Francis was born in
St. May Parish, Louisiana on July 25, 1909 during the
Taft presidency,[4] although she is unsure of what town she was born in. Her mother died when she was very young, and she and her five siblings were sent to different homes, with her being sent to
Houston where she was raised by an aunt. She lived next door to her sister, who lived to the age of 106,[3] which made her and Francis the oldest siblings on record.[5] She had another sister who lived to the age of 95 and her father died when he was 99.[6]
She raised her children as a single mother.[3] She moved into her current house in 1999,[3] where she lives with her 94-year old daughter,[7] and is cared for by her 68-year old granddaughter.[5]
Lifestyle
Francis has avoided smoking her whole life and often grew vegetables in her backyard. She has attributed her long life to her faith in God.[8][9][10]
In the 1970s, Francis ran the coffee shop at
KTRK-TV in Houston.[5] She never learned to drive, so she used the bus or relied on family members for transportation.[3] She has used a wheelchair since 2016.[3]