George Johnson (supercentenarian)
Encyclopedia
George Henry Johnson was, at the time of his death, California
's oldest man
and one of the last few surviving veterans of the First World War
in the United States
.
tycoon John D. Rockefeller
and Henry Ford
, and also claimed that his grandfather was U.S. President
Andrew Johnson
. His father, James Edward Johnson, the manager of the Baltimore and Ohio Railway station
in Philadelphia, was alleged to be the illegitimate love-child of the former President. Though unconfirmed by independent journalists or academic researchers, some people address the facts of his father James' unusual position of authority for an African American
, as well as the claim that James was present at the Gettysburg Address
in 1863, as evidence that George Johnson was truly the grandson of the 17th President, which meant that he was of mixed Caucasian
and African American ancestry.
He was drafted into the United States Army
in 1917, and served in the Fourteenth Company, 154th Battalion. Johnson did not see combat during the war, but served at Fort Greene, North Carolina
and Fort Dix, New Jersey
.
After his discharge in 1919, Johnson got married to his high school sweetheart Ida Dulany, and moved to California, first living in Fresno
, where they farmed grapes for the Sunmaid cooperative. In 1927, Johnson and his wife opened a restaurant, George's Southern Kitchen, in Berkeley
, although it failed after less than a year. He moved to San Francisco in April 1930, before they moved to Richmond, California
in 1938. They never had any children (possibly due to an injury George had suffered as a teenager), and he lived in the three-story house in the (then) Richmond Annex he built until he died. The home, which has expansive views and the Bay is the largest in the area and was built with surplus lumber salvaged from around the Bay Area, including the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition.
, alcohol
, and tobacco
. Obituaries made much of his rich diet, which consisted of toaster waffles and sausage, but that was only in the final years of his life, in part because he detested the Meals on Wheels food and in part because he had lost his sight and the sausage and waffles were easier to consume.
Following the death of the 112-year-old Marion Higgins of Seal Beach
on March 2, 2006, it was believed that George Johnson had become the oldest-known living Californian – a distinction he held until his own death at 112 as well. However, a woman about one month older, Gertrude Baines
, was validated not long after he died, so George lost this status posthumously.
The doctor performing the autopsy
on Johnson remarked how physically well he was – his internal organs were said to be in the condition of someone half his age. At his 112th birthday, surrounded by distant relatives he was unable to see, he was the life of the party and his mind was still quite sharp considering it contained more than a century of details.
UPI
reports at the time of Johnson's death mistakenly stated that he was the last surviving American veteran of World War I. There were actually at least seventeen other known American World War I veterans who were still alive at the time of Johnson's death, though the Los Angeles Times
reported that Johnson was the last World War I veteran in California.
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
's oldest man
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...
and one of the last few surviving veterans of the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Life
Born in Philadelphia, Johnson led a rich and eventful life – by his own accounts, he had rubbed shoulders at various times with Standard OilStandard Oil
Standard Oil was a predominant American integrated oil producing, transporting, refining, and marketing company. Established in 1870 as a corporation in Ohio, it was the largest oil refiner in the world and operated as a major company trust and was one of the world's first and largest multinational...
tycoon John D. Rockefeller
John D. Rockefeller
John Davison Rockefeller was an American oil industrialist, investor, and philanthropist. He was the founder of the Standard Oil Company, which dominated the oil industry and was the first great U.S. business trust. Rockefeller revolutionized the petroleum industry and defined the structure of...
and Henry Ford
Henry Ford
Henry Ford was an American industrialist, the founder of the Ford Motor Company, and sponsor of the development of the assembly line technique of mass production. His introduction of the Model T automobile revolutionized transportation and American industry...
, and also claimed that his grandfather was U.S. President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American...
. His father, James Edward Johnson, the manager of the Baltimore and Ohio Railway station
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
in Philadelphia, was alleged to be the illegitimate love-child of the former President. Though unconfirmed by independent journalists or academic researchers, some people address the facts of his father James' unusual position of authority for an African American
African 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...
