Mathew Beard facts for kids
Mathew Beard (born around July 9, 1870, and passed away on February 16, 1985) was an American man who lived for a very long time. He was a farmer and said he fought in the Spanish–American War in 1898. Mathew Beard is officially recognized as the first person in history to reach the age of 114 years old.
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Who Was Mathew Beard?
Mathew Beard was an American who lived for an incredible 114 years and 222 days. He was born in the late 1800s and lived through many major historical events. He was known for his long life and his claim of serving in a war.
Living Over 100 Years
A person who lives to be 110 years old or more is called a supercentenarian. Mathew Beard was one of these special people. He was the first person ever to be officially proven to have lived to be 114 years old. This is a very rare achievement!
What Was the Spanish-American War?
Mathew Beard claimed to have been a veteran of the Spanish–American War. This was a short conflict that happened in 1898 between the United States and Spain. It was fought over issues in Cuba and other Spanish colonies. If Mathew Beard did serve, he would have been around 28 years old at the time.
Was He the Oldest Person Alive?
When Mathew Beard passed away, some people thought another man, Shigechiyo Izumi from Japan, was older. Izumi claimed to be five years older than Beard. However, later on, it was found that Izumi's age claim was not correct. This means Mathew Beard was indeed one of the oldest people verified to have lived at that time. He is also one of only a few men in history who have lived to be at least 114 years old.
