One idea is that the children could have been baptized elsewhere. Maybe the mother went home to her mother's or to a sister's house where she had the baby and the child was baptized there? Just a thought to consider. Ruth Cherecwich In a message dated 12/5/2003 6:52:19 PM Mountain Standard Time, jfrank@fsarchitects.com writes: In going through the Catholic church records of Lindenfels in the early 1800s and I find missing children. To a set of parents it will list first child, first son; second child, first daughter; and the next one might be fourth child, second daughter. The third child is not listed. Did they not list children that died? I have checked and rechecked for several missing children. They do not exist in the church. What was the policy of the church to children that were born dead? Were they baptized and then buried or just counted? Does anyone have an idea? Jay