This was as recently as the early part of last century. Agrarian societies need extra farm hands, they married younger and had babies younger. Sixteen - 18 was not too young when life expectancy was half of what is today. Just think of all the "boys" who fought in the wars. It's crazy that those who survived led full responsible adult lives before they were thirty. Heck, look at the ages of the declaration of independence signatories. It blew my mind. And just look at us now. So advanced /s