They still had chattel slavery while the Republic was around and it was controlled by a mafia family and they had to constantly be on the lookout for the Native population that did not like them being there.
Or check out pictures of impoverished farmers in the Great Depression. Even the 18 year olds looked old. Here is homesteader Jim Norris at 37 years old:
I guess they don't have moisturizers on a moisture farm. (lemmy.world)