Aged Fathers .....

[Jean Jeanie]

I have just come across one of mine on the 1881 census. He is aged 71 and his youngest child is 2!!

I should point out that he is on his second wife and she is 33 years younger than him.

Anyone found an "older father" than this? Just curious.

Jean

[jillwelsh]

My husband's father was 72 when he was born! (he was 40 years older than my mother in law).

My kids' school projects about their grandparents are always a laugh as it means that my 5 year old son's grandfather was born in 1891!

Jill

[Jack]

There's a lady in our local FHS who's father was born the mid 1850's.
But he was only in his late 60's when she was born.

Jack

[Alison Plenderleith]

I can't beat the 72 year old father but my ggg uncle fathered twins at 68 (his second marriage) and they were his eighteenth and nineteenth children!

Regards,

Alison

[grannysrock]

erm , not sure I want to share this - but my gggg grandfather John Adam was 74 when his last child was born .
My gggg mother had died after producing at least 13 children .
He then got a 20 yr old pregnant, married her ( just short of his 70 th birthday - but must have been embarrassed cos he gave his age as 65)
and had another 3 after that ) If he hadn't died who knows how many more branches I'd have to trace?

by the way his cause of death ? "Old age, 10 weeks".

sally

[Andy]

Harry Lillis (Bing Crosby), James Doohan (Scotty from Star Trek) and Anthony Quinn were ALL octogererian fathers. (don't know if I can keep it together, Jim!").

[JackyHSF]

My GGG grandfather William Dyer was born 1799 - his first child was born in 1820 and his last, Archibald, the 21st child, was born in 1872. He is affectionately known as William "the Fertile" in our family history.

The first 12 children were born to his first wife Janet Millar, the remaining 9 were born to his second wife, Christina Gilchrist, my GGG grandmother, who was at least 20 years younger than him, more likely 30, but it's hard to tell as her age varies so much from document to document.

It's also interesting that his first child was named Matthew (after William's father), but two sons from the second marriage were also named Matthew (both dying young unfortunately) even though the first Matthew was still alive and kicking - I haven't come across this before. Also, his first wife's maiden name was used as a middle name for one of the daughters of his second marriage.

Jacky

[CatrionaL]

Hullo Jacky

One of my ancestors, a John, also married twice, both times to women whose father was called William. Firsts sons of first mariage Thomas and William after the grandfathers on both sides, First and third sons of second mariage, Thomas and William, second son John after his Dad and G grandad. Calling them Half-Great Granduncles William and Thomas to distiguish from Great Granduncles William and Thomas is a bit of a mouthful.

In our case, it was one of the boys who had the first wife's maiden name as a middle name.

Catriona