Thanks for the feedback!
Do you have an ideal amount of days you think they should live for? My reasoning for keeping their lives shorter is to give settlers more value. If they live for a long time, then they are just pawns. I'm trying to move the game away from that feel (adding more personality traits in the future as an example).
As for making swords, you can make iron swords but none of the other material types have swords just yet. My next update introduces a TON of new crafting options for all materials but you'll have to wait while I finish it.