Who's the "farthest back" person you've known?

That I can barely remember would be my Grandpa born in 1913. But he died when I was 3. I can just remember him holding his pocket watch up to my ear to hear ticking.... That I can really remember would be his wife, my Grandma, that died just recently @ over 98. She was born in 1916, lived a full life that touched many and is missed. Actually, I believe my paternal Grandfather was older. Born in 1907? I of course knew and remember him as her died in 1991. He had 13 children and a bazillion grandkids, so he was spread thin. My father was eldest of the 13, so before all of the "millions" of cousins I had more one on one time with him- when I was younger. I lost track counting cousins a long time ago. I do remember being nine and figuring out that with all the kids my Grandma had, she had been pregnant as many years as I had been alive. Wow! was an understatement at that realization....

When I was a child we used to take my great grandmother (who was late 80s-90) to see her aunt in the nursing home. My dad knew her as a child, but I didnt ever know her out of the nursing home, and she was 106 when she died. I remember her 105th birthday we brought a cake. She mostly just laid there, my great grandmother (we called her Mamoo) would lament how awful it would be to live that long. This was the 70s, so she must have been born in 1860-70 something. Mamoo was 96 when she died, in the 80s, her sons (one is my grandfather) is still alive and doing well at 92?91? I forget. That branch of the family lives a very long time!

My great aunt Tinky. She had turned 100 when I was 6 (1979), so was born in 1879. She passed away at 104. I remember spending time with her and her telling us a lot of stories, but honestly, I don't remember what they were. I do know she grew up on a farm in Willamette Valley but she hated farm life, so she moved into Portland as soon as she could. That farm's still around today, which I think is pretty cool.

She was a riot and in very good health until almost the very end. She lived on her own until she was 102, as was perfectly happy and capable of caring for herself. It was not one of those situations where you feel like the person is putting themselves at risk by refusing to move out of their home.

The local news came and did a human interest story on her at her 100th birthday party. The reporter asked her what her secret to a long, healthy life was, "Don't smoke, don't get married, have a little whiskey each day, stay away from those damn doctors and most importantly, choose to be happy." hahahaha The reporter was slack jawed and didn't know how to respond.

My maternal grandmother was born in 1898, both my grandfather's were born in 1897, and my paternal grandmother was born a few years before that. But I remember my maternal grandmother's step-mother. We visited her many times when I was a child. I don't know her birth year, but she must have been at least 20 years older than my grandmother, so I'd say she was born at the latest in 1878, maybe even earlier. She seemed ancient when I was little, she might have been in her 90's.

My grandfather was born in 1895 and died in 1981.  I was 8 when he died, so I remember him well.  He was older when he married my grandma and started a family, because he was married before and had a grown son before he met my grandma.  He was 78 when I was born.

My great-grandparents were still alive when I was born and lived until I was around 10. They were born in 1885 (my great-grandfather) and 1887 (my great-grandmother. Great genes... In fact, their daughter, my grandmother, just celebrated her 100th birthday last month, and we had a party for her last weekend. This is her with her three great-granddaughters!

My great grandmother was born in 1872 and she died at 105 when I was twelve. She only spoke Italian, had sparkling eyes and she always called me Bella. I loved her very much.

My furthest back that I can remember is Uncle Fred, who was really my grandma's uncle. He was born in 1888. He kept his sandwich cookies in the Frigidare snd would give me some when I would go to visit him. To this day I prefer my sandwich cookies chilled.

I now want to check my maternal grandfathers birth date. His wife, my grandmother who I knew well was born in 1898.

 and if that's your DD, she is gorgeous.

I come from an "old family". Meaning people married a little later in life, my maternal grandparents, who were both born in the 1870s, married in their early thirties. I was born when my Mom was nearly 40, so our generations are a little spread out, age-wise. I never knew any great-grandparent, and one of my Grandfathers (born in 1875) died before I was born. I knew the other three grandparents, and they were born in 1878 (maternal Grandma), 1887 (paternal Grandpa), and 1890 (paternal Grandma). Here's a photo of me with my Grandma Ward, the one born in 1878. The photo was taken in 1956, I was 5, she would have been 78. (I'm in the middle)



My darling Mom passed away in November, just a few months shy of 103. This photo was taken exactly a year ago, when she was 102, it's part of her Mother's Day card I made her last year.

Thanks, Lucy... she definitely was a beauty. I pray every day that I inherited her awesome genes! 

I also remembered another relative that fits into the criteria... my great Aunt Alice- sister of my maternal grandpa (that I never knew), was born in 1881. She lived a couple of hours from us in California and we visited her from time to time, she died when I was 16. I have a lot of memories of her, but she wasn't my favorite relative- she was rather scolding and negative, so I didn't think of her at first. I also met a few times, my paternal grandparent's older siblings, but I don't really feel like I knew any of them. 

My grandmother was born in 1896, and I knew her well until she died when I was around ten.  I probably have known people born earlier than that, but that is the one I can say for certain.

My paternal grandma was born in 1890. She died when I was 10