In a message dated 2/16/2005 9:44:42 AM Eastern Standard Time, CAnne16560@aol.com writes: > "How long did your > IRISH great-grandparents live to be?". > Mine only lived into their late 60's, which in my opinion is way too short, > and I would like to know why. How long did yours live to be, and why? What > diseases/illinesses did they have? Please give full names, birth/death > dates, last > place lived, age at onset of disease, cause of death/age at death, and where > > buried. This range of questions might give clues to other newbies like me. > IMHO you are unlikely to collect sufficient volume of information by this method to support any meaningful conclusions. Also,for the younger list members, the date of deaths for their great grandparents may be so relatively recent as to merit continued privacy. However, for those interested in demographics in general and average lifespan of ethnic groups in particular vast amounts of data as been collected over time by many agencies (try a google search or ask your local librarian) When the Social Security administration formulated their program (effective in 1936) and set the benefit age at 65 it was in the expectation that most beneficiaries would not live more than a couple of years beyond that, whereas the life expectancy of a baby girl born today exceeds 80 years. Advances in life expectancy have escalated in the most recent three decades. For folks born in 1880 Living into their late 60s would be an average or better life span. GMcC

My Irish Great Grandmother, Elizabeth Morrow, lived to the age of 78. She was born 1/6/1866 in County Monaghan and died in California in 1/9/1944. Her father James Morrow died in Ireland. He lived from 1815 until 1887, 72 years. Her mother immigrated to the US after his death. She was born in County Monaghan in 1822 and died in California in December 18. 1918 when she was 96 years old. Her brothers all came to the US: James: 11/1/1847 -9/4/1919 , 72 years John: 1850 - 10/27/1933, 83 years William: 1/22/1852 - 8/2/1930, 78 years Hugh: 7/30/1856 - 8/11/1948, 92 years (he got married at age 77. He lied and said that he was 64) David: 2/18/1859 - 2/23/1925, 66 years Thomas: 2/20/1867 - 5/18/1958, 91 years Her sisters both immigrated to the US: Catherine: 1840 - 1/26/1902, 62 years Jane: 4/20/1853 - before 1880, 27 (don't know why) So far I don't know why any of these people died, but I have emailed my father and will try to add the information at a later date. From my father, who is now 83: My grandmother died when I was in my early 20's, so I have recollections of her for more than 20 years.. She was fairly tall and heavy set, as were most of her siblings. I don't recall her ever being ill. I do remember her complaining of high blood pressure, but I don't know the details. She died at home after being bed ridden for no more than a few days. I think the cause of her death probably was a stroke. She was in her late 70's when she died. She remained robust and active during her entire life. My grandmother's older sister, Mary, was shorter in stature than my grandmother but was also "heavy set". I didn't know Mary as well as I knew my grandmother, but I don't remember Mary ever being sick or complaining of any illness. Like my grandmother, she died at home after being bedridden for only a few days. My guess is that she also died from a stroke. Mary was close to 80 when she died. I knew 3 of my grandmother's brothers fairly well. I don't know specific causes of death for any of them. Tom and Joe were large men, about 6 feet tall, Hugh was smaller, probably not over five and a half feet tall and of slender build. Tom and Joe were muscular and always seemed healthy to me. All three of them lived into their late 80's or early 90's. I don't know the cause of death for any of them but I do know that Hugh and Joe died in there own homes after short illnesses whereas Tom died in a nursing home after being bedridden for about a year. All three of them had serious eye problems in there later years, probably cataracts. Hugh was totally blind for five or more years before his death. Tom and Joe were each partially blind before their death. My great grandmother Morrow died shortly before I was born so I don't know details of her death but I do remember my father and others talking about her. She was close to 100 when she died. She had been blind for some time prior to her death, walked with difficulty, used a cane or crutches to get around, but remained mentally alert until the end. We seem to be a fairly healthy bunch of stubborn Irishmen! Barb ----- Original Message ----- From: <GwenM10100@aol.com> To: <NYQUEENS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2005 10:19 AM Subject: Re: [QUEENS] Curious about life spans of IRISH ancestors > In a message dated 2/16/2005 9:44:42 AM Eastern Standard Time, > CAnne16560@aol.com writes: > >> "How long did your >> IRISH great-grandparents live to be?". >> Mine only lived into their late 60's, which in my opinion is way too >> short, >> and I would like to know why. How long did yours live to be, and why? >> What >> diseases/illinesses did they have? Please give full names, birth/death >> dates, last >> place lived, age at onset of disease, cause of death/age at death, and >> where >> >> buried. This range of questions might give clues to other newbies like >> me. >> > > IMHO you are unlikely to collect sufficient volume of information by > this > method to support any meaningful conclusions. Also,for the younger list > members, the date of deaths for their great grandparents may be so > relatively > recent as to merit continued privacy. > However, for those interested in demographics in general and average > lifespan > of ethnic groups in particular vast amounts of data as been collected > over > time by many agencies (try a google search or ask your local librarian) > > When the Social Security administration formulated their program > (effective > in 1936) and set the benefit age at 65 it was in the expectation that most > beneficiaries would not live more than a couple of years beyond that, > whereas the > life expectancy of a baby girl born today exceeds 80 years. Advances in > life > expectancy have escalated in the most recent three decades. > > For folks born in 1880 Living into their late 60s would be an average or > better life span. > > GMcC > > > ============================== > Jumpstart your genealogy with OneWorldTree. Search not only for > ancestors, but entire generations. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13972/rd.ashx >