John Painter

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John Painter
John Painter (left)
Born September 20, 1888
Tennessee, United States
Died March 1, 2001
Tennessee, United States

John Painter (Tennessee, September 20, 1888 - March 1, 2001) died aged 112 years and 162 days. At his death he was (posthumously) recognized as the oldest American veteran, as a result of the USA's SSA supercentenarian study. Mr. Painter was also the last surviving U.S. World War I veteran to be born in the 1880s. Only recently he was also proclaimed to have been the world's oldest man at the time.

The June 1900 Census listed him as born in September 1888, while the 1910 Census said he was 19, and the 1920 Census said he was 28 years old. But because the oldest document was closer to the birth event, it is more likely to be correct.

[edit] Early life & war service

John George Painter was bron on a farm in Jackson County, Tennessee. Painter attended school as a child and work on the farm. In 1917, Painter enlisted in the U.S. Army at age 29. Painter was a part of the Battery D the 115th Artillery Battalion and saw action at the Meuse-Argonne Offensive and hauled ammunition and artillery supplies including field guns. He transported all the supplies on horses or mules. 80 days after the Armistice was declared on November 11, 1918, Painter recieved the highest French honor, the Légion d'honneur award, the Croix de Guerre and recieved the Tennessee Distinguished Award and only five other Tennessee World War I veterans were awarded that. During the war, Painter had to leave his son Sean Humphrey Painter when he went to war. Painter was discharged from service on April 12, 1919 after serving in the United States Army for two years.

[edit] Later life

After the war, Painter got married to his childhood and former sweetheart Gillie Watson and adopted to daughters. Also Painter pursued his career as being a blacksmith. On November 19, 1999, Painter was recognized as the world's oldest man at age 111. On September 20, 2000, Bart Gordon, representative from Tennessee, read the following proclamation in honor of John's 112th birthday: Painter was the world's oldest recognized man for about a year and four months from November 15, 1999 until his death on March 1, 2001 and died at age 112.

  • Mr. Speaker, I rise today to wish a happy 112th birthday to Tennessee's oldest surviving World War I veteran, John George Painter of Hermitage Springs. He is also believed to be the nation's oldest surviving veteran.
Preceded by
Antonio Urrea-Hernández		 Oldest Recognized Living Man
November 15, 1999 - March 1, 2001		 Succeeded by
Antonio Todde

[edit] References

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