| Florence Knapp | |
 | |
| Birth: | 10 October 1873 Lansdale, Pennsylvania, USA |
| Death: | 11 January 1988 Montgomery Square, Pennsylvania, USA |
| Age: | 114 years, 93 days |
| Country: |  USA
|
| Validated | |
Florence Knapp (10 October 1873 – 11 January 1988) was an American supercentenarian whose age is validated by Gerontology Research Group (GRG).
Biography
Florence Knapp was born in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, USA, on 10 October 1873. She lived in nearby Montgomery Square much of her life and came from a large and long-lived family, eight of her siblings dying in their 80s and 90s, and one sister reaching age 107. She was never married.
In 1983, she was recognized by Guinness World Records as the longest time to live in the same residence, having lived in the same house been with born for 110 years, before moving to a nursing home.
By October 1987, when she was honored by the Pennsylvania legislature, she was recognized by Guinness as the oldest person in the United States, and the death of Anna Eliza Williams on 27 December 1987, meant that Knapp became the oldest verified recognized living person. Her death, aged 114 years, 93 days, just 15 days after meant that she never appeared in a Guinness Book as the oldest living person.
Her death caused some confusion as to who her successor was, with Guinness recognition and press publicity alighting first on Orpha Nusbaum (1875–1988), who died before the 1989 edition's deadline, then Birdie May Vogt (1876–1989), who appeared in the 1989 edition's main text, then Jeanne Calment, mentioned in the addenda section, and finally in November 1988 on Carrie C. White, whose claim to birth in November 1874 was accepted, but White's case is no longer accepted, so her successor was Jeanne Calment.
For the last two weeks of her life, Knapp was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest living validated person in the world.
Knapp died in Montgomery Square, Pennsylvania, USA, on 11 January 1988 at the age of 114 years, 93 days.
Gallery
References
- Florence Knapp, 114 Photo Gallery, Gerontology Research Group
- Longest time to live in the same residence Guinness World Records
- Altoona Mirror, November 26, 1986
- Huntingdon Daily News, October 14, 1987
- Altoona Mirror, January 13, 1988
- Montgomery Township Historical Society: The Knapp Farm
- Florence Knapp (1873 - 1988) FamilySearch