Jeanne Calment of Arles, France, made world news in 1997 when she died at the age of 122. That made her the world’s longest-lived person since records have been kept. Or did it?
Some people were always skeptical about Calment’s supposed age. Recently, researchers have posited a theory that – if true – debunks her legend.
Calment was born in August 1875 into a fairly wealthy family. When she married, she and her husband (who was also born rich) lived a rather upper-class lifestyle with servants and expensive hobbies.
In January of 1898 Calment gave birth to her only child, a daughter named Yvonne. In 1934 Yvonne died on her 36th birthday. Or did she?
Conspiracy theorists believe that Jeanne died in 1934 and Yvonne began masquerading as her mother. Why would she do such a thing?
The short answer to that question is: money. France has steep inheritance taxes. If Jeanne died and Yvonne inherited her estate, Yvonne would have to pay exorbitant taxes. But if Yvonne died and Jeanne kept living, no taxes would be levied.
These skeptics have some evidence – although not conclusive – that Yvonne “became” her mother. Yvonne’s husband was 42 when she supposedly died. At that time, he moved in with his mother-in-law and never remarried. Perhaps his “mother-in-law” was his wife!
Jeanne once instructed servants to destroy all photos of her. They were not able to accomplish that, however, and researchers say that the older lady’s nose looked like Yvonne’s but not Jeanne’s.
Jeanne once reminisced to a reporter about being walked to school as a young girl by a family maid. But while young Yvonne’s family had a maid who walked her to school, young Jeanne had no such servant.
Maybe we will never know for sure if Jeanne Calment lived to be 122. Perhaps she died in January 1934 at the age of 59 – and it was Yvonne who died in 1997.
If so, Yvonne would have lived to be 99 years old – an amazing age but not nearly as impressive as 122!
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