Guest Leenia
Life expectancy in earlier centuries was NOT neccessarily shorter. In my own family history, as well as the histories I have done for others, Many persons died in their sveties or eighties.
It is true that many people died young, usually from the childhood diseases such as measles, whooping cough, mumps and chicken pox. Influenza was also a big killer.
Consequently, although the AVERAGE age of death appears lower, most people saw out their allotted three score and ten years.
Colyn.