Longevity

As we study our family histories, one factor that comes into play is age. The longer our ancestors lived, the better the chance we are able to locate records that help us discover their story.

Life expectancy can be a bit confusing. It is an average age for a generation that takes in infant mortality, mothers dying in child birth, soldiers killed in battle, folks surviving to a ripe old age. The life expectancy during earlier times was shorter than more recent times, or was it?

I'll use my records to show the average life expectancy for my ancestors. There may be some gaps, so this won't be an exact science - by a long shot! The time period will be marked by my direct line ancestor's birth and death. Some were elder kids, some were the baby of the family.

PRALL:
1. Jan & Baetje: parents of 9 children. At least six survived to adulthood. The fate of the other 3 is unknown. Arent [1645-1725] lived to be  79.

2. Arent Jansen [1645-1725] & Marie Billiou: 8 children. Pieter [76], Maria [41+], Fransyna [33+], Barentje [less than 1 yr.], Barentje [32+], Sarah [50], Arent [81], Martha 31]: avg. 43+

3. Pieter [1672-1748] & Maria Christopher: 9 or 10 children. Johannes [83], Mary [52+], Aaron [59], Peter [61], Catherine [46+], Cornelius [29], Abraham [69], Antje [69], Isaac [64], Irene [1?]. Mary & Catherine could be one person; Irene may not belong to the family. Avg.: 53.3 [w/Irene]; 59.2 [no Irene]

4. Aaron [1698-1657] & Mary Whittaker: 6 children. James [48], Cornelius [81], Edward [69], Elizabeth [58], Benjamin [59], Jemima [40]. Avg.: 59.2

5. Cornelius [1732-1813] & Rebecca Garrison: 9 children. Garrison [34], Elizabeth [68], John [56], Cornelius [66], Rebecca [63], James [77], Anna [60], Mary [??], Jemima [28]. Avg.: 56.5 (Mary lived long enough to marry.)

6. Cornelius [1768-1834] & Elizabeth Ritttenhouse: Susannah [26], Garrison [1 mo.], Rebekah [23], Elizabeth [c55], Isaac R. [80], Squire [80], Lucretia [c60], John [74], Asher [81]. Avg.: 53.2 (Elizabeth & Lucretia died between census years, so age is an estimate.)

7. Isaac R. [1800-1880] & Ann Bathia Rhodes: 10 children. James [86], Charles W. [69], Cornelius [72], Isaac [88], Anne [63], Harriet C. [86], Bathia [83], George R. [86], Franklin G. [82], Hugh M. [54]. Avg.: 76.9

8. Hugh M. [1852-1907] & Margaret Jane Wolary: 2 children. Cora Edith [84], William Marshall [60]. Avg. 72

9. William M. [1878-1939] & Mayme Faucett: 2 children. Dorothy [72], Hugh [89]. Avg. 80.5

Overall, the average lifespan for generations 2-9 is 61.8 years. For my direct line, 72.7. Guess I'm working on borrowed time! I'm past the family average and 7 years shy of my direct line average!