Arbella Ewing
Encyclopedia
Arbella Ewing née Perkins (March 13, 1894 – March 22, 2008) was an American supercentenarian
. At the time of her death, at age 114, she was the third-oldest living person in the world
, the second-oldest person in the United States and the oldest living African American
. She is also the second-oldest person ever from the state of Texas (behind only Margaret Skeete
, who died at age 115).
Ewing, the fourth of 12 children, grew up in Streetman, Texas
, and married Frank Ewing in 1915, after which she moved to South Dallas
. Her former house is still located in South Dallas today. She has a living sister, Annie, who was born in 1904 and is 103. When she was an adult, she worked in a local bikeshop in Streetman. Her great-grandparents were slaves in Mississippi
. After marrying Frank Ewing, they had a daughter, named Claudia, who died in 1970. The Ewing family stated she was a gem in the family according to The Dallas Morning News
. She lived in her own home in Dallas until the age of 113, after breaking her hip at her birthday party, when she was moved into a personal care home, where she eventually died nine days after having reached the age of 114. The people close to her attributed her longevity
to positive thinking. At the time of her death in March 2008, aged 114 years 9 days, Ewing was one of the 70 longest lived people ever.
Supercentenarian
A supercentenarian is someone who has reached the age of 110 years. This age is achieved by about one in a thousand centenarians....
. At the time of her death, at age 114, she was the third-oldest living person in the world
Oldest people
This is a list of tables of the verified oldest people in the world in ordinal rank, such as oldest person or oldest man. In these tables, a supercentenarian is considered 'verified' if his or her claim has been validated by an international body that specifically deals in longevity research, such...
, the second-oldest person in the United States and the oldest living African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
. She is also the second-oldest person ever from the state of Texas (behind only Margaret Skeete
Margaret Skeete
Margaret Skeete née Seward was an American supercentenarian and the oldest living American from 1993 to 1994. Skeete is the oldest person ever from Texas. She was 115 years 192 days old at the time of her death, and is the 15th oldest person ever as of October 2008...
, who died at age 115).
Ewing, the fourth of 12 children, grew up in Streetman, Texas
Streetman, Texas
Streetman is a town in Freestone and Navarro Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. In 1990 the population was 260. The population dropped to 203 in 2000.-Geography:...
, and married Frank Ewing in 1915, after which she moved to South Dallas
South Dallas
South Dallas is an area in Dallas, Texas, . It is usually either defined in one of two ways: As the area south of the Trinity River and south of Interstate 30, which consist mostly of Oak Cliff and Pleasant Grove, or to the area bounded by I-30 and Downtown Dallas to the north, the Trinity River to...
. Her former house is still located in South Dallas today. She has a living sister, Annie, who was born in 1904 and is 103. When she was an adult, she worked in a local bikeshop in Streetman. Her great-grandparents were slaves in Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
. After marrying Frank Ewing, they had a daughter, named Claudia, who died in 1970. The Ewing family stated she was a gem in the family according to The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News is the major daily newspaper serving the Dallas, Texas area, with a circulation of 264,459 subscribers, the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported in September 2010...
. She lived in her own home in Dallas until the age of 113, after breaking her hip at her birthday party, when she was moved into a personal care home, where she eventually died nine days after having reached the age of 114. The people close to her attributed her longevity
Longevity
The word "longevity" is sometimes used as a synonym for "life expectancy" in demography or known as "long life", especially when it concerns someone or something lasting longer than expected ....
to positive thinking. At the time of her death in March 2008, aged 114 years 9 days, Ewing was one of the 70 longest lived people ever.