In November 1936, the U.S. government began the immense task of issuing Social Security Numbers (SSNs) to millions of Americans. It was a foundational administrative task for President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal, establishing a system designed to provide financial security for the nation’s elderly.
But one number stands out as a unique piece of American history: 001-01-0001. This is the lowest Social Security Number ever assigned, and the story of how it ended up in the hands of a private citizen, rather than a prominent official, reveals the fascinating human element behind a bureaucratic launch.
The Number and the Plan
When the Social Security Board prepared to launch the new identification system, they decided to assign the lowest numbers symbolically. The Social Security Number is structured in three parts: the first three digits represent the geographical area code, the next two are the group number, and the final four are the serial number.
The area code “001” was specifically reserved for New Hampshire, a state chosen not because it was the first, but to honor John G. Winant, the chairman of the Social Security Board and a former Governor of New Hampshire. The plan was to give him the lowest possible number, 001-01-0001, as a gesture of recognition.
Declined and Reassigned
In a move of humility or perhaps a desire to avoid the appearance of self-aggrandizement, Winant declined the honor. When the offer was passed to the regional representative in Boston, John Campbell, he also declined. This left the Social Security Board with a prime symbolic number and no planned recipient.
The Board then chose a simple, democratic solution: the number would be assigned to the first person who applied for an SSN in New Hampshire.
Grace D. Owen: An Unexpected Symbol
On November 24, 1936, that first applicant was Grace D. Owen, a resident of Concord, New Hampshire. As an ordinary citizen, Ms. Owen unintentionally became the symbolic recipient of the federal government’s new identification system. She applied, and the number 001-01-0001 was officially assigned to her.
The story of Grace D. Owen and the number 001-01-0001 remains a beloved footnote in the history of the Social Security Administration. It serves as a reminder that even the most meticulous government planning can be redirected by individual choices and administrative practicality.
The Lasting Legacy of the First
The assignment of 001-01-0001 set a unique precedent: the lowest possible SSN was ultimately issued to an average American worker, cementing the program’s intended purpose as a benefit for the people.
Today, the number remains permanently retired and associated solely with Grace D. Owen. While millions of SSNs have been issued since 1936, her number will never be reused, making it a permanent and unique artifact reflecting the launch of one of the most important administrative systems in U.S. history.