US FAMILY SETS GUINNESS WORLD RECORD WITH FIVE GENERATIONS BORN ON SEPTEMBER 14
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By ‘Sefiu Ajape
An American family has set a Guinness World Records title after five consecutive generations of relatives were born on the same date, September 14, in a remarkable coincidence spanning more than a century.
The record was confirmed following the birth of Arthur Bell on September 14, 2025, making him the fifth generation in his family to share the birthday.
According to Guinness World Records in a report published on November 12, 2026, the unusual family tradition dates back to Arthur’s great-great-grandfather, Wilber Harlow, who was born on September 14, 1907.
Wilber’s daughter, Addie Harlow, was born on the same date in 1949, followed by her son, Donald Harlow, in 1972.
Donald’s daughter, Emma Bell, arrived on September 14, 1997, while Emma’s son, Arthur, was born on the same date in 2025.
The five generations are Wilber, Addie, Donald, Emma and Arthur.
Guinness World Records said the family surpassed the previous record of four generations born on the same day, which had been jointly held by seven families since the 1800s.
Emma said the family had long been aware of the four-generation coincidence but delayed applying for official recognition in the hope that another child would extend the record to five generations.
“We kind of always knew that we held a record with four generations, we just never applied because we had that ambition to have the fifth on 14 September,” she said.
“And then it worked out!
“So we applied – better late, than never – and are now the sole record holders, instead of sharing it.”
Arthur’s grandfather, Donald, described the development as a special occurrence, saying, “God works in beautiful ways.”
The record also features an alternating male-female pattern across the five generations, with the sequence going from boy to girl, boy to girl and boy.
Wilber, who was born in 1907, worked as a postmaster and owned the Harlow General Store in Brooks, Iowa. He died before Donald was born.
Addie, born in 1949, worked for more than two decades as a secretary to the Chief of Police in La Vista, Nebraska. She died in 2023, two years before Arthur’s birth.
According to Guinness World Records, the family traditionally celebrates their shared birthdays by visiting restaurants and marking the occasion with cakes and candles.
Emma and her husband, Wyatt, realised their second child could extend the family’s unusual tradition when his expected delivery date was listed as September 14.
“It seemed like a crazy coincidence, and even more that it continued the boy-girl-boy-girl-boy tradition,” Emma said.
Donald later described his grandson as a miracle, telling him: “Yup, you’re our miracle boy!”
The family also shares another connection involving the date and location of their relationships. Wilber and his wife got married in Maryville, Missouri, the same place where Emma and Wyatt met, Guinness World Records said.
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