Elizabeth Francis, the oldest person in the United States, marked another milestone as she celebrated her 115th birthday Thursday.
Living in Houston with her family, Francis became the oldest living American earlier this year following the death of 116-year-old Edie Ceccarelli of California on Feb. 22, according to LongeviQuest, an organization that tracks the world’s oldest individuals.
She is also the fourth-oldest person globally, according to the nonprofit Gerontology Research Group.
The Houston resident was born in Louisiana on July 25, 1909, a time when women had yet to secure the right to vote and shortly after William Howard Taft assumed the presidency. She moved in 1999 to Houston to live with her daughter, Dorothy Williams.
She attributes her longevity to her faith. Asked by LongeviQuest about her secret to a long and happy life, she answered, ”If the good Lord gave it to you, use it. Speak your mind and don’t hold back.”
