Genealogy Chat

Guess it's hard to tell because the maternal grandmother probably listed the child as her own on census records. Seems to me that girls started puberty much later 100 years ago and so there weren't too many babies born to girls under 16. Rose

I have one who was 15 at the birth of her first child. Most of the others have been over 18 though.

I have one who appears to be just 13, in 1725. She married the previous year, to a 15 year old. She was a farmer's daughter though, so would have been well-nourished. She had 17 children spread over 30 years and only lost one, to smallpox. OC

I have one married at 12 and a mother at 13 back in the 1700's. Sheila OC Only one of the 17 children died..wow that was good going!

The youngest father I have is one John Edenborrow (Edenborough). He was baptised in August 1735 and his son William was baptised in November 1752. I don't think I've seen a mother younger than 19 and a half, though.

OC, Nutrition was probably key back then. I imagine a lot of our ancestors were a bit malnurished and this would delay fertility. Rose

Sheila This line was unbelievably fertile - all the brothers and sisters had loads of kids too, and hardly any deaths. It certainly changed my belief that infant mortality was very high in the 1700s - not for my lot it wasn'T. All except one family, who had 19 children. Only two survived to adulthood. I cannot work this out - both came from really sturdy stock and I have come to the conclusion it may have been something to do with his occupation, which was a 'Dish Turner' when all the rest of the extended family were farmers. OC

I dont have any others quite that young they were usually around 20 when they started having children. One line of Mariners made for a more controlled birthing pattern with several years inbetween children ...quite sensible of the women I thought marry a sailor and have more time to yourself and far less babies!

Grt grt maternal gran married at fifteen in 1870, and had her first child six months later!! her hubby was 22.

15. Although thats nothing on the 12 and 13 year olds we read about in the papers today lol.

Just been looking through my tree. I think my youngest is 19. Rose