Matilda Jones Became Great-Grandmother at 50, Feb. 2, 1926

Became Great-Grandparent at 50. . . Martin County Colored Woman Probably Country’s Youngest Great-Grandmother

We feel sure that we have been visited by one of the country’s youngest great-grandmothers. Our visitor, Matilda Jones a colored woman, was 62 on her last birthday, but her great-grandchild will soon be 12 years of age, which made her a great-grandparent at 50 years of age.

Matilda, who now lives with her third husband a few miles from Williamston on the Hamilton Road, was born in Goose Nest Township September 30, 1863, a year and a half before the close of the Civil War. Her first daughter was named Bettie. Bettie became the mother of Melinda Bell, who is the mother of Beatrice, who will be 12 years old March 2nd.

This makes Matilda only 50 years, 5 months, and 2 days older than her great-granddaughter.

We are always hearing strange things concerning figures, but if anybody can show any more prolific figures than the above, come on with them. Matilda gives the figures above herself, and from every appearance she would be thought even younger than she says.

From the front page of The Enterprise, Williamston, Martin County, N.C., Tuesday, Feb. 2, 1926

newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/sn92073995/1926-02-02/ed-1/seq-1/