John Smith: America’s longest-lived man for 137 years

In the world, the average life span of an average human being expands up to 70-80 years. However, the Chippewa Indian named John Smith was able to leave a mark on history, due to the incredible life lived for 137 years. He used to live in the woods near Cass Lake, Minnesota. This article gives a glance into the life, experiences, and lasting legacy of this enigmatic individual.

Years before his death in 1922, the Chippewa people addressed him as Ga-Be-Nah-Gewn-Wonce, or “wrinkled meat,” due to his starkly creased face appearance. Some say that his facial appearance was due to sickness and not due to old age. The gravestone in Cass Lake, Minnesota still lists his birth year as 1784.

He was married eight times but had, no children. And adopted a son named Tom Smith who confirms that John Smith was very active until his death. He engaged in fishing, counseling, and horse riding and used to sell postcards. In a 1971 interview, an Ojibwe named Paul Buffalo mentioned the man he knew as “Grandpa John”. His adopted son mentioned that he was hit by a train in 1920 but he died of pneumonia in 1922.

John Smith’s story continues to inspire and ignite the imagination of the people. This encourages us to embrace life’s challenges and opportunities with unwavering enthusiasm.