These figures, of course, may exaggerate the number of oldsters in the state.
Some earlier claims are indeed hard to believe.
The oldest known example appears to have been Kepoolele Apau, a Hawaiian woman recorded in the 1896 census. Her claim to 124 years was investigated by Prof. W. D. Alexander and two colleagues, who concluded that her true age was probably 122. When she died two years later, newspapers reported her age as 127. Another instance of extreme longevity was that of Wahapai, a Hawaiian male who died a few months before Mrs. Apau. The newspapers reported his age as 120.