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Por Angelita |

Is it possible that this girl was married at age 10?
Maria Feliciana Lara
b. 3 Jun 1801 (baptized 9 Jun 1801), Arandas, Jalisco, daughter of Marianno Lara and Maria Guadalupe Ramires
m. 22 May 1811, Santa Maria de Guadalupe, Arandas, Jalisco to Juan de Dios Martines

It appears that her son, also named Juan de Dios Martines, was b. 1811 in Arandas

Thanks,
Angelita

considering i have an ancestor who married at 11 and had her first kid a year later, i wouldn't be surpised if that girl was married at 9/10 considering how women and girls were treated back then.

Getting married at nine doesn’t mean that it was consummated then. I found a record that states that an ancestor of mine was considered married at eight, yet it wasn’t consummated until later in life when he was in his early twenties. While still in shock at the marriage at eight, I was surprised that the marriage wasn’t consummated when they were in their teens. Furthermore, this was by far the earliest age given in the marriage of a male. The other early ages that I had found previously belonged to females. Arranged marriages of the past were often made for political and monetary reasons, like keeping the money in the family, or extending the political reach in order to settle disputes and lower the possibility of war.

Rick A. Ricci

Rick A. Ricci rightly points out that dynastic families all over the world, and throughout history, have used the arranged marriages of their children for financial and political reasons. This is well known.

I think what is most shocking to my modern sensibilities, in this case, is the more likely scenario that, since it is known that the two were not members of renowned royal familes, Juan de Dios Martín del Campo (age 18) of las Raíces and his child bride María Feliciana Lara of las Cruces were both married because of something more ominous.

Sadly , I agree with Glenn. It does seem that Juan de Dios Martin del Campo did something that would shock our sensibilities that most likely led to a “shotgun wedding” as a consequence of his actions. Marriage for a child two weeks before her tenth birthday is sad, not something to celebrate. Even in the times that teenage marriage was a common occurrence.
Rick

Angelita says there was a son also named Juan de Dios, b. 1811.

Juan de Dios Martin and Feliciana Lara christened a son named Juan Antonio on 15 Jan 1813 (Juan Antonio Español de los Corrales), Feliciana was under 12.

If Juan Antonio was not Feliciana's firstborn, it looks like she was pregnant at the marriage date.

Juan Antonio's christening record is a better picture of Feliciana's tragedy, she got married at 9 and became a mother at 11 (if this was not at 10).

Deeply, deeply sad case.

Rubén Hernandez

Hello Angelita.

I searched for the original documents, just in case there were any perceptible errors in the names or in the information in the documents.

Christening record:
9 Jun 1801.- "Feliciana española de las Cruces de seis dias de nacida"

Marriage record:
22 May 1811.- "Juan de Dios Martin con Maria Feliciana Lara españoles de los Corrales y las Cruces"

Felicina got married at 9, about 2 weeks before her 10 birthday on 3 Jun 1811.

Rubén Hernández

Hello Angelita,
The youngest age of a bride that I have seen is age 14 or 13. The marriage was at beginning 1700's, it needed the approval from the father and a dispensation because of the age of the bride. 10 to me is too young specially for 1800's. Just a thought...
saludos

susana

Genealogy Research