George Rene Francis (1896 - 2008)

Born 6 Jun 1896 in New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana, United States

Died 27 Dec 2008 at age 112 in Sacramento, Sacramento, California, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: US Black Heritage Project WikiTree [send private message] and Josh Richard [send private message]

George Francis is a part of US Black history. Join: US Black Heritage Project Discuss: black_heritage

Biography

George Francis was a centenarian, living to age 112.

George Rene Francis, son of George Francis Jr. and Eliza Henderson, ^[1] was an American super-centenarian and the joint second-oldest living man in the world, together with Englishman Henry Allingham until his death, aged 112 years, 204 days. His wife, Josephine Johnson Francis, whom he married in 1918, died in 1964. At the time of his death, Francis was listed as one of the twenty verified oldest men ever.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP)– George Francis, the nation's oldest man, who lived through both world wars, man's first walk on the moon and the election of the first black president, has died. He was 112.

Francis died Saturday of congestive heart failure at a nursing home in Sacramento, his son, Anthony Francis, said Sunday.

"He lived four years in the 19th century, 100 years in the 20th century, and 8 years in the 21st century. We call him the man of three centuries," said the younger Francis, 81.

UCLA gerontologist Dr. Stephen Coles, who maintains a list of the world's oldest people, said Francis lived 112 years and 204 days.

With Francis' death, Walter Breuning of Montana, who is 112 years, 98 days old, becomes the country's oldest living man. At 114, Gertrude Baines of Los Angeles is the nation's oldest living person. The world's oldest person is Maria de Jesus of Portugal, who is 115 years, 109 days old, and the oldest man is Tomoji Tanabe of Japan, who is 113 years, 101 days, Coles said.

Francis, who at his prime barely weighed more than 100 pounds, was born June 6, 1896, in New Orleans. As an African-American in the South, he felt the sting of the Jim Crow-era segregation laws in his early life. His son said Francis tried to enlist in the U.S. Army during World War I but was turned down because of his stature.

"We always attributed his longevity to his mental and physical toughness," Anthony Francis said.

George Francis quit school after the sixth grade, became an amateur boxer as a young man and later worked as a chauffeur, an auto mechanic and a barber.

He and his wife had a son and three daughters. Josephine Francis died of cancer in 1964.

Even in his waning days, Francis never lost his passion for politics, his family said. He voted for Franklin Roosevelt in the 1930s and for Barack Obama in 2008.In an interview with The Associated Press after Obama's victory, Francis, who used a wheelchair, said he felt like jumping up and down.

"He is going to give black men a break in the world, and give them a better opportunity to live and make more money," he said. "For people who say voting doesn't matter, I think that's crazy."

Anthony Francis said his father was devoted to his family and that he attributed his longevity to them. "He said, `My children and my friends, I live off of them.'"

Besides his four children, Francis is survived by 18 grandchildren, 33 great-grandchildren and 16 great-great grandchildren.^[2]

He was buried at Saint Mary's Catholic Cemetery in Sacramento, California.^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ 1900 Census:"1900 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1900; Census Place: New Orleans Ward 7, Orleans, Louisiana; Roll: 573; Page:13; Enumeration District: 0071; FHL microfilm: 1240573
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 7602 #18042367 (accessed 16 June 2022)
   George Francis (4), single son, in household of Elisa Francis (32) in New Orleans Ward 7, Orleans, Louisiana. Born in Louisiana, USA.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Find a Grave, database and images: accessed 10 June 2021, memorial page for George Rene Francis (6 Jun 1896–27 Dec 2008), Find A Grave: Memorial #104793640, citing Saint Mary's Catholic Cemetery and Mausoleum, Sacramento, Sacramento County, California, USA; Maintained by Jim (contributor 47008269). Bio by: Carol STEVENS. Copyright © 2008 The Associated Press; online at Legacy.com.

• 1910 Census: "1910 United States Federal Census"
  Year: 1910; Census Place: New Orleans Ward 7, Orleans, Louisiana; Roll: T624_522; Page: 15B; Enumeration District: 0120; FHL microfilm: 1374535
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 7884 #188781749 (accessed 16 June 2022)
  George Francis (13), single son, in household of Eliza Francis (42) in New Orleans Ward 7, Orleans, Louisiana, USA. Born in Louisiana.
• 1920 Census: "1920 United States Federal Census"
  Year: 1920; Census Place: New Orleans Ward 7, Orleans, Louisiana; Roll: T625_621; Page: 16A; Enumeration District: 117
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 6061 #57121713 (accessed 16 June 2022)
  George Francis (33), married son-in-law, Barber, in household of Alcide Johnson (48) in New Orleans Ward 7, Orleans, Louisiana. Born in Louisiana.
• Marriage: "New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S., Marriage Records Index, 1831-1964"
  Ancestry Record 6500 #353867 (accessed 16 June 2022)
  George Francis marriage to Josephine Johnson in May 1918 in New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
• 1930 Census: "1930 United States Federal Census"
  Year: 1930; Census Place: New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana; Page: 43A; Enumeration District: 0104; FHL microfilm: 2340539
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 6224 #35157229 (accessed 16 June 2022)
  George Francis (32), married son-in-law, Auto Repair, in household of Alcide Johnson (56) in 2021 N. Tonti Street, New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana, USA. Born in Louisiana.
• 1940 Census: "1940 United States Federal Census"
  Year: 1940; Census Place: New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana; Roll: m-t0627-01425; Page: 7B; Enumeration District: 36-213
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 2442 #122217261 (accessed 16 June 2022)
  George R Francis (42), married brother-in-law, Laborer, in household of Eugene M Parr (42) in New Orleans, Orleans, Louisiana. Born in Louisiana.

See also:

• https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-1c04francis163043-george-rene-francis-2009jan04-story.html
• https://news.softpedia.com/news/Oldest-US-Man-George-Rene-Francis-Dies-at-112-101036.shtml
• https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-george-rene-francis-holds-hands-with-his-2-year-old-great-nephew-abraham-44298323.html
• https://www.geni.com/people/George-Francis/6000000161919724837