Hi Listers, I recently learned that while hunting for an ancestor, who was "custom" married to a German immigrant, then cast out of the marriage w/children, her tribe has a hidden custom of when a tribal member dies, that they have not existed in life....another words, after their death, nothing was mentioned of them again, and as most tribes don't keep written records, only the story tellers know about them or their names of Indian customs,and great deeds done....Even though my ancestor was a SHAMAN, medicine woman of her tribe, as is one daughter....when she died, her body was hidden from view...and she was gone from the face of the Earth. And even today the secret of her burial place is known by few. I have looked for her for almost 10 years with little sucess except for the Census records from 1850 this way. Being American Indian, they were recorded, differently than the regular Census...ANY WAY, always check the tribal customs, so you don't end up spinning your wheels..there is lots on the internet about American Indian tribes, but check the locale of your ancestor as they variy in what and how they do their customs. Good Hunting. ~Linda~ "Loved ones" are your family tree, and lifes journey.