Family businesses were the main form of retirement savings. You passed your farm, your shop, your workshop, etc to your kids. Then you lived with them in your final years. Agreeing to take care of you was a prerequisite to taking over the business.
This also plays into the business names that you’d see in the 19th century. “Keplar Masonry” might rebrand to “Keplar and Sons Masonry” and remain under that name for another 60 years until they rebrand to back to just “Keplar Masonry” because they’re tired of explaining that 3 of the 4 sons have already lived fullfilling lives and passed on, it’s currently actually run by the remaining son’s nephew’s best friend but on paper it’s owned by the grandsons who are currently starting up their own plumbing business that’s operated out of a spare office in the back of the masonry business
This also plays into the business names that you’d see in the 19th century. “Keplar Masonry” might rebrand to “Keplar and Sons Masonry” and remain under that name for another 60 years until they rebrand to back to just “Keplar Masonry” because they’re tired of explaining that 3 of the 4 sons have already lived fullfilling lives and passed on, it’s currently actually run by the remaining son’s nephew’s best friend but on paper it’s owned by the grandsons who are currently starting up their own plumbing business that’s operated out of a spare office in the back of the masonry business