| Maggie Barnes | |
 Maggie Barnes at the age of 115, in 1997. | |
| Birth: | 6 March 1882 Black Creek, North Carolina, USA |
| Death: | 19 January 1998 Kenly, North Carolina, USA |
| Age: | 115 years, 319 days |
| Country: |  USA
|
| Validated | |
Maggie Pauline Barnes (née Hinnant; 6 March 1882 – 19 January 1998) was a validated American supercentenarian who holds the record for the oldest verified person from the state of North Carolina. She claimed to be 117 but her age was verified as being born on 6 March 1882 (according to a family bible; the 1900 census said "Mar 1881") and she died 19 January 1998, from gangrene infection, at the age of 115 years, 319 days. She was survived by 4 of her 15 children. She was the 3rd-oldest verified living person and the 2nd-oldest in the United States after Sarah Knauss, although she has since been surpassed by Jeralean Talley, Besse Cooper, and Susannah Mushatt Jones, among others.
Biography
Maggie Pauline Hinnant was born in Black Creek, Wilson, North Carolina as the daughter of Louzaine Hinnant and an unknown father. She married William Orangie Barnes at Maggie’s stepfather Dread’s farm in Black Creek, Wilson 22 October 1899. The couple would have 15 children, of which eight would reach an adult age: Lillian, Clara, Gladys, Nell, Willie, Mary, Ruth and Mildred. The family moved to Kenly, Wilson, North Carolina in 1904 and Maggie spent the remaining part of her life in this area. Maggie Barnes died in Kenly, Johnston, North Carolina 19 January 1998 at the age of 115 years, 319 years. She died from gangrene in her foot, which had originated as a minor infection. She was treated with antibiotics in hospital in late 1997, but she was too frail to survive surgery, she was therefore sent home where she would die four months later.
Longevity Records
On 14 September 1996, Barnes became the second-oldest living person in USA (behind Sarah Knauss) after the death of Carrie Lazenby who was 25 days older than her.
On 6 March 1997, Barnes celebrated her 115th birthday becoming symbolically the 10th person in the history to reach this age and the sixth American to do that.
On 4 August 1997, when she was 115, Barnes became the third-oldest living person in the world following the death of Jeanne Calment from France who was 122.
On 21 October 1997, she surpassed the age of the British woman Charlotte Hughes to become the 7th-oldest validated person ever.
On 9 December 1997, Barnes became (with others) one of the last five survivor born before 1884, after the death of the British woman Lucy Askew (born in 1883).
She died on 19 January 1998, just 46 days before her 116th birthday aged of 115 years and 319 days. At the time of her death she was the 2nd-oldest living person in the United States and the 3rd-oldest living person in the world (behind the Canadian Marie-Louise Meilleur and Sarah Knauss, both aged of 117). Barnes is the oldest person born and dead in North Carolina. She was also the 7th-oldest person ever (behind Jeanne Calment, Sarah Knauss, Marie-Louise Meilleur, Delphia Welford, Tane Ikai and Easter Wiggins). She remained in the top 10 oldest person ever until Besse Cooper surpassed her age on 11 July 2012. She remained in the top 10 oldest Americans of all-time until Edie Ceccarelli surpassed her age on 22 December 2023.
Gallery
References
- Gerontology Research Group
- New Bern Sun Journal, March 8, 1996
- Burlington Times News, September 28, 1997
- Tobaccofarmlifemuseum.org, William and Maggie Barnes
- 1880 Census of mother (No Maggie listed)
- 1899 Marriage Record (Maggie Hinnant, age 19)
- 1900 US Census (Maggie Barnes is listed as having been born in March 1881)
- 1910 US Census (Maggie Barnes, age 30)
- 1920 US Census (Maggie Barnes, age 40)
- 1930 US Census (Maggie Barnes, age 48)
- 1940 US Census (Maggie Barnes, age 58)
- 1972 SSA (Maggie Barnes, March 6, 1882)
- NCDI (Maggie Barnes, 6 March 1882 - 19 January 1998)
- Jeanne Calment and her successors Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research
- Maggie Pauline Hinnant Barnes Find A Grave