Maryland Archives

LongeviQuest is pleased to announce the age validation of Annie Virginia Matthews of the United States at age 110. She was born in Brookeville, Maryland, United States on 26 September 1909. She has 8 siblings.

As a child, Matthews started attending Brighton Methodist Episcopal Church in Brookeville. She could only complete grade six but was a regular attendee of Sunday School and one-hour evening services. When Matthews was 17, the family’s home in Brookeville burned down, so the family moved into a two-room log cabin house in Sandy Spring, Maryland. She lived and worked in Baltimore with her uncle for some time, coming home every other week.

Undated, likely in 1970s.
(Source: FOX 5 DC)

Matthews was a wife and a mother to four children. For a time, she worked at the Olney Inn together with her daughters. Matthews was also employed by the Montgomery County School Board as a cafeteria worker and worked nights at Leisure World. As an elderly woman, she worked as Assistant Manager at the Ross Boddy Community Recreation Center for 15 years, working along with her granddaughter for some time. After moving with her daughter and granddaughter to Laurel, she became a member of Queen’s Chapel United Methodist Church. At the age of 98, she used to read a book every day to her great-great-granddaughter.

Matthews passed away in Laurel, Maryland, USA, on 12 December 2019, at the age of 110 years, 77 days. She was survived by her daughter, Cora Canty, 17 grandchildren, 33 great-grandchildren, 44 great-great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great-great-grandchildren. At the time of her death, Matthews was the third-oldest known living person in the U.S. state of Maryland, behind Downing Kay and Ruby Staley.

LongeviQuest congratulates Annie Matthews’s family on her posthumous recognition.

For more information, please view Mrs. Matthews’s Directory Profile here.

LongeviQuest is pleased to announce the age validation of Martha Frances Brown at 111 years old. She was an American supercentenarian recognized as the former oldest known living person in the United States. At the time of death, she was also the second-oldest living person in the world.

Martha Brown was born on 17 February 1858 in Federalsburg, Maryland, USA, as Martha Frances Prattis.

In 1876, Martha moved to Philadelphia. At some point in her life, she married Luke H. Nichols and had seven children with him. Her first husband died in 1928, and so she was remarried to Benjamin Brown who later also passed away in either 1932,1940, or 1942, according to different sources.

On her 102nd birthday in 1960.
(Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer)

In 1959, Marta celebrated her 111th birthday while also receiving a congratulatory letter from President Richard Nixon for her longevity.

Martha Brown passed away on 5 August 1969, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. She was 111 years and 169 days old at the time of her death.

For more information, please view Martha Brown’s Directory Profile here.