Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 December 1893 — OCCUPATION AND AGE. [ARTICLE]

OCCUPATION AND AGE.

Sonic Interesting Figures of tho Connection Between the Two. During the past thirty-four years and eight months there died in Massachusetts 101,801 men over 20 years of ago, whoso occupations were specified in tho registry of their decease. Farmers attained tho highest age, 65! years, and made up one-fifth of tho total number. Tho class next to the farmers in tho average of life is that class caljod “active mechanics abroad,” such as brickmakors, carpenters, masons, tanners, millwrights, riggers, calkers, slaters, and stonecutters, but the average age of 12,000 of them who died in Massachusetts during the period mentioned was only about 52f years, a little over a year more than the average of all classes together.

Next to the active mechanics come tho professional men, whose average ago of death was over 51. Of this class the longest-lived were the judges and justices. Thoy lived on the average 64 years, and led all the trados and professions excopt tho farmers. In some countries clergymen are longest-lived, but in Massachusetts the avorago age of the 1,100 of them who diod during thirty-four years was oply a little above 59.. Of tho professional men, those set down as students died, at the earliest age, the average being only about 23,. then camo the professors, well over 57 years; then the lawyers, 56 years; then the physicians, over 55 years; public officers, 55. Sheriffs, constables, and policemen died at tho average age of 53, while editors and reporters were" gathered into the tomb before they completed their 47th year. The lives of comedians were also short, hardly reaching 39 years on tho average, and dentists wore cut down at the average ago of 42. The artists also died early, their average age being 44 years. The musicians lived only to 42, and tho teachers diod at about the sumo age. The shortest-lived were the telegraphers, who died at the average ago of 28. Clerks aud bookkeepers also died early, at tho age of 36. Railroad agents and conductors departed this life on the average at about forty years, and druggists and apothecaries at 42, while saloon and restaurant keepers were put to final rest at 41. Next in order came the active mechanics in shops and the laborers of no special trades, tho average of both being a little short of 48. Of the first class the longest-lived were the coopers, their average age at death being about 59 years. Next to them camo the distillers, 58 years.