scotland	Lucy D'Abreu	May 24, 1892	113*	92*	IW	F
Validated Living Supercentenarians, Gerontology Research Group, on Aug. 24, 2005 – Click to full table.

The oldest living man is Emiliano Mercado Del Toro of Puerto Rico, who was named in January at 113. Del Toro is also the oldest living U.S. veteran, having served two months in the U.S. Army during Word War I. He lives in Isabela, Puerto Rico, and was born on Aug. 21, 1891 in Red Cabo.

Only a few hours after news of Mrs van Andel-Schipper's death, it was confirmed Florence Reeves, England's oldest woman, had died at a nursing home at Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, on Sunday. She was 111.

The oldest woman in England is now Judy Ingamells, born Jan. 12, 1894. She lives in Enfield, Middlesex.

The oldest living woman in the UK is Lucy Victoria d'Abreu (b. 24 May 1892) who currently resides in Stirling, Scotland. She became the oldest living woman in Scotland on the 30 October 2002 at the age of 110 years 159 days and took the UK title on the death of Gladys Hawley on 28 April 2004 at the age of 111 years 339 days.

Oldest Woman/Person Ever
The oldest fully authenticated age to which any human has ever lived is 122 years and 164 days, by Jeanne-Louise Calment. She was born in France on February 21, 1875, and died at a nursing home in Arles, southern France on August 4, 1997. See the Guinness World Record report – click here.

Oldest man ever
The greatest age to which any man has ever lived is 120 years 237 days in the case of Shigechiyo Izumi (Japan) of Isen on Tokunoshima, an island 1,320 km (820 miles) south-west of Tokyo, Japan. He was born at Isen on 29 June 1865 and was recorded as a 6-year-old in Japan's first census of 1871. He died at 12:15 GMT on 21 February 1986 after developing pneumonia.

Centenarians surviving beyond their 113th year are extremely rare and the present absolute proven limit of human longevity does not yet admit of anyone living to celebrate their 123rd birthday.

For the Gerontology Research Group – click here.

For the Guinness World Record on the oldest woman – click here.

For information about Supercentenarians at Wikipedia, free encyclopedia, click here.

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