James Henry Brett, Jr.

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James Henry Brett, Jr. (Houston, Texas, June 25, 1849? - February 10, 1961) was the oldest recognized person in the world from June 25, 1959 (exactly on his 110th birthday) until February 10, 1961. James was born and lived in the USA. He succeeded Martha Graham (December 1844 – June 25, 1959), also of the USA, and was included in the Guinness Book of Records 1960 and 1961 edition. He held another record: as the oldest person to undergo surgery when he had a hip operation on November 7, 1960. This record has since been broken more than once (including by Jeanne Calment, who had hip surgery at 114 years 11 months in January 1990, and Bettie Wilson, who had a gallbladder operation at 114 years 0 months in September 2005). If his birth year is correct, he was the last remaining person of the 1840s.

In 2006, a 1930 Census entry called this case into question: a James Henry Brett, Jr., also of Houston, was 65 years old in April 1930 (suggesting a birthdate in 1864, that is if born in June).

Preceded by Martha Graham

Oldest Recognized Person in the World June 25, 1959 – February 10, 1961

Succeeded by Joseph Saint-Amour