Georgie Jordan (1880-1995) validation
The Gerontology Research Group is delighted to announce the age validation of Georgia Ella Jordan, nee Gray, known as Georgie. Georgie was born on September 18th 1880 in Macon, Bibb County, Georgia, USA, to Lorenzo and Cora (Pierce) Gray. Her parents had married in Bibb County on August 31st 1878. She had at least five siblings.
On September 23rd 1898, only five days after her 18th birthday, Georgie married William ‘Willie’ Jordan in Bibb County, Georgia. They went on to have just one child together – a daughter named Ruby (Smith) Jordan. Ruby was born October 23rd 1900 and died March 14th 1997, aged 96.
In 1907 or 1908 they moved from Georgia to Virginia, settling in the city of Newport News, in the Hampton Roads region. Willie worked in making and repairing shoes, eventually having his own business.
Willie sadly died on August 29th 1946, aged 62, having been born around 1882. After his death, Georgie and Ruby reportedly carried on the business until Georgie retired. She did not remarry after his passing. Ruby married late in life to Herman Smith in 1955, but divorced in 1957. However, they remarried in 1959.
Georgie and Ruby spent decades living together, until Georgie turned 110 and Ruby could no longer care for her. She moved into a nursing home in Newport News, where she would remain for the rest of her years.
Georgie passed away on February 9th 1995, aged 114 years, 144 days from a cardiac arrest. She is now considered the oldest known and validated living person in the United States from the death of Wilhelmina Kott on September 6th 1994 until her own death the following February.
Age verification:
Some evidence, such as some mid-life censuses and her Social Security Application in 1961, show a younger age for Georgie. It has been determined via early-life documents that Georgie indeed was most likely born on September 18th 1880, as claimed. Age understatement was not uncommon in mid-life for women at the time. As her husband was younger than her by around two years, she may have also wanted to appear younger than him – which was also more acceptable at the time. Identity theft by a sibling has also been ruled out. Georgie’s accounts of her life in various news articles throughout the years also matches all gathered evidence for her.
Whilst it is sad that Georgie was not officially recognized as the oldest living USA resident at the time, she is now receiving that honor and place in history.
