Responding to message 6: If Susan Eastwood Skala died in the 1940s, that is long enough ago for the death certificate to be available from the NYS Dept of Health. If she was born in 1878, she probably married about 1895-1900. You could get a better estimate by finding her in the 1930 census, which states the age at first marriage. When did Frank Skala die? If it was before 1960, it could be in the NYS Dept of Health vital records as well. If you'd like information on how to obtain these vital records documents, feel free to ask me. 1930 census has a Susan Skala, 51, a widow, living in Queens, New York. She has children Frank, 27, Roy, 22, and Agnes, 18. Too bad -- her age at first marriage is not stated. You say she died in the 1940s, so that's where the vital records index search would begin. Let's see what the 1920 census tells us. It tells us that Frank died before 1920. Here is Susan J. Skala, widowed, head of household, living in Chatham, Dist. 21, Columbia, N.Y. She is 41. In the household are Leon F. son 21 Martha C. dau 20 Charlotte J. dau 18 Frank son 16 Muriel L. dau 15 Leroy R. son 1 Roland son 10 Agnes S. dau 7 In 1910 in Patterson, Putnam Co., N.Y., Susan's husband Frank was still alive and they had been married for 13 years, about 1897. Frank head 32 Susan wife 31 Leon son 12 Martha dau 10 Charlotte dau 8 Frank son no age Muriel dau 5 Leroy son 2 Roland son 5/12 All were born in NYS. Frank's parents were born in Bohemia. 1900, in Patterson, We learn that Frank Skela [sic] was born Dec 1876 Susan was born Nov 1878 and had had 3 children, 2 living Leon was born in Jan 1898 Mattie, probably Martha, was born Dec. 1899 1880 -- there are Frank Skala listings, but they are in the Midwest rather than NYS. Nancy Johnsen Curran Schenectady, N.Y.