The oldest people

The people in modern history who have lived the longest.

1.Kamato Hongo (September 16, 1887 – October 31, 2003)Kamato was born in Japan and lived to be 116 years and 45 days old. Kamato had seven children. She was able to become some sort of celebrity after advertising products, highlighting her longevity. She was on Japanese Television several times. She died October 32, 2003 after 5pm of pneumonia.

2.Carrie White (November 18, 1874? – February 14, 1991)Carrie was institutionalized in 1909, about the time of her divorce. She was institutionalized due to a nervous breakdown (Can you believe that?). There is some dispute about the legitimacy of her age. Recent research suggests that instead of being 116 she may have only been 102 years old at the time of her death.

3.Elizabeth Bolden (August 15, 1890 - December 11, 2006)Lizzy, as she was known, was the daughter of freed slaves. She was 116 years and 118 days old when she died. When she turned 116 she had 7 children, 40 grandchildren, 75 great grandchildren, 150 great-great grandchildren, 220 great-great-great grandchildren, and 75 great-great-great-great grandchildren. In her final years, she was unable to communicate so the family limited media attention.

4.Tane Ikai (January 18, 1879 - July 12, 1995)Tane lived to be 116 years and 175 days old. She died of kidney failure. She is also the first known person older than 110 years old to be autopsied. Tane is also the oldest Japanese woman ever.

5.Maria Capovilla (September 14, 1889 – August 27, 2006)Maria lived to be 116 years and 347 days old. Being a good role model, she never smoked or drank hard liquor. Maria nearly died at age 100, way short of being on this list, but apparently, she really wanted to make this list. By March of 2006, she was no longer able to read the newspaper. She disliked the fact that women were able to "court men," instead of the other way around. Eventually she succumbed to pneumonia in August of 2006.

6.Marie-Louise Meilleur (August 29, 1880 – April 16, 1998)Mrs. Meilleur was French-Canadian, born in Quebec. She was married in 1900. Her husband and both of her parents died from 1911-1912. So she moved to Ontario leaving behind her four children. She married her second husband in 1915 and had six more children. He died in 1972. After that, she went to live with a daughter and then finally a nursing home. By the time she died, she was living with one of her daughters, who was 90.

7.Lucy Hannah (July 16, 1875 - March 21, 1993)Lucy is the fourth oldest person ever, having lived to be 117 years and 248 days old. She is also the Oldest living African American, and the oldest person to never be the "Oldest Living Person." because her age coincided with Jeanne Calment the world's oldest person.

8.Sarah Knauss (September 24, 1880 – December 30, 1999)At age 117, she set the record for oldest "new" titleholder, meaning that when she became the oldest person in the world, she was older than anyone else was who had received it. She is also the world’s oldest American, having lived longer than any other American has. To me it is crazy to think that she was 88 when man first walked on the moon. Sarah enjoyed watching golf on television and nibbling on things.

9.Shigechiyo Izumi (June 29, 1865? – February 21, 1986)This one is a little controversial. Assuming that his birthdate is correct he is the oldest male to ever live, dying at 120 years 137 days old. Some dispute his age suggesting that he was born in 1880, but to get the record changed it would take more evidence. Mr. Izumi took up smoking at age 70 (presumably, to shorten his life, I just made that up). He stood just 4 feet 8 inches tall, and was 94 pounds. He didn't retire from being a sugarcane farmer until he was 105.

10.Jeanne Calment (February 21, 1875 – August 4, 1997)She is an interesting case, and her age is well documented. In Genesis 6:3, the Lord says, "They will live no longer than 120 years." She proves this case untrue. Jeanne lived to be 122 years and 164 days old. Jeanne was also the longest record holder for a living person, as she was 113 when she was awarded the title "World's Oldest Living Person." When she was 14 years old, she met Vincent Van Gogh, although she was not impressed. She quit smoking when she was 117, probably because she knew it would shorten her life. She is also the oldest actress ever appearing briefly in the film "Vincent and Me" appearing as herself. She took up fencing at age 85, continued to ride a bicycle at age 100 and was walking freely until almost 115. She attributed her longevity to olive oil, which she poured on all of her food and rubbed into her skin.