 Mathis was born in Baltimore, Maryland.At the age of sixteen, Jimmy piloted a single engine Cessna 172 solo from Ocean City, Maryland to Long Beach, California, becoming the youngest solo aviator ever to fly cross country.Although there had been previous claims by younger "pilots" that they were the youngest pilot to fly coast-to-coast, they were accompanied by licensed pilots/instructors because they were not legally old enough to fly an airplane solo and as "pilot in command".