Louisa Thiers

Louisa Kirwan Capron Thiers (October 2, 1814 – February 17, 1926) was an American supercentenarian. Born in New York, Thiers was the daughter of Dr. Seth and Eunice Mann Capron. On August 20, 1925, she surpassed the longevity of Margaret Ann Neve to become the oldest woman ever and, discounting Thomas Peters, was the first person to celebrate a 111th birthday. She lived for a further 138 days, into 1926, but her record was beaten the same year by compatriot Delina Filkins, who lived to be 113. Thiers was the last surviving "Real Daughter" of the American Revolution. Seth Capron, her father, was a soldier in the Continental Army in his youth. She lived into the 20th century, and was proud to have lived long enough to cast her vote for President, since women were not allowed to vote during most of Louisa's life (the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote, did not take effect until 1920). She was the youngest child of Seth Capron (1762–1835) and Eunice Mann (1767–1853), and was born when her father was 52 and her mother 47 years old. In her memoirs, she related how a gentleman called upon the family when she was young to see "the child born out of due time". Her brother was Horace Capron. She married David Bodine Tears (1820–1875) on April 6, 1847 (the spelling of the family name was changed after David's death), and they had five children: Ella Snowden Tears, who died in infancy; Herbert Mann Thiers; Emma Walden Thiers, who married Charles Quarles; Edward Capron Thiers; and Louis Thiers, a well-known Milwaukee photographer.