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General => The Common Room => The Lighter Side => Topic started by: CV-S on Sunday 20 November 11 07:38 GMT (UK)
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Not sure if this has been asked before.
I read somewhere recently that almost everyone likes to think their family live long and they have good genes. They will say something like, "Well, my gran lived to 92," but in reality most people can say that, whether it be an aunt, uncle, 4xgrandfather, etc.
My question is, which of your known ancestors lived the longest life, how long, and what were their life dates?
Anyone wish to share?
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The longest I know of (not having death dates for many) is my maternal grandmother, who was 98 years and 5 months when she died - she was born in 1907 and died in 2005. :)
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It really depends who's tree you believe. I have a branch in my tree, in which, according to certain trees from over the pond, there is a 118 year old male, a 116 year old male, a 115 year old female, 2 x 113 year old females, and a 111 year old male, all with birth and death dates. Surprising thing, is that they are all Scottish :D :D :D
Regards
Malky
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I have a death certificate for my 5x great grandmother Elizabeth Jones (nee Hughes) and it states she was 103 when she died. She married Peter Jones on 21 February 1774 at St Bridget, West Kirby, Cheshire.
Gail
Edited to say that she died on 1 July 1845
Edited again:
Liverpool Mercury , Friday July 11:
"July 1, aged 103, Elizabeth Jones, widow of the late Peter Jones, of Hoylake.
She has left between 200 & 300 grandchildren & great-grandchildren."
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My Mum
Born 31 August 1908 Bolton Lancashire
Died 6 June 2009 Wellington New Zealand
12 weeks short of her 102nd birthday.
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Wow... Some people do live very long don't they. But then when they go it still seems like it's not long enough.
Thanks for sharing!
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I can't compete with ancestors who reach 100+ but I was fairly impressed by a couple I found in my tree-my 6x great grandparents, Jonathan Hambling and Frances Page of Suffolk- who both reached 85 -being born in 1732 and 1734 and dying in 1817 and 1819 respectively.
They must have been in excellent health to live so long back then.
Sadly their genetic legacy is probably somewhat diluted by now!
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Do you know when they got married? It must have been quite a long marriage. 60+ years maybe.
I love seeing couples who lived so long. My poor 2x great grandmother never remarried and was a widow for 58 years. She was Irish Roman Catholic so wore only black for all that time.
I wonder why some people (now as well) just remain so healthy. It seems on the death certificates of 90-odd year olds, the cause is usually natural decay or old age - nothing wrong with them.
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They married in 1759 -so managed 58 years together. I think the fact that they both lived so long is most unusual. Most couples are like your poor gg grandmother -one dying young and the other long lived.
In my tree the women seem to die young (probably in childbirth) and the men survive them -often remarrying in the same year.
I suppose those that were long lived either avoided, or had resistance to, the fatal diseases and infections that killed off so many and their major organs remained healthy. So many died before the age of 5 that those that survived infancy and childhood were bound to be relatively strong.
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MY grandmother was 92 when she died less than five years ago - my great great grandad came from a line of long livers (!) was born in 1837 and died in 1933. his daughters except for my great gran who died of childbirth fever ( her sisters all 4 had no children) lived well into their 80s and 90s .
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My maternal grandmother died aged 101 (and three-quarters!). Born 20 Mar 1897 in Glasgow, died 28 Dec 1998 in Kent.
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I've always been a supporter of 'longevity genes'. One of my ancestors managed 1746-1836, 90 years then. One of his sons managed 1783-1874, 101 years then. And so on down to granddad who died aged 90. I think the youngest in the direct line down to me was 73.
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Mine is still living - 92 and going strong and been a widow for 71 years!!!!
Suz
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In my family it will be I. I have made a vow to live forever,-- or die in the attempt!
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Hi, thanks for the replies everyone. I find it very interesting.
I also support the 'longevity' genes. I just found my great-grandmother had the following siblings:
Luite (1884-1986)
Marrigje (1888-1981)
Jentje (1896-1996)
so a fairly long lived family. My own longest lived ancestor (doesn't beat some already here!) was Ann Usher, who died in 1871 aged 101.
