Yes, I already located Jacob and Mary in 1860 with the 3 older children.

It's the 1870 census that is in question.

In 1870, I found a Mary Eichelberger with Minnie and George. Since Minnie is my husband's ancestor, I'm confident this is the right person.

However in 1870 there is no mention at all of Jacob or the 3 older children. I could understand if Jacob had died, but what happened to the older children? How do I know the Mary Eichelberger in the 1870 census is the same person from the 1860 census? I can't link her by the older children because they aren't there.

I do have the cemetery information that links the Mary buried there with her spouse Jacob. But how do I link THAT Mary with the one in the 1870 census? Also in question is the obituary I have for what I know to be the right Mary (lists her son-in-law as Jacob Kohler) is dated 1910. The grave in the cemetery says 1911 as DOD.

I wasn't aware that the death certificate index was now available online. In the past I've waited up to 16 weeks for those, only to get a response that they couldn't be found. So that resource will be very helpful.