Have you ever wondered who the first person was to ever possess a Social Security Number? You’re not alone and that is why we found him!
John David Sweeney, Jr, according to the Social Security Administration, was issued the first official Social Security Number (SSN) on December 1, 1936.
Batches of SSN records containing 1,000 cards each were prepared and processed as Master SSN Files. When the first batch was ready, Joe Fay, the head of the Division of Accounting Operations in the Candler Building, picked the top record off the batch and declared it the first official SSN. This record happened to belong to Mr. Sweeney.
Sweeney was 23 years old and the son of a wealthy factory owner from New Rochelle, New York.  To learn the family business, Mr. Sweeney started working as a shipping clerk for his father. It was at that time he filled out his application for a social security card so that his earnings could be recorded.
In 1974 John Sweeney, Jr died of a heart attack without receiving any benefits from the Social Security Program. However, his widow  received benefits based on his work until her death in 1982.
To read more, visit http://www.ssa.gov/history/ssn/firstcard.html