Folk figure. Born in Mississippi to two former slaves, he lived to the advanced age of 113. He served in the US Army in France during World War I. At the time of his death, he was the second oldest man in the world and the oldest man in the United States. He was also the last living combat veteran as well as the last black veteran of The First World War.
∼Moses Hardy: Last black WWI veteran in U.S., world's 2nd oldest man
09:50 AM CST on Sunday, December 10, 2006
By RON HARRIST / Associated Press
Moses Hardy, believed to be the second-oldest man in the world and the last black U.S. veteran of World War I, has died at age 113, family members said Friday.
Evelyn Davis, 68, one of Mr. Hardy's eight children, said her father died Thursday at a nursing home in Aberdeen, Miss. He would have been 114 on Jan. 6.
"He had been doing great. He didn't suffer, and he wasn't sick – he died of old age," said Ms. Davis of Aberdeen. "He knew everybody and those he knew, he always knew them when they came in to visit."
Robert Young, senior consultant for gerontology for Guinness World Records, said research by his group, National Public Radio and others had been unable to locate any other surviving black WWI veterans. He said only about 10 to 12 American veterans of that war remain.
Mr. Young said Mr. Hardy had been No. 6 on Guinness' list of the world's oldest people. He said Elizabeth Bolden, at 116, of Memphis, Tenn., is believed to be the oldest person, while the oldest man on the list is 115-year-old Emiliano Mercado del Toro of Puerto Rico.
Mr. Del Toro is also a veteran, but Mr. Young said he had been in military training when WWI ended and was never sent overseas. He said Mr. Hardy was sent to France and apparently saw some combat.
Mr. Young said census records showed Mr. Hardy's father was born in the 1830s and that both of Mr. Hardy's parents were slaves.
"NPR did a story for Veterans Day and interviewed Moses Hardy and a daughter," Mr. Young said. "According to the NPR story, after the Civil War ended his parents took a plot of land and the family still has the land."
Note: His 1900 US Census entry lists him as being born in January 1894. So, based on this document, he was one year younger than claimed, 112 (almost 113) instead of 113 (almost 114):
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9X2-ZML
∼Moses Hardy: Last black WWI veteran in U.S., world's 2nd oldest man
09:50 AM CST on Sunday, December 10, 2006
By RON HARRIST / Associated Press
Moses Hardy, believed to be the second-oldest man in the world and the last black U.S. veteran of World War I, has died at age 113, family members said Friday.
Evelyn Davis, 68, one of Mr. Hardy's eight children, said her father died Thursday at a nursing home in Aberdeen, Miss. He would have been 114 on Jan. 6.
"He had been doing great. He didn't suffer, and he wasn't sick – he died of old age," said Ms. Davis of Aberdeen. "He knew everybody and those he knew, he always knew them when they came in to visit."
Robert Young, senior consultant for gerontology for Guinness World Records, said research by his group, National Public Radio and others had been unable to locate any other surviving black WWI veterans. He said only about 10 to 12 American veterans of that war remain.
Mr. Young said Mr. Hardy had been No. 6 on Guinness' list of the world's oldest people. He said Elizabeth Bolden, at 116, of Memphis, Tenn., is believed to be the oldest person, while the oldest man on the list is 115-year-old Emiliano Mercado del Toro of Puerto Rico.
Mr. Del Toro is also a veteran, but Mr. Young said he had been in military training when WWI ended and was never sent overseas. He said Mr. Hardy was sent to France and apparently saw some combat.
Mr. Young said census records showed Mr. Hardy's father was born in the 1830s and that both of Mr. Hardy's parents were slaves.
"NPR did a story for Veterans Day and interviewed Moses Hardy and a daughter," Mr. Young said. "According to the NPR story, after the Civil War ended his parents took a plot of land and the family still has the land."
