Emma Tillman
Encyclopedia
Emmaline "Emma" Fanchon Tillman, ( Faust; November 22, 1892 – January 28, 2007) was an American supercentenarian
and, at age 114 years 67 days, the oldest validated living person
from January 24, 2007 until her own death four days later. She was the last remaining documented person born in 1892.
, was born in Gibsonville, North Carolina
, to former slaves on the Faust Plantation. Alphonso, Emma's father, was the son of former slave
Letha Faust of African descent and of plantation owner Cain Faust of German descent. Emma's mother, Martha Gibson Faust, who was of Native American
heritage, was reportedly also born into slavery. The family moved to Hartford, Connecticut
in 1900. Tillman ran her own baking and catering service whose regular customers included Dr. Thomas Hepburn, a noted Hartford Hospital urologist and father to actress Katharine Hepburn
.
, Bettie Wilson and Susie Gibson
) had moved Emma up to second-oldest in the 50 U.S. states, and she became the oldest following the December 2006 death of the then world's oldest person, 116-year-old Elizabeth Bolden
. By then she was also among the 60 longest living people ever. On January 18, 2007, she became the oldest living woman following the death of 115-year-old Canadian Julie Winnefred Bertrand
, and on January 24, 2007 the world's oldest living person with the death of another 115-year-old, Emiliano Mercado del Toro
(a native of Puerto Rico
).
. Her death at age 114 years and 67 days around 10:10PM EST means that her title reign of just four days was the shortest ever, breaking the previous record of shortest tenure, 13 days, held by Mitoyo Kawate
of Japan. Tillman's successor was Yone Minagawa
, also of Japan. Tillman is buried at Spring Grove Cemetery in Hartford.
Tillman is one of the 80 oldest people ever.
, including a sister, Ava Stewart (January 29, 1881 - March 1983), aged 102, and a brother, Eugene A. Faust (February, 7 1888 - September 1, 1996), aged 108. Another sister, aged 105, died in 2005, and yet another, aged 102, died in the 1980s.
Supercentenarian
A supercentenarian is someone who has reached the age of 110 years. This age is achieved by about one in a thousand centenarians....
and, at age 114 years 67 days, the oldest validated living person
Oldest people
This is a list of tables of the verified oldest people in the world in ordinal rank, such as oldest person or oldest man. In these tables, a supercentenarian is considered 'verified' if his or her claim has been validated by an international body that specifically deals in longevity research, such...
from January 24, 2007 until her own death four days later. She was the last remaining documented person born in 1892.
Early life
Emma, an African AmericanAfrican American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, was born in Gibsonville, North Carolina
Gibsonville, North Carolina
Gibsonville is a town in Alamance and Guilford counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is part of the Greensboro-High Point, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, to former slaves on the Faust Plantation. Alphonso, Emma's father, was the son of former slave
History of slavery in the United States
Slavery in the United States was a form of slave labor which existed as a legal institution in North America for more than a century before the founding of the United States in 1776, and continued mostly in the South until the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution in...
Letha Faust of African descent and of plantation owner Cain Faust of German descent. Emma's mother, Martha Gibson Faust, who was of Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
heritage, was reportedly also born into slavery. The family moved to Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
in 1900. Tillman ran her own baking and catering service whose regular customers included Dr. Thomas Hepburn, a noted Hartford Hospital urologist and father to actress Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Houghton Hepburn was an American actress of film, stage, and television. In a career that spanned 62 years as a leading lady, she was best known for playing strong-willed, sophisticated women in both dramas and comedies...
.
Later life
By February 16, 2006, the passings of several older people (including Gladys SwetlandGladys Swetland
Marguerite Gladys Swetland was an American supercentenarian and the oldest living person in the northern part of the United States when she died. Born to Chester Allen and Kate Doud Swetland in Mills, Pennsylvania, Gladys began her career as a teacher in 1910, and only retired at age 78...
, Bettie Wilson and Susie Gibson
Susie Gibson
Susie Elizabeth Gibson née Potts was an American supercentenarian and the third-oldest person in the world at the time of her death. She currently ranks as one of the 25 oldest validated persons of all time. Moreover, Susie was older than several 'world's oldest persons'...
) had moved Emma up to second-oldest in the 50 U.S. states, and she became the oldest following the December 2006 death of the then world's oldest person, 116-year-old Elizabeth Bolden
Elizabeth Bolden
Elizabeth "Lizzie" Bolden was an American supercentenarian woman who, at the time of her death at age 116 years and 118 days, was recognized by Guinness World Records as the then world's oldest living person. She was the last remaining documented person born in 1890. Bolden was the seventh...
