From the March 8, 1897 New York Times:

“GUADALAJARA, Mexico–Jesus Campeche, thought to be the oldest man on earth, died on Friday, and, according to his affirmation and other testimony, he was 154 years old. He said he was born in Spain in 1742 and came to this country when he was twenty-four years old. He was living with his great-great-grandson and had copies of the church register at Valladolid, Spain, showing the date of his birth and baptism. According to these papers, he was born Dec. 12, 1742. He related incidents which occurred in the last century, showing that he had told the truth or had stored his mind well with the happenings of that time.

A priest in the church which he attended, who is now eighty-four years old, says he remembers Campeche as being an old man when he was a little boy.”