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[[Category:Virginia births]] |
[[Category:Virginia births]] |
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[[Category:Virginia deaths]] |
[[Category:Virginia deaths]] |
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| + | [[Category:WOM Claimants]] |
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Revision as of 23:14, 8 September 2021
| John B. Salling | |
 | |
| Birth: | 15 May 1856 Slant, Scott County, Virginia, United States |
| Death: | 16 March 1959 Slant, Scott County, Virginia, United States |
| Age: | 102 years, 305 days |
| Country: |  USA
|
| Centenarian | |
John B. Salling (15 May 1856 (claimed 15 May 1846) - 16 March 1959) claimed to be the second-to-last surviving Confederate veteran of the American Civil War, after Walter Williams, although like Williams his claim of being a supercentenarian has been debunked. He was initially validated by Guinness as aged 113 years, 1 day (Guinness had mistakenly placed his birthdate at 15 March 1846 rather than 15 May 1846), but was then downgraded to 112 years, 305 days[1][2]. When his claimed age was debunked, Guinness withdrew recognition of the case and abolished the "oldest soldier" category but later gave the title to Antonio Todde.
By his account, he served as a saltpeter digger in the mines, was not enlisted, and never had a uniform. Despite being illiterate, he could, with relative accuracy, name the commanding officer of his claimed regiment of service, as well as three other members of the regiment. Thus, whether or not he genuinely served as a saltpeter digger despite being born in 1856 is unknown.
References
- ↑ John B. Salling Is Dead at 112 Next to Last Civil War Survivor The New York Times 17 March 1959
- ↑ John B Salling Find a Grave