Dear Listers, My widowed grandmother lived and worked in Wash., DC. According to the 1920 census she worked as a clerk for the government (no department) That's the last record I can find of her. >From other information (something I remember my father saying), I'm fairly sure she died about that time. No death record at Vital Records, at least they couldn't find it -twice. Possibly some error in spelling or someone's misunderstood handwriting from the death certificate. She was in the 1923 city directory. But I found another ancestor in the DC city directory that I know was gone two years earlier. Questions: Has anyone had experience in hiring a researcher to go to Vital Records and conduct their own search? Is this allowed? The FHL has a Death Index for DC for those years but I didn't find her. I've had no luck with cemetery records. Just thought I'd check to see if any bright person on this list has some wonderful idea on a next step. Many thanks. Betty