BIOGRAPHY

Levingston was born in Cotton Valley, Webster Parish, Louisiana, USA, on 13 November 1905. He was the fourth of seven children born to Frank Levingston Sr. (1879-1919) and Ida Greenard (1880-1916). Along with his younger siblings, he helped maintain about 200 acres of land obtained by his parents. He lost both of parents in his youth – his mother at 11, and his father at 13. Following their deaths, he worked at a gas station in Cotton Valley to support his siblings, and then left to work in a shipyard in Galveston, Texas. As a young child, his parents introduced him to Christianity, but he later claimed how he couldn’t see “how the religion of Christianity connected with nature”.

In 1942, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, and served as a private during the war in the Allied invasion of Italy which lasted from September 1943 to January 1944. After receiving an honorable discharge in 1945, he became a union worker specializing in cement finishing. He never married nor had children, claiming how he was close to getting married one time, but he decided against it because he spent so much time doing construction work. He visited Rome (Italy) and Mecca (Saudi Arabia). He became a Muslim in the late 1950s under the leadership of Elijah Muhammad. His Muslim name was Frank Mukmim.

One of his favorite hobbies was hunting with his rifle. In 1981, he moved to Lake Charles, Louisiana, where he lived for next 35 years. He was able to drive a car up until he was 105.

In 2015, he moved to the North Louisiana Veterans Home in Bossier City. In November of the same year, he received an invitation and traveled to Washington DC to visit the White House. He said it was an enjoyable trip, but he was disappointed he didn’t get to meet Barack Obama.

Levingston died in Shreveport, Louisiana, USA, on 3 May 2016, at the age of 110 years, 172 days.

RECOGNITION

Levingston became the oldest recognized living military veteran in United States following the death of Emma Didlake on 16 August 2015. He became the oldest living man in the United States following the death of Felix Simoneaux on 19 April 2016.

Following his death, Clarence Matthews became the oldest known living man in the United States.

His age was verified by Stefan Maglov, and validated by LongeviQuest on 23 February 2023.

ATTRIBUTION

GALLERY