| Louisa Thiers | |
 Louisa Thiers at the age of 111. | |
| Birth: | 2 October 1814 Whitesboro, New York, USA |
| Death: | 17 February 1926 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA |
| Age: | 111 years, 138 days |
| Country: |  USA
|
| Validated | |
Louisa Kirwan Thiers (née Capron; 2 October 1814 – 17 February 1926) was an American supercentenarian whose age is validated by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG). At the time of her death, she was the world's oldest living person, and the oldest validated person ever. She was also the first validated person to reach the age of 111.
Biography
Louisa Thiers was born as Louisa Kirwan Capron in Whitesboro, New York, USA on 2 October 1814. Her parents were Seth (a Revolutionary War veteran) and Eunice Capron. Eunice was 47 when Louisa was born. She had four older brothers and one older sister. In the 1830s, she and her family moved to Kenosha, Wisconsin. She moved to Milwaukee in 1850.
On 6 April 1847, she married David Bodine Thiers. The couple had five children in total, of which one died as an infant. David died in 1875. She was an advocate for women’s emancipation.
At the age 106, Thiers could still read and write letters by hand.
At the age of 108, Thiers could recall the opening of the Erie Canal, riding one of the first steam railways in New York, and seeing Halley’s comet two times. She was also interested in current events. She attributed her longevity to a moderate diet, lots of sleep, exercise, keeping interest in life and being happy/making others happy.
In August 1925, she broke Margaret Ann Neve’s 23-year-old record to become the oldest validated person ever.
At the age of 111, Thiers stated that ”you can’t mix love and a career” and that ”motherhood is one of the biggest blessings that can come to any woman”.
Thiers died in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on 17 February 1926 at the age of 111 years, 138 days. Her successor as the world’s oldest living person was then-110-year-old Delina Filkins who broke her longevity record that same year. One of Thiers’ great-granddaughters, Mary (Dorr) Hastie, died in 2016 aged 104.
Gallery
References
- List of validated supercentenarians (listed chronologically by date of birth) Gerontology Research Group
- Louisa Kirwan Capron Thiers Find a Grave