. By then she was also among the 60 longest living people ever. On January 18, 2007, she became the oldest living woman following the death of 115-year-old Canadian Julie Winnefred Bertrand
Julie Winnefred Bertrand
Julie Winnefred Bertrand was a Canadian supercentenarian who was the oldest living Canadian and the oldest verified living recognized woman at the time of her death at age 115 years 124 days....
, and on January 24, 2007 the world's oldest living person with the death of another 115-year-old, Emiliano Mercado del Toro
Emiliano Mercado del Toro
Emiliano Mercado del Toro was, at age 115, the world's oldest person for six weeks, and the world's oldest man from November 19, 2004 until his own death on January 24, 2007. He is the oldest verified military veteran ever...
(a native of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
).
Death
Tillman resided at an assisted living center in East Hartford, ConnecticutEast Hartford, Connecticut
East Hartford is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 51,252 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
. Her death at age 114 years and 67 days around 10:10PM EST means that her title reign of just four days was the shortest ever, breaking the previous record of shortest tenure, 13 days, held by Mitoyo Kawate
Mitoyo Kawate
was a Japanese supercentenarian and, at the age of 114 years 182 days, briefly the oldest recognized living person after the death of either Kamato Hongo or Yukichi Chuganji, both also from Japan....
of Japan. Tillman's successor was Yone Minagawa
Yone Minagawa
was a Japanese supercentenarian believed to have been the world's oldest living person from 29 January 2007 until her death of old age, aged 114 years 221 days...
, also of Japan. Tillman is buried at Spring Grove Cemetery in Hartford.
Tillman is one of the 80 oldest people ever.
Family
Emma Faust was one of 23 children born to former slaves in North Carolina, and one of only 15 who lived to adulthood. Many of Emmas' siblings died at birth or in their early years, but four of Emmas' siblings lived past age 100Centenarian
A centenarian is a person who is or lives beyond the age of 100 years. Because current average life expectancies across the world are less than 100, the term is invariably associated with longevity. Much rarer, a supercentenarian is a person who has lived to the age of 110 or more, something only...
, including a sister, Ava Stewart (January 29, 1881 - March 1983), aged 102, and a brother, Eugene A. Faust (February, 7 1888 - September 1, 1996), aged 108. Another sister, aged 105, died in 2005, and yet another, aged 102, died in the 1980s.
Longevity
- 11/12/2006 - Oldest living person in the United States upon death of Elizabeth BoldenElizabeth BoldenElizabeth "Lizzie" Bolden was an American supercentenarian woman who, at the time of her death at age 116 years and 118 days, was recognized by Guinness World Records as the then world's oldest living person. She was the last remaining documented person born in 1890. Bolden was the seventh...
- 18/01/2007 - Oldest living woman and second oldest living person in the world after death of Julie Winnefred BertrandJulie Winnefred BertrandJulie Winnefred Bertrand was a Canadian supercentenarian who was the oldest living Canadian and the oldest verified living recognized woman at the time of her death at age 115 years 124 days....
- 24/01/2007 - Oldest living person in the world following death of Emiliano Mercado del ToroEmiliano Mercado del ToroEmiliano Mercado del Toro was, at age 115, the world's oldest person for six weeks, and the world's oldest man from November 19, 2004 until his own death on January 24, 2007. He is the oldest verified military veteran ever...
- 28/01/2007 - Broke the shortest tenure of the title of oldest living person, set by Mitoyo Kawate of 13 days
See also
- AgeingAgeingAgeing or aging is the accumulation of changes in a person over time. Ageing in humans refers to a multidimensional process of physical, psychological, and social change. Some dimensions of ageing grow and expand over time, while others decline...
- Maximum life spanMaximum life spanMaximum life span is a measure of the maximum amount of time one or more members of a population has been observed to survive between birth and death.Most living species have at least one upper limit on the number of times cells can divide...
- List of the verified oldest people
- Oldest peopleOldest peopleThis is a list of tables of the verified oldest people in the world in ordinal rank, such as oldest person or oldest man. In these tables, a supercentenarian is considered 'verified' if his or her claim has been validated by an international body that specifically deals in longevity research, such...
- SenescenceSenescenceSenescence or biological aging is the change in the biology of an organism as it ages after its maturity. Such changes range from those affecting its cells and their function to those affecting the whole organism...
- SupercentenarianSupercentenarianA supercentenarian is someone who has reached the age of 110 years. This age is achieved by about one in a thousand centenarians....