People didn't use to marry so young, you are confusing myth with the reality.
Ansel, after our last go around on this I went through my uncles family records, talked to a number of older aquaintences (on the opposite side of the country I grew up in) and did a bunch of reading. Then as now, you are just wrong. Your census figures do not take into account the fact that the census was not remotely accurate outside a major city until the 20th century for one thing.
And this very thread has people from across America stating specifically that it was common in their own families. Now either FR is a haven for the children of pedophiles or you are just pushing a mistaken agenda. I’ll leave it up to you as to explaining why your facts fly in the face of your fellow Freepers actual life experiences.