I saw this explanation on another list and thought not only was it so very true, it could also explain why sometimes we can't find the burial sight of Uncle or Aunt, let alone Great Grandma. So thought I would forward it on to you too. Have you ever seen one of those movies where the pioneer family has finally made it, has a nice little house under some big shade trees next to a flowing stream? But, the sweet little girl that saved the family from whatever ravages were after them finally dies from some awful disease? And the family gets all dressed up in their Sunday best and accompanies the little coffin up the hill to the fenced in family graveyard in the middle of an nice open field? I'm sure you have. We all have. But, look around at that scene. Where's the hearse? Where's the undertaker? Where's the grave digger? Oh, my. They're not there! And the grave marker is a beautifully done wooden cross with the little girl's name, dates, and some sweet words on it. Well, until embalming became a requirement, there was no need for an undertaker. And, therefore, no need for a hearse to take the body from the undertaker's to the graveyard. The father and brothers will have dug the grave. The mother and sisters will have washed and dressed the body. The father will have made the coffin (they're too far from town to get the local carpenter/coffin-maker to get it finished fast enough). Ergo, no need for papers and forms and all those things "the authorities" today require. Everyone for miles around knows the little girl has died and where she's buried so no need for an obituary either. Oh, that's OK. I can always find exactly where she is. Why, just look at that beautiful cross. That'll be real easy to find. The wind and the sun and the rain and the snow and the termites and the pine borers to say nothing of prairie fires and grazing cattle can really do a number on a pretty piece of wood in no time. Too, lots of folks scratched the name on a rock - native field stone is what they're usually called. If the rock was real hard, they may have just used the last name. After all, everyone knew where whoever was buried anyway so there was no need for anything more. That's why the marker only has the surname. That's why there's no paper trail to follow. That's why there's probably nothing more than a 3'x6' depression in the ground. And most of Arkansas (except for big cities like Little Rock or Fort Smith) was pretty much like this well into the 20th century. I know it's hard to believe, but it's a fact. Reprinted with permision of Mysty--a very nice Lady from Ark. :-)