Thank you all very much for you information. I know some of your practices, but this will help me in the research I am doing, especially since I just found an abstract of a will that may mean that I am on the wrong track with one person whose childhood family is my brickwall. I am LDS and we do not shun either; if someone is excommunicated for a serious sin, or disfellowshiped for a less serious one, we do all we can to help them come back through a genuine repentance process. It is nice to hear from so many of you- thanks for all of the answers- I answered each one directly, but it looks like you can't do that on this list. Tomorrow I am on my way to the workshop to crack my brickwall, hopefully. Thanks again, Sue Maxwell