Life expectancy
Average life expectancy at birth for English people in the late 16th and early 17th centuries was just under 40 – 39.7 years. However, this low figure was mostly due to the high rate of infant and child mortality; over 12% of all children born would die in their first year. With the hazards of infancy behind them, the death rate for children slowed but continued to occur. A cumulative total of 36% of children died before the age of six, and another 24% between the ages of seven and sixteen. In all, of 100 live births, 60 would die before the age of 16. A man or woman who reached the age of 30 could expect to live to 59. [Thomson Gale, 'Infant Mortality' (1998)]
Food shortages and insecurity were leading concerns in the 18th century, especially in Europe, and these were exacerbated by reduced harvests yields. Disease was another leading cause of death, with rats and fleas being the common carriers of disease, specifically plagues, during this era. (Wikipedia)
Common diseases were dysentery, malaria, diphtheria, flu, typhoid, smallpox and leprosy. (Wikipedia)
Death seen as natural
If a woman died after the birth of a child (this was a dangerous process because of infections), her younger sister stepped in as new wife, or replacement. The husband (here farmer in the country) absolutely needed a wife to look after the children and farm house (cooking etc.). So he normally got remarried a second, or third time within a few months; later a one year period was recommended. Often these wives were widows themselves. So there was constant giving births and dying on the farms, similar to what happened in the stable with the animals. Death was seen as natural. Only medicine and hygienic measures lowered the infant and childhood mortality rate. However, there were very bad pestulenza waves in the 17th century in our regions. Many villages lost 30 to 40% of the population. (Peter Bertschinger)
Documents related to Hans Jakob Sidler:
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| 1768 Hans Jacob Sidler birth 23 Oct film 8014328 page 516 3rd entryWolf: |
den 23. N(atus) [born], den 25. Bapt(izatus) [baptized]
H(an)s Jacob
Note: Feldschr(ei)b(e)r [Clerk of a troop in the field - or just secretary of an army group] Rudolph Sÿdler von Ottenbach / Elisabetha Sÿdler
Witnesses: Jacob Bär von Ottenbach / Dorothea Sÿdler von Ottenbach
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| 1769 Jacob Sidler death 13 April 1769 film 8014328 page 674 second entry |
1769 den 13ten dito (Aprilis)
H(an)s Jacob Sÿdler, Feldschreiber Rudolph Sÿdler zu Ottenbach ehel(iches) gel(iebtes) Söhnlien. aet: 5 Monath 2 Wochen u(nd) 5 Tag
Note: a den Gichteren [Gichter(en) is often cited as the cause of death in children as an illness with cramps, high fever and chills. It was usually caused by intestinal diseases together with diarrhea and vomiting, which led to dehydration, lack of minerals and loss of strength. The disease often occurred in infants who were not breastfed because the children were then given unboiled cow's milk.]
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| Sidler and Hegetschweiler Temple Record by Julius Billeter, page 49 - 50 Hans is Rudolf and Elisabetha's first child, died at 5 + |