Tag Archives: Marriage ages

It was not suspected that William and Elizabeth were underage since the legal marriage age in Tennessee was generally considered to be 14 years for males and 12 years for females, based on the English common law that was largely adopted in the United States at the time, allowing for marriage at these younger ages with parental consent. Indications were that they were on the younger side of age for brides and grooms, even by 1850 norms, not to mention modern ones that instigate this investigation. Continue reading →