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My Billy Blue was 99 when he died, according to his burial certificate. (Some people dispute the age)
My Dad (Billy's ggggrandson) was keen to beat him and he did! He was one day short of 101 years and 4 months when he died in 1999. So he didn't make his next goal, to live across three centuries. :D :D :D
Dawn M
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my great grandma almost made it to her 91st birthday. she was born 28th dec 1920 and died aged 90 2 days ago. i have no doubt that had the alzhiemers not got her she would still be alive and kicking (quite literally sometimes!) now.
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My paternal grandmother born 1884 and died 1982 aged 98. We all thought she was only 97 as that is what she claimed she was, however since I started looking at the family tree I've discovered that she was born 3 months after her parents married and so at some point her age was changed to cover this up.
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Hi All,
My grandfather was born in 1903 and lived to the ripe age of 104 dying in 2007 Reading Berkshire.
The thing that used to make my mum laugh was he used to say that all his friends were young chaps.
He went from making wheels for carriages, then seeing the birth of the car and unfortunately all the changes in Bracknell Berkshire. My granny died in 1980 so he had quite a few years alone. But he still managed to enjoy his life.
Sharon
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It really depends who's tree you believe. I have a branch in my tree, in which, according to certain trees from over the pond, there is a 118 year old male, a 116 year old male, a 115 year old female, 2 x 113 year old females, and a 111 year old male, all with birth and death dates. Surprising thing, is that they are all Scottish :D :D :D
Regards
Malky
I have one 104 Malky,also Scottish,must be something in the water.............whisky probably ;D
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An easy question - it's my mother by a long chalk; 92 and still going. I haven't found anyone else, save my paternal grandfather, who made it to 80.
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My Mum & Nan both died in their early 50's but my Great Nan was just short of her 91st birthday in 2001 when she died, still wish i was into family history before then, could have got a fair old bit of info, but thanks to distant cousins and the like i have it all now ;D
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Grandma died in July in her 101st year.
I've come across at least a handful of relatives that made it to 100 - but none all the way to 101.
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My maternal grandfather lived to be 100 years and 3 months. ;D
The only surgery he had in his life was a small prostate operation. No other illnesses other than slight dementia at the end and failing eyesight. :( :'(
He started smoking at the age of 13 and gave up at the age of 70! ::) ::)
He spent most of his career in the navy and liked his tipples.
Everyday he would have a large G&T at 11 am and a Scotch at bedtime Right up to the last few months of his life:P :P
I have inherited his love of G&T and hope I carry lots of his longevity genes! :D
Wendy
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I have a death certificate for my 5x great grandmother Elizabeth Jones (nee Hughes) and it states she was 103 when she died. She married Peter Jones on 21 February 1774 at St Bridget, West Kirby, Cheshire.
Gail
Edited to say that she died on 1 July 1845
Edited again:
Liverpool Mercury , Friday July 11:
"July 1, aged 103, Elizabeth Jones, widow of the late Peter Jones, of Hoylake.
She has left between 200 & 300 grandchildren & great-grandchildren."
I’m also descended from Elizabeth and Peter...She’s my 6th great grandmother. A quick look shows Elizabeth Hughes to be one of the longest lived on my tree as well. I do have another fellow who was born in 1775 and died in 1872 though!
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Hi Geah that's fantastic.
Of course we can't really prove that Elizabeth was 103 when she died, even though that is what is stated on her certificate, as we don't know exactly when and where she was born, but she was certainly very old.
Which one of her children is your ancestor? Mine is Thomas Jones (1779-1855) and his wife Nancy Beck (1781-1866).
Regards
Gail
Edited: Just noticed the Eccles in your list so it must be Elizabeth Jones and John Eccles :)
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Yep that would be them! :P It would be amazing if she was 103 when she died, especially for the times she lived in - it's still quite a feat to reach that age nowadays afterall.
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Without a doubt the longest lived ancestor of mine is Isabella Stephen. She was born in Deskford in 1849 AND I HAVEN'T FOUND HER DEATH CERTIFICATE YET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Graham.
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I have a very well documented gentleman age 96.
