Mary Electa Bidwell

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mary Electa Nobel Bidwell (May 9, 1881 – April 25, 1996)^[1] was an American supercentenarian. She died at 114 years and 352 days, making her the 26th oldest person to ever live and the oldest American living at the time of her death. She was also the oldest person ever to die in Connecticut.^[2]^[3]^[4]

Her parents were Charles Woodruff Bidwell and Alice Beach Nobel.^[3] She was a descendant of John Bidwell, one of the founders of Hartford, Connecticut. Bidwell worked as a teacher in a one-room school house for six years. She married Charles Hubbell Bidwell, a distant cousin, in 1906. ^[2]

Bidwell lived on her own in North Haven, Connecticut until she was 110. Bidwell died at the Arden House, a nursing home in Hamden, Connecticut.^[1]^[4] She was the last surviving person documented as born in 1881.

As of April 2008, Bidwell is still listed as one of the 30 longest lived people ever.

[edit] References

^ ^a ^b Social Security Death Index; 040383799
^ ^a ^b "Life is Long.", New York Times. Retrieved on 2007-12-09. "Mary Electa Bidwell was supposed to be listed as the Guinness Book of World Records's oldest living American, but she died shortly before the publication's deadline. 1876-1996 Mary Thompson, who was slightly older, couldn't qualify for Guinness's title, either - as the daughter of ex-slaves, she had no birth certificate - but in 1992 she did receive the ultimate American tribute to longevity, a mention by Willard Scott on the Today show."
^ ^a ^b "Mary Electa Bidwell. Oldest person in the USA.", Bidwell House Museum, 1996. Retrieved on 2007-12-09. "According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Mary Electa Bidwell, at 114, is the oldest person in the United States."
^ ^a ^b "Oldest person in the U.S. still teaching life lessons.", CNN. Retrieved on 2007-12-09. "Mary Bidwell has a long memory because she has had a long life. At 114, she is the oldest person in the United States."