[LMB] Age at first marriage

[Mark Allums]

Raye Johnsen wrote:
> --- Jason Long <sturmvogel_66 at hotmail.com> wrote:
> 
>> I'm really not so sure that frontier women married
>> as early as seems to be believed.

> So I'd say frontier women married in their mid- to
> late-teens, with girls marrying earlier to cement land
> claims and/or keep them out of trouble (incidentally,
> IIRC, Lizzie claims the second reason for herself). 

I am told that there was a frontier-era saying that the ideal ages for 
bride and groom were thus:  The bride should be half the groom's age, 
plus seven years.

Groom - 14
Bride - 14

Groom - 18
Bride - 16

Groom - 84
Bride - 49

-- 
Mark Allums