As a 20-21st Century Spinster, I have dealt with this identification for
many years.

The customary use of Spinster was to identify a woman who was never married
and "over the age" of the societal or customary age at which a female was
married. The age of say, 25, in the 1700-1800-1900's was considered "beyond"
the customary age of marriage.

A female of tender years, say 12-16, was still in the stage of developing
into a marriageable candidates. Above 16 a female was properly of age to
marry with consent. At age 18 she was free to marry without consent.

These ages do not pertain to men. They were not of age until age 21.
Contracts by men under this age were not valid. Their inheritances were
managed by guardians until they were 21. A female could take possession of
her inheritance at age 18 or upon marriage, whichever came first.

I have a letter from my step-grandfather bemoaning the fact that I was not
married in my mid-twenties. What was a girl to do without a man
to support and protect her  in the 1960's?  Oy, the pressures of society!

Still single and a very old Spinster.
Tree Mother




On Thu, Jun 3, 2010 at 1:19 PM, Deborah Byrd <[log in to unmask]>wrote:

> Lou don't get caught up in the vision of "an adult woman"  replace the word
> "woman" with female.  Spinster was an unmarried Female of any age, where she
> could act for herself.   Depending on the time frame, that could be any age
> between 14 thru death.
>
> Deborah Byrd
>
>
>
>
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This project includes Lankford spelling also.

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