BLEECKER, Pierre McDonald:
b. 12 Mar 1854, Scarsdale, Westchester, NY,183 baptized 9 Apr 1854, Scarsdale, Westchester, NY. Occupation: Reverend, m. (1) 14 Sep 1881, in Ogden, Weber, UT, Abigail Armstrong Lees, b. 14 Nov 1857, Ogden, Weber, UT, (daughter of Samuel Lees and Abigail Stevenson) d. 9 Mar 1894, Staatsburg, Dutchess, NY, buried 13 Mar 1894, Scarsdale, Westchester, NY. m. (2) 6 Jan 1898, in Bozeman, Gallatin, MT; St. James', Phoebe Prout, b. 29 Jan 1857, North Carolina, (daughter of Henry H. Prout and Maria -). Pierre died 1950, Stoneham, Middlesex, MA, buried 29 Sep 1950, Scarsdale, Westchester, NY
Ordained priest, 1881, in Episcopal ministry; ass't minister Ch. of the Good Shepherd, Ogden, Utah, 1879-82; missionary in charge St. John's Mission, Logan, Utah, and Holy Innocents' Mission, Blackford, Idaho., 1882-87; St. James' Ch., Upper Montolair, NJ, 1887-89: St. Margaret Ch., Staatsburgh, NY, 1889; rector Christ Ch., Schenectady, N. Y., 1897-1901; missionary in charge of St. Paul's Ch., Raymertown, NY, and Ch. of tho Holy Name, Boyntonville, NY, 1901-07; since 1907 curate St. Luke's Ch., Mechanicsvillo, N. Y., and associated parishes: Schaghticoke, Stillwater, Round Lake, and Enst Line.
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Maternal grandmother lived to 95 - b 1884 - d 1983
Paternal grandmother lived to 98 - b 1868 - d 1966
Paternal Aunt (above grandmother's daughter) lived to 102 - b 1888 - 1990
My sister and I look like our paternal aunt ............. one can only hope :D
Odd that men don't do so well (apart from wars, accidents, etc)
Sue
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Elizabeth Packard nee Martin died 1842 aged 102. Death cert states that and in 1841 she was 101. A newspaper record says she was 102 when she died. She did marry in 1763 in Glemham. She died in Marlesford. I still cannot find her baptism to prove she was 102 as there was a few Elizabeth martins born 1738-1744 in Suffolk.
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I just lost my first cousin once removed last week, she was 96 and a half.
Busybod
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My father was 96,one of his sisters was a month short of 99, and another died at 106,his grandfather and great grandfather were in their high 80s
Liz
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My grandads cousin is my oldest relative which I have known is related to me. He is 97 and a half.
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My maternal grandmother was 100 years and 4 months - the longest-lived I've found yet.
Cati
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My Mother's Half Sister, 106, Born August 1905 and still going!!!
peter
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So far, my 5 x great grandfather who died March 1761 and was buried at Selattyn, Shropshire on 2nd April 1761, aged 103 (according to the parish records). I reckon that he was 97 though, as I've found a likely baptism on 22 May 1664 in Wem - son of William and Frances. His second daughter was named Frances.
He left his daughter, my 4 x great grandmother, 5 shillings!
gnu
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My grandmother died at 99 years, 4 months - living alone until the last few weeks (my cousins were nearby, and she had a housekeeper/charwoman who looked in on her several days a week).
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So far, my 5 x great grandfather who died March 1761 and was buried at Selattyn, Shropshire on 2nd April 1761, aged 103 (according to the parish records). I reckon that he was 97 though, as I've found a likely baptism on 22 May 1664 in Wem - son of William and Frances. His second daughter was named Frances.
gnu
But gnu, his baptism could have been years after his birth. 97 is only from his date of baptism and sometimes people, as you know, weren't baptised until well into childhood.
Dawn M
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Well, here's his signature a few months before he died - now is this of a 103 year old or a 97 year old ;D ;D ;D ;D
I don't have many signatures (or wills) of ancestors - most made their mark and had very little to leave but this is one of the oldest that I have. I've got some lovely finger prints on a marriage bond as well- keep the inheritance, give me these marks instead :D
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"Well, here's his signature a few months before he died - now is this of a 103 year old or a 97 year old "
How can you tell?
My own father's signature did not change from his 90th birthday till his death at 101.
So if his health was reasonable ... ??
Dawn M