Matthew Beard (1870-1985)

Mathew Beard (July 9, 1870 - February 16, 1985) is recognized by the Social Security Administration as the oldest man ever born in the USA, at 114 years and 222 days.[citation needed] He lived at the same time as Shigechiyo Izumi, and has had similar doubts raised as to the credibility of his age.[citation needed][original research?]

If we assume that the Izumi case was false, and Beard's true, he would have been the oldest living man for a number of years. He would have become the oldest ever man, and the first to reach 112, in 1982, overtaking John Mosely Turner and Thomas Peters. This would have been followed by becoming the oldest living person upon the death of Emma Wilson in 1983.[citation needed][original research?]

He would then have overtaken Delina Filkins in 1984 and Martha Graham in the last few weeks of his life, to become the oldest ever person. This record would have been surpassed by either Carrie C. White or Jeanne Calment in 1989, and his male record by Christian Mortensen in 1997.[citation needed][original research?]