Three generations under 40

An unusual fact about one of my wife's family lines is the short life spans over several generations. I first noticed this when I saw that two of her great grandfathers had multiple wives. One had three and another four. In both cases the first wife was the one that bore children that continued the line.

Eli Lawrence and family 1894

Her great grandmother, Lassie Hall Lawrence was only 30 years old when she died in 1894 in Smith County Tennessee. Her husband Eli Lawrence went on to outlive three other wives. This photo was taken when the family gathered for her funeral.

Lassie's mother Louisa Irwin Hall was only 40 year old when she died in 1886 in Smith County Tennessee. Her husband Allen Bethal Hall had two other wives after Louisa.

Louisa's mother Sarah Smith Irwin had a long life and was 83 years old when she died in 1900 in Smith County Tennessee, but her father wasn't so fortunate. Washington Irwin was only 36 years old when he died in 1849 in Smith County Tennessee.

He was a medical doctor and the family story is that he was murdered. I don't know if the last part is true or not, but he doesn't show up on the 1850 census and started the family trend of not making it past 40.