Louisa Thiers

Louisa Thiers (October 2, 1814 – February 17, 1926) was an American verified supercentenarian. She was born as Louisa Kirwan Capron in Whitesboro, Oneida County, New York. Her parents were Seth (a Revolutionary War veteran) and Eunice Capron. Eunice was 47 when Louisa was born. She had four older brothers and one older sister. In the 1830s, she and her family moved to Kenosha, Wisconsin. She moved to the city Milwaukee in 1850.

On April 6, 1847, she married David Bodine Thiers. The couple had five children in total, of which one died as an infant. David died in 1888. She was an advocate for women’s emancipation.

At 106, she could still read and write letters by hand.

At 108, she could recall the opening of the Erie Canal, riding one of the first steam railways in New York, and seeing Halley’s comet two times. She was also interested in current events. She attributed her longevity to a moderate diet, lots of sleep, exercise, keeping interest in life and being happy/making others happy. At age 111, she stated that ”you can’t mix love and a career” and that ”motherhood is one of the biggest blessings that can come to any woman”.

Thiers died on February 17, 1926, at the age of 111 years, 138 days. She was the oldest living person in the world at the time of her death.