LONGEST LIFESPAN

Apr 20 2026OPINION

From Sea Captain’s Son to Record Breaker: The Long Life of Geert Boomgaard

Geert Boomgaard’s life spanned more than a century, starting in 1788 when France was still a monarchy and ending in 1899 when the world was on the brink of the 20th century. He grew up in Groningen, a Dutch town where survival was tough, and his father worked as a struggling sea captain. Large famil

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