-=> Quoting Ward Dossche to Nancy Backus on 01-23-07  09:27 <=-

 WD> The year was early 1847 and it was considered quite normal then for
 WD> someone to step forward and marry the orphaned girls in order to
 WD> provide for them. It was part of the social system and the "ways of the
 WD> day". 
 WD> Elitha Donner married at age 14 was pregnant within a month. Leanna
 WD> Donner married at age 12 or just 13 and was pregnant within a month or
 WD> two as well. 
 WD> They delivered fine.

They were lucky.  It may have been part of the social system, especially
out west, but a child that young is often not developed enough to safely
deliver a child, especially if it is a big baby.  That's one reason why
there were a lot of mothers and babies lost, along with poor hygiene. 
One factor that was in their favor though is that farm kids and the kids
on the trail tended to be more robust and healthy (not always, but more
likely), so at least they would have a chance.

One of the other parts of the social system at that time was for
families to take in orphaned children and raise them as their own, in an
informal fostering.

 WD> Amazing how the social view over years changed. Laying your hand on a
 WD> 13/14-year old now earns the man "pedophile-status", back
then he was
 WD> a saviour and lauded by all.

If he was not marrying the child, but molesting or taking advantage of
her, he still wouldn't be a saviour, even back then.  

I'll agree only that things have gone farther than they should have now,
where a teacher (male or female) can't even touch a student (male or
female) in a non-sexual way without being accused of child abuse. 

ttyl        neb

... Computer dating is great if you happen to be a computer.

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