Does the Key to a Long Life Live with Harriet?

JULY 31, 2021

Born 8 March 1812 in Dunkard, Greene County, Pennsylvania, Harriet Americus Wildman, was the daughter of Elizabeth Sams and Jerry Wildman. While her parents reportedly only lived into their sixties, Harriet had the distinction of nearly hitting the centenarian marker! She died less than one month short of her 100th birthday on 1 February 1912 in Springhill, Green County, Pennsylvania.

Week 30: Health

Harriet’s near achievement made nationwide news, noting she had all of her faculties about her and had never even needed to wear a pair of spectacles during her lifetime.

It’s thought that Harriet married John Ott in 1829 at the age of 17. Though her first recorded child was a daughter, Mary, born in 1840. In total, she had eleven children! And by the time she passed away, her family had grown to include 70 grandchildren and 200 great grandchildren!

She outlived her husband by more than 50 years. Sadly, she even outlived 3 of her own children. Her longevity was outstanding to the say the least. Is it possible her health could be contributed to anything in particular?

OTT_Harriet Americus Wildman Ott 100 Years Old.jpg

Perhaps her love of spinning and making her own yarn kept her in a good mindset. She hand-spun yarn stockings for nearly all of her descendants, all the way to the fifth and sixth generations, even! It’s too bad the newspaper articles celebrating her age didn’t bother to report her secret to sticking around so long without any known ailments.

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