Maggie Renfro
Encyclopedia
Maggie Mae Renfro was an American supercentenarian
who was, at 114, the third-oldest living person in the United States
and the oldest person in Louisiana
until her death on January 22, 2010. Renfro was also the fourth-oldest person in the world and the oldest African American
person from the death of Gertrude Baines
, until her own. Renfro claimed she was born in 1894, which would have made her the oldest person in the world at the time of her death. The United States Census of 1900, however, places her as a four-year-old, born in November 1895; the 1910 census lists Renfro as age 14 in April 1910, meaning she was born in 1895. Her social security record also listed her as born November 14, 1895.
She was born in Athens
in southern Claiborne Parish, Louisiana
, the fourth of eleven children of Wylie and Dellie Thornton. At the age of nineteen, she became a cook for a road crew. Soon afterward, she moved to Madisonville
, the seat of Madison County east of Bryan
, Texas, and later to Houston
, where she met her husband Rudy. The two had no children, and, following his death in 1971, Renfro moved to Minden
, the seat of Webster Parish, near her native Athens, where she lived until her death.
She attributed her longevity
to being "a good servant for God." "Love everybody; treat everybody right," she once said. She also never drank nor smoked. Renfro enjoyed good health even in advancing age according to her niece and caretaker, Mattie Ellis. "I feel good," Renfro said in December 2007. "Nothing hurts me right now, and I'm not sick."
Renfro had two sisters who lived to be centenarians, Carrie Lee Thornton Miller (April 9, 1902–January 5, 2010), age 107, and Rosie Lee Thornton Warren (January 6, 1906–December 18, 2009), age 103. Rosie and Carrie had died only eighteen days apart. On November 8, 2009, Renfro and her sisters were recognized in a ceremony hosted by Cultural Crossroads at the Minden Civic Center. They had the oldest combined age of three living siblings at 324 years. Like Renfro, Rosie lived in the care of relatives in Minden, while Carrie lived in an extensive care hospital in Shreveport
.
Only seventeen days after the death of her sister Carrie, Maggie Renfro died of pneumonia
at the age of 114 years and 69 days on January 22, 2010. Following her death, Daisey Bailey
became the oldest living person of African descent.
Supercentenarian
A supercentenarian is someone who has reached the age of 110 years. This age is achieved by about one in a thousand centenarians....
who was, at 114, the third-oldest living person in the United States
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...
and the oldest person in Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
until her death on January 22, 2010. Renfro was also the fourth-oldest person in the world and the oldest 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...
person from the death of Gertrude Baines
Gertrude Baines
Gertrude Baines was an American supercentenarian, who became the oldest recognized living person according to Guinness World Records on January 2, 2009, until her own death on September 11, 2009, at age 115 years 158 days...
, until her own. Renfro claimed she was born in 1894, which would have made her the oldest person in the world at the time of her death. The United States Census of 1900, however, places her as a four-year-old, born in November 1895; the 1910 census lists Renfro as age 14 in April 1910, meaning she was born in 1895. Her social security record also listed her as born November 14, 1895.
She was born in Athens
Athens, Louisiana
Athens is a village in Claiborne Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 262 at the 2000 census.The Pilgrim's Pride poultry hatchery in Athens was designated for closure early in 2009, along with other company businesses in nearby Arcadia in Bienville Parish, Choudrant in Lincoln...
in southern Claiborne Parish, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, the fourth of eleven children of Wylie and Dellie Thornton. At the age of nineteen, she became a cook for a road crew. Soon afterward, she moved to Madisonville
Madisonville, Texas
Madisonville is a city in Madison County, Texas, United States. The population was 4,159 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Madison County. Both the City of Madisonville and the County of Madison were named for U.S...
, the seat of Madison County east of Bryan
Bryan, Texas
Bryan is a city in Brazos County, Texas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 76,201. It is the county seat of Brazos County and is located in the heart of the Brazos Valley . It shares its border with the city of College Station, which lies to its south...
, Texas, and later to Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, where she met her husband Rudy. The two had no children, and, following his death in 1971, Renfro moved to Minden
Minden, Louisiana
Minden is a city in the American state of Louisiana. It serves as the parish seat of Webster Parish and is located twenty-eight miles east of Shreveport, the seat of Caddo Parish. The population, which has been stable since 1960, was 13,027 at the 2000 census...
, the seat of Webster Parish, near her native Athens, where she lived until her death.
She 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 being "a good servant for God." "Love everybody; treat everybody right," she once said. She also never drank nor smoked. Renfro enjoyed good health even in advancing age according to her niece and caretaker, Mattie Ellis. "I feel good," Renfro said in December 2007. "Nothing hurts me right now, and I'm not sick."
Renfro had two sisters who lived to be centenarians, Carrie Lee Thornton Miller (April 9, 1902–January 5, 2010), age 107, and Rosie Lee Thornton Warren (January 6, 1906–December 18, 2009), age 103. Rosie and Carrie had died only eighteen days apart. On November 8, 2009, Renfro and her sisters were recognized in a ceremony hosted by Cultural Crossroads at the Minden Civic Center. They had the oldest combined age of three living siblings at 324 years. Like Renfro, Rosie lived in the care of relatives in Minden, while Carrie lived in an extensive care hospital in Shreveport
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
.
Only seventeen days after the death of her sister Carrie, Maggie Renfro died of pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
at the age of 114 years and 69 days on January 22, 2010. Following her death, Daisey Bailey
Daisey Bailey
Daisey Bailey was an African American supercentenarian, who at the age of 113 years and 342 days, was the fifth oldest person in the world and the third oldest living person in the United States...
became the oldest living person of African descent.
See also
- List of supercentenarians from the United States
- List of the verified oldest women
- List of the verified oldest people
- SupercentenarianSupercentenarianA supercentenarian is someone who has reached the age of 110 years. This age is achieved by about one in a thousand centenarians....