The Ten Oldest People to Ever Live

Living longer is now more possibe than it ever was before. With advances in medicine and technology, diseases and sicknesses are not only more treatable, but we also have a more vast and precise understanding of how to take care of ourselves. If you're looking for that elixir of life, maybe it's time to take a cue from the oldest people ever to live. Here is a list of the ten oldest and their stories.

Age: 115 years, 319 days

Years Living: March 6, 1882 - January 19, 1998

Country: United States

The North Carolina resident was the daughter of a slave. She married a tenant farmer and had 15 children with him. She passed away from a minor foot infection.

Age: 166 years, 45 days

Years Living: September 16, 1887 - October 31, 2003

Country: Japan

Living on the island of Kyushu, it is no surprise that Kamato became one of the oldest people to live. Known as the "island of longevity", Kyushu was home to the oldest person in the world in 2007 and again in 2009.

Age: 116 years, 88 days

Years Living: November 18, 1874 - February 14, 1991

Country: United States

The age of White is somewhat disputed. The first record of her age was in 1909 when her husband checked her into the Florida State Hospital for the Insane for post typhoid psychosis. If correct, she was 35 at this date. She was abandoned by her family and spent the next 75 years at the facility before being moved to a nursing home for her last seven years of life.

Age: 116 years, 118 days

Years Living: August 15, 1890 - December 11, 2006

Country: United States

Born to freed slaves, Elizabeth Bolden lived her entire life in Tennessee. At the time of her 116th birthday, she had 7 children, 40 grandchildren, 75 great-grandchildren, 140 great-great-grandchildren, 220 great-great-great grandchildren, and 75 great-great-great-great-grandchildren.

Age: 116 years, 175 days

Years Living: January 18, 1879 - July 12, 1995

Country: Japan

The key to Tane's longevity may have been her diet of three meals of rice porridge a day or her love of sewing and pottery. Multiple strokes, however, had her mostly bed-ridden after the age of 99.

Age: 116 years, 347 days

Years Living: September 14, 1889 - August 27, 2006

Country: Ecuador

The oldest person to ever live in the southern hemisphere, Capovilla's life spanned over three different centuries. Part of her success was attributed to never smoking or drinking hard liquor. At the age of 116, she was still able to watch television, read the newspaper, and walk with help of a cane.

Age: 117 years, 230 days

Years Living: August 29, 1880 - April 16, 1998

Country: Canada

Meilleur grew up in Quebec and had four children with her first husband before moving to Ontario. There, she had six children with her second husband. As the oldest Canadian and one of the oldest people to ever live, she died of a blood clot in a nursing home.

Age: 117 years, 248 days

Years Living: July 16, 1875 - March 21, 1993

Country: United States

Born in Alabama, Lucy was the daughter of two former slaves. Whipped brutally every day until they achieved freedom, her parents taught her to appreciate being free each day. Lucy migrated to Detroit to escape the racism of the South. She lived there until her death in 1993.

Age: 119 years, 97 days

Years Living: September 24, 1880 - December 30, 1999

Country: United States

The second verified oldest person to have lived, Knauss lived through seven wars and 23 presidents. She lived her entire life in Pennsylvania and had one child who was 96 at the time of her death. Her long life is credited to her serene and tranquil temperament. She said that she still enjoyed being alive in her later years because she was still able to do things such as watch golf and practice needlepoint.

Age: 122 years, 164 days

Years Living: February 21, 1865 - August 4, 1997

Country: France

The oldest person to ever live, Jeanne Calment lived her entire life in Arles, France. The daughter of a shipbuilder, she met Vincent van Gogh at the age of 13. She was also able to witness the Eiffel Tower being built firsthand. Calment married in 1896 and had one child and one grandchild, both of whom she outlived. Several elements of her lifestyle may have led to such a long life. For one, she remained active. She took up fencing at the age of 85 and rode bicycle until age 100. She credits her youthful looks to olive oil, which she poured on all of her food and rubbed into her skin as well. She also drank port wine and consumed one kilogram of chocolate per week.

There you have it, the ten oldest people to ever live. Maybe you can utilize some of their healthy habits to extend the length of your own life. I hope you enjoyed the article. If you have any questions or comments, please post them below.