After years of research we have found our Catharine (Schoch) Rapp Thomas buried at the Blakely Cemetery near St. Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri. Unfortunately Catharine's headstone only states the year of birth and year of death (1863-1901). The family bible indicates she was born October 10, 1863. Does anyone know if the burial records are available anywhere for the Blakely? If I could find out the date she was buried I might be able to find an obituary for her. We have determined her father was John M. Schoch, who was born in Berks County, Pennsylvania and died in Buchanan County, Missouri. John M.'s first wife died in 1854 in Indiana, so we know that Catharine was a daughter from a subsequent marriage or relationship, but we don't know to who. Catharine was first married to a Henry Rapp on January 20, 1884. Henry Rapp apparently met a tragic end on August 24, 1887. We don't know how Henry met his end, but the estate file says he was "killed" not "died". Catharine next married Robert Thomas, but she is buried at the Blakely with her first husband Henry Rapp. Buried next to her is a son from her second marriage (Robert Thomas b. Feb. 6, 1898 d. Feb. 7, 1900). Catharine had one son with her first husband, Elmer Rapp born in Feb. of 1886, who seems to have fallen off the face of the earth after the 1900 census. There were two children from the second marriage: Elmer Thomas, 8, b. Aug. 1891, son b. MO Goldie Thomas, 5, b. June 1894, daughter, b. MO Who also fell off the face of the earth after the 1910 census when they were living with Catharine's adopted sister/ step-niece Eliza J. (Smith) and William H. Williams in Marion Twp., Buchanan Co. Eliza J. (Smith) Williams was the daughter of Sarah (Schoch) Smith Brindley. Sarah was also a daughter of John M. Schoch by his first marriage. After the death of Catharine's mother (unknown date) and father in 1870, when Catharine was only 7, she was adopted by the Brindleys, so her half sister became her adopted mother and her step niece became her adopted sister. If anyone has access to the Buchanan County Marriages 1839-1865, the marriage of John M. Schoch and Catharine's mother might be listed in there. John M. arrived in Buchanan County prior to 1860 and was not yet re-married on the 1860 census. As daughter Catharine was born in 1863, we are guessing John M. remarried between 1860 and 1863. Any help would be appreciated, it is difficult researching Buchanan County, Missouri from Berks County, Pennsylvania, where I live. Betty J. Burdan; Berks County, PA