Susannah Mushatt Jones
At the time of Susannah’s passing, she was the 7th oldest living validated person in history. She died in May 2016 at 116 years, 311 days, and was the last surviving American born in the 1800s. She was born in Alabama where her parents were farmers on the same land they were raised on. It was reported that her grandmother an ex-slave had lived until the age of 117.
Susannah had no children and she worked as a caretaker for wealthy families. She was a selfless person who supported her relatives and also established the Calhoun Club that raised College funds for African American kids. She remained active in her neighborhood and served the community by joining the tenant patrol team. After she retired she lived with her niece until her death.