The oldest known person in America, Elizabeth Francis, dies at the age of 115. She was born in Louisiana

Houston, Texas resident Elizabeth Francis, who was the oldest known living person in America, died on Tuesday, October 22 at the age of 115.

At the time of her death, the supercentenarian was the third oldest known living person in the world, according to LongeviQuest, an organization that monitors and tracks the world’s oldest people.

Also according to LongeviQuest, Francis became the oldest living person in the U.S. in February, following the death of Edie Ceccarelli. Francis is also one of the longest-living people in United States history.

Francis spent most of her life in Texas, but was originally from Louisiana.

The oldest known person in America, Elizabeth Francis, dies at the age of 115

Ethel Harrison, Francis’ granddaughter and primary caregiver, told the Washington Post that her grandmother celebrated her 115th birthday in July with a large cake decorated with flowers and vanilla ice cream.

Franciszka was born on July 25, 1909 in the parish of St. Mary in Louisiana, but he wasn’t sure exactly what town she was born in.

Francis attributed her longevity to her faith in God, speaking her mind and eating what she wanted. Additionally, Francis stated that she did not drink or smoke, except for the occasional glass of wine.

“If the Good Lord gave it to you, use it. “Speak your mind, don’t hold your tongue,” Francis said last year, describing her best piece of advice.

In 1920, after the death of Franciszka’s mother, she and her five siblings were sent to other homes. Francis was sent to Houston, where she was raised by her aunt and lived next door to her older sister, Bertha Johnson.

Before Johnson’s death at age 106, she and Francis were among the oldest living siblings.

In Houston, Francis lived with her daughter, Dorothy Williams, whom she gave birth to in 1928 and raised as a single mother while running a coffee shop in Houston. Francis ran the café for almost two decades until he finally retired in 1975.

Currently, the oldest living person in America is Naomi Whitehead, who is 144 years old and was born on September 26, 1910.

This article originally appeared in the Shreveport Times: Elizabeth Francis, the oldest known person in America, dies at the age of 115