Many thanks to Penny, Patti and Joseph - I appreciate your quick responses to my dilemma! My 2nd great-grandmother Elizabeth was married in a Catholic church the first time, I have an announcement from a German-language newspaper in Cincinnati. Her divorce and remarriage occurred in Chicago. Based on your responses (and 14 church searches), she probably changed religions or gave up going to church. She was born into a Catholic family in a German-dialect speaking area of France (hence the German newspaper listing). Husband #1 was German. My 2nd great-grandfather Swiss-born Jacob (husband # 2) also spoke German. I'm going to keep my fingers crossed that they went German Reformed/Lutheran. Obits exist for Elizabeth and Jacob. No church is mentioned in either. Otto took his life in 1912 - both parents were already deceased. All three are buried in Oakwoods. No obit for Otto. Seven days ago today (but who's counting!) I requested his inquest records from the Medical Examiner. I have records up to Elizabeth's 3rd great-grandparents and counting but I can't get Jacob across the pond!! Ugh!! On Sun, Oct 9, 2011 at 9:56 PM, Joseph Martin <illinoisgenie@gmail.com>wrote: > Hi Laura, > > Life long Catholic here!!! > > The Catholic Church would not have recognized her second marriage before a > Justice of the Peace, especially in 1874. In those days it would not have > recognized her divorce. She could have continued to attend mass but not > receive communion if she chose to. > > The Church in those days was eager to baptize infants, and it might have > been possible for some leeway granted to her, but I doubt it. She might have > felt that she removed herself from the church and never returned. I would > suspect that they just did not bother with any church, but I could be wrong > there. > > In those days the son who completed suicide could not have a funeral mass > and would not have been buried in a Catholic cemetery. Thank God that > attitudes have changed in this regard today. > > Do you have these obituaries? Do they shed any light on any of these > people? > >