A Chippewa Indian named John Smith who lived in the woods near Cass Lake, Minnesota claimed to be 137 years old before he died in 1922.
In 1922 , a man named Chief John Smith died .
He was a Chippewa Native American living in the northerly woods of Minnesota , spending most of his life by Lake of the Woods and Cass Lake .
The Chippewa masses referred to him as Ga - Be - Nah - Gewn - Wonce , which translates roughly to “ wrinkled heart and soul . ” The sobriquet probably came from his human face ’s wrinkle , leathery appearance , celebrated for mi around .
Wikimedia CommonsJohn Smith, circa 1920.
After all , when you ’re 137 , you ’re bound to get a few wrinkle .
Did Chief John Smith Live To 137?
Wikimedia CommonsJohn Smith , circa 1920 .
According to the Chippewa mass , eyewitness accounts , and Chief John Smith himself , he was 137 when he died , place his birth yr at 1785 .
There ’s no dubiousness that his age is highly contested . However , no one has ever been able to image out exactly when John Smith was born .
Public DomainThough accounts vary, John Smith claimed that he was born as early as 1784.
Paul Buffalo , a valet de chambre wholivedwith the Chippewa as a minor and even called Smith “ Grandpa , ” claims that Smith repeatedly said that he had been between eight and ten years sure-enough when “ the stars fell . ”
The principal fall was probable the Leonid meteor rain shower of 1833 . Many local aboriginal American tribes used born cataclysm or occurrences to grade of import engagement as the events were memorable and could be traced back through history .
However , if Smith was indeed eight or ten years old during the meteor cascade , that would put his birth class at 1823 or 1825 , and his years at the time of his decease just under 100 . A far battle cry from 137 .
Public DomainHis original names translate to things like “Sloughing Flesh” and “Wrinkle Meat.”
Further Investigations Into Chief John Smith’s Age
Public DomainThough accounts diverge , John Smith claim that he was born as early as 1784 .
The newspaper publisher thatreportedSmith ’s death , Minnesota’sStar Tribune , attempted to formalise his historic period . The paper pointed out that Smith clear remembered specific battles that the Chippewa had with their neighbour — the Sioux — that were said to have taken place before the act of the 19th century .
TheStar Tribunealso said that Smith commend the War of 1812 , saying he often boasted that though he ’d participate in the state of war , he had never struggle against the white human race . If he were old enough to struggle in the state of war , say aged 18 or 19 , that would have put his nascency yr around 1794 , closer to the twelvemonth he claimed .
Though John Smith ’s eld and his decease still spark debate , not much is actually known about his life .
From the write accounts of Paul Buffalo , historians experience he was elected chieftain of the Chippewa people but he turn the line of work down because he did n’t need the responsibility . Also , he was get married eight times , but had no natural born children .
The Last Days Of The “137-Year-Old Man”
Public DomainHis original names translate to things like “ Sloughing Flesh ” and “ Wrinkle Meat . ”
His only heir was an adoptive son key Tom Smith who maintained that his father was indeed 137 when he die . He also take that Smith was active in the years up until his decease , note that he had been hit by a geartrain while crossing the railroad tracks in 1920 and had only taken three workweek to recuperate .
He was even active in the year that he pass away , still receiving visitor and tell stories while living at his Word ’s household . In February 1922 he contracted pneumonia , which due to his very advanced eld , leave in his death .
Smith isburiedat a Catholic Church cemetery in Cass Lake , Minnesota . His gravestone lists his birthing yr as 1784 .
After this looking at Chief John Smith , register about the officialrecord sustain worlds oldest soul , Emma Morano . Then , read about theworld ’s oldest bird and her infant .