Note: His 1900 US Census entry lists him as being born in January 1894. So, based on this document, he was one year younger than claimed, 112 (almost 113) instead of 113 (almost 114):
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9X2-ZML
Folk figure. Born in Mississippi to two former slaves, he lived to the advanced age of 113. He served in the US Army in France during World War I. At the time of his death, he was the second oldest man in the world and the oldest man in the United States. He was also the last living combat veteran as well as the last black veteran of The First World War.
∼Moses Hardy: Last black WWI veteran in U.S., world's 2nd oldest man
09:50 AM CST on Sunday, December 10, 2006
By RON HARRIST / Associated Press
Moses Hardy, believed to be the second-oldest man in the world and the last black U.S. veteran of World War I, has died at age 113, family members said Friday.
Evelyn Davis, 68, one of Mr. Hardy's eight children, said her father died Thursday at a nursing home in Aberdeen, Miss. He would have been 114 on Jan. 6.
"He had been doing great. He didn't suffer, and he wasn't sick – he died of old age," said Ms. Davis of Aberdeen. "He knew everybody and those he knew, he always knew them when they came in to visit."
Robert Young, senior consultant for gerontology for Guinness World Records, said research by his group, National Public Radio and others had been unable to locate any other surviving black WWI veterans. He said only about 10 to 12 American veterans of that war remain.
Mr. Young said Mr. Hardy had been No. 6 on Guinness' list of the world's oldest people. He said Elizabeth Bolden, at 116, of Memphis, Tenn., is believed to be the oldest person, while the oldest man on the list is 115-year-old Emiliano Mercado del Toro of Puerto Rico.
Mr. Del Toro is also a veteran, but Mr. Young said he had been in military training when WWI ended and was never sent overseas. He said Mr. Hardy was sent to France and apparently saw some combat.
Mr. Young said census records showed Mr. Hardy's father was born in the 1830s and that both of Mr. Hardy's parents were slaves.
"NPR did a story for Veterans Day and interviewed Moses Hardy and a daughter," Mr. Young said. "According to the NPR story, after the Civil War ended his parents took a plot of land and the family still has the land."
Note: His 1900 US Census entry lists him as being born in January 1894. So, based on this document, he was one year younger than claimed, 112 (almost 113) instead of 113 (almost 114):
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9X2-ZML
∼Moses Hardy: Last black WWI veteran in U.S., world's 2nd oldest man
09:50 AM CST on Sunday, December 10, 2006
By RON HARRIST / Associated Press
Moses Hardy, believed to be the second-oldest man in the world and the last black U.S. veteran of World War I, has died at age 113, family members said Friday.
Evelyn Davis, 68, one of Mr. Hardy's eight children, said her father died Thursday at a nursing home in Aberdeen, Miss. He would have been 114 on Jan. 6.
"He had been doing great. He didn't suffer, and he wasn't sick – he died of old age," said Ms. Davis of Aberdeen. "He knew everybody and those he knew, he always knew them when they came in to visit."
Robert Young, senior consultant for gerontology for Guinness World Records, said research by his group, National Public Radio and others had been unable to locate any other surviving black WWI veterans. He said only about 10 to 12 American veterans of that war remain.
Mr. Young said Mr. Hardy had been No. 6 on Guinness' list of the world's oldest people. He said Elizabeth Bolden, at 116, of Memphis, Tenn., is believed to be the oldest person, while the oldest man on the list is 115-year-old Emiliano Mercado del Toro of Puerto Rico.
Mr. Del Toro is also a veteran, but Mr. Young said he had been in military training when WWI ended and was never sent overseas. He said Mr. Hardy was sent to France and apparently saw some combat.
Mr. Young said census records showed Mr. Hardy's father was born in the 1830s and that both of Mr. Hardy's parents were slaves.
"NPR did a story for Veterans Day and interviewed Moses Hardy and a daughter," Mr. Young said. "According to the NPR story, after the Civil War ended his parents took a plot of land and the family still has the land."
Note: His 1900 US Census entry lists him as being born in January 1894. So, based on this document, he was one year younger than claimed, 112 (almost 113) instead of 113 (almost 114):
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9X2-ZML
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