Hi all I am working on family census records and I have found a few occasions where this has occurred and I find it interesting. A couple are divorced and I find both of them in the census records. He is listed as Divorced, but when I find ex-wife with the children, she is listed as Widowed. Was it really so shameful that they lied? I am not talking ancient history here, I am talking censuses in the early 1900's. A cousin of my grandmother's is listed this way, as is my grandfather's brother. Both were very much living, but the ex-wives claimed they were widowed. I do know that many times the children never saw their father or his side of the family again. My mother's cousins were young adults the evening they knocked on the door and asked to speak to Harry Hastings. When my grandfather went to the door, the 2 young men introduced themselves as his brother Chet's sons, they had not seen their father in over 15 years. I remember when I got my divorce my in-laws were terribly distressed because "what were they going to tell their friends?" Personally, I thought they should tell them the truth. <<grin>> That was in 1976. Anyway - I am curious as to whether others have found this situation or is my family a bit strange? LOL Jo ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.