Geert Adriaans Boomgaard

Little is known about Boomgaard's life: he was born in Groningen, Netherlands. His parents were Adriaan Jacobs Boomgaard (1763–1844) and Geesje Geerts Bontekoe (1762–1834).[4] His father was captain on a boat, and civil records say that Geert had the same job.[5] In addition to captaining a boat, other sources say that he also served as a soldier in the Dutch-recruited 33e Regiment d'Infanterie Legere (33rd Light Infantry Regiment) in Napoleon's Grande Armée.[6]

Aged 29, on 4 March 1818, he married Stijntje Bus (baptized 19 February 1797 – died 24 March 1830).[4][5] Stijntje died aged 33, a month after the birth of their 8th child. A year later, on 17 March 1831, Boomgaard married Grietje Abels Jonker (baptized 19 May 1793 – 18 May 1864),[4] with whom he had four more children, for a total of 12.

He outlived all his children: his last surviving child, Jansje Hinderika, died aged 56 on 24 May 1885.[7]

Boomgaard at age 110 in 1898

On 8 January 1897, Boomgaard surpassed the final age of Belgian Pierre Darcourt (108 years and 108 days) to become the oldest man ever,[3] and by 10 April 1898, he was older than the previous titleholder, 109-year-old Norwegian woman Kirsti Skagen (1788–1897), therefore making him the oldest ever verified person at that time.[3]

He died aged 110 years and 135 days. The first female supercentenarian and his successor was Margaret Ann Neve — who surpassed Adriaans' final age, dying at almost 111 (1792–1903) — although his lifespan as the longest-lived male was not surpassed until 29 October 1966 by John Mosely Turner, who would reach 111 years and nine months (1856–1968).