The Oldest Ever?

Walter Seward, LL.B. ’24, turned 109 in October, making him the oldest living—and longest lived—Harvard alumnus known. He was born in Toledo, Ohio, on October 13, 1896, while Grover Cleveland was president. What accounts for his longevity? “I’m still trying to figure that out,” says Seward with characteristic flair. His daughter has attributed his old age to consistent exercise. “Oh yes, I’ve got to do that everyday,” he agrees. “I can’t sit still. If I didn’t exercise, I know I’d become something made of plastic.” Seward, who lives in his own home in West Orange, New Jersey, last visited the law school on August 23, 2004—which Dean Elena Kagan declared Walter Seward Day—to celebrate his then-forthcoming 108th birthday.

Click here for the January-February 2006 issue table of contents

Most popular

See Their Faces

Confronting “some of the most challenging images in the history of photography”

In Federal Court, Harvard and the Government Have Friends

A look at the amicus curiae briefs in Harvard’s funding case

House Committee Subpoenas Harvard Over Tuition Costs

The University must turn over all requested materials related to tuition and financial aid by mid-July. 

Explore More From Current Issue

Walter Wick’s I Spy Series

I Spy Creator Walter Wick at the Norman Rockwell Museum 

Your Guide to Summer 2025 Along Boston Harbor

Enjoying the Boston Harbor’s Renaissance This Summer

Harvard Summer Reading Picks | 2025

The wealth gap, shamanism, the life of David Nathan, and more