BIOGRAPHY

Delina Filkins was born in a log cabin in Stark, Herkimer County, New York, USA, on 4 May 1815. Her grandparents had emigrated to the United States from Holland in the 1700s, settling in Albany, New York. On 19 February 1834, aged 19, she married John Filkins. The couple went on to live on a farm in Stark, where they raised a family of seven children.

At the age of 107, she underwent surgery due to a hernia. For her 112th birthday, she expressed a desire to go on an airplane for the first time, but her children disallowed this from happening. On her 113th birthday in 1928, she was reported to still be in good health for her age, and celebrated her birthday by going for a car ride. At the time, she had two living sons aged 72 and 84.

Delina Filkins died in Richfield Springs, New York, USA on 4 December 1928, at the age of 113 years, 214 days.

RECOGNITION

Her record as the oldest person ever recorded would only be beaten 51 years later, when Eliza Underwood surpassed her age.

ATTRIBUTION

* The Ithaca Journal, 18 May 1928

* New Britain Herald, 4 Dec 1928

GALLERY