MONROE. - It's official: 114-year-old Besse Cooper of Monroe was recognized Thursday as the oldest person in the world.

A Guinness World Records representative traveled to a Monroe nursing home to present Cooper with her official certificate for being the world's oldest living person. Surrounded by family members, she accepted a plaque during a small ceremony at the nursing home Thursday morning.

She was born in Tennessee on Aug. 26, 1896, during the second term of President Grover Cleveland.

Her son, 75-year-old Sid Cooper, was among a small group of relatives who were with Cooper at the quiet ceremony.

Cooper became the oldest living person after the death earlier this year of Eunice G. Sanborn of Texas, according to the Los Angeles-based Gerontology Research Group. The group certifies supercentenarians - people who are 110 or older.