, as well as the claim that James was present at the Gettysburg Address
Gettysburg Address
The Gettysburg Address is a speech by U.S. President Abraham Lincoln and is one of the most well-known speeches in United States history. It was delivered by Lincoln during the American Civil War, on the afternoon of Thursday, November 19, 1863, at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery...
in 1863, as evidence that George Johnson was truly the grandson of the 17th President, which meant that he was of mixed Caucasian
Caucasian race
The term Caucasian race has been used to denote the general physical type of some or all of the populations of Europe, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, Western Asia , Central Asia and South Asia...
and African American ancestry.
He was drafted into the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in 1917, and served in the Fourteenth Company, 154th Battalion. Johnson did not see combat during the war, but served at Fort Greene, North Carolina
Fort Greene, North Carolina
Fort Greene, North Carolina is a U.S. Army military base located in North Carolina. It was established in 1890 and was used through World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and present. The facility trains U.S. Army soldiers and National Guard soldiers....
and Fort Dix, New Jersey
Fort Dix, New Jersey
JB MDL Dix , better known as Fort Dix, is a United States Army base located approximately south-southeast of Trenton, New Jersey. Dix is under the jurisdiction of the United States Army Reserve Command...
.
After his discharge in 1919, Johnson got married to his high school sweetheart Ida Dulany, and moved to California, first living in Fresno
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
, where they farmed grapes for the Sunmaid cooperative. In 1927, Johnson and his wife opened a restaurant, George's Southern Kitchen, in Berkeley
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
, although it failed after less than a year. He moved to San Francisco in April 1930, before they moved to Richmond, California
Richmond, California
Richmond is a city in western Contra Costa County, California, United States. The city was incorporated on August 7, 1905. It is located in the East Bay, part of the San Francisco Bay Area. It is a residential inner suburb of San Francisco, as well as the site of heavy industry, which has been...
in 1938. They never had any children (possibly due to an injury George had suffered as a teenager), and he lived in the three-story house in the (then) Richmond Annex he built until he died. The home, which has expansive views and the Bay is the largest in the area and was built with surplus lumber salvaged from around the Bay Area, including the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition.
Later life and death
He attributed his longevity to clean living free from drugsDRUGS
Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows are an American post-hardcore band formed in 2010. They released their debut self-titled album on February 22, 2011.- Formation :...
, alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
, and tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
. Obituaries made much of his rich diet, which consisted of toaster waffles and sausage, but that was only in the final years of his life, in part because he detested the Meals on Wheels food and in part because he had lost his sight and the sausage and waffles were easier to consume.
Following the death of the 112-year-old Marion Higgins of Seal Beach
Seal Beach, California
-Neighborhoods:Seal Beach encompasses the Leisure World retirement gated community with roughly 9,000 residents. This was the first major planned retirement community of its type in the U.S...
on March 2, 2006, it was believed that George Johnson had become the oldest-known living Californian – a distinction he held until his own death at 112 as well. However, a woman about one month older, Gertrude Baines
Gertrude Baines
Gertrude Baines was an American supercentenarian, who became the oldest recognized living person according to Guinness World Records on January 2, 2009, until her own death on September 11, 2009, at age 115 years 158 days...
, was validated not long after he died, so George lost this status posthumously.
The doctor performing the autopsy
Autopsy
An autopsy—also known as a post-mortem examination, necropsy , autopsia cadaverum, or obduction—is a highly specialized surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present...
on Johnson remarked how physically well he was – his internal organs were said to be in the condition of someone half his age. At his 112th birthday, surrounded by distant relatives he was unable to see, he was the life of the party and his mind was still quite sharp considering it contained more than a century of details.
UPI
United Press International
United Press International is a once-major international news agency, whose newswires, photo, news film and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines and radio and television stations for most of the twentieth century...
reports at the time of Johnson's death mistakenly stated that he was the last surviving American veteran of World War I. There were actually at least seventeen other known American World War I veterans who were still alive at the time of Johnson's death, though the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
reported that Johnson was the last World War I veteran in California.
See also
- 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...
- SupercentenarianSupercentenarianA supercentenarian is someone who has reached the age of 110 years. This age is achieved by about one in a thousand centenarians....
- Veterans of the First World War who died in 2006Veterans of the First World War who died in 2006The following is a list of known veterans of the First World War who died in 2006.-Austria-Hungary :-France :-Germany :-Italy :-Turkey/Ottoman Empire :...