Hi Cheryl,
Re; Family deaths. Can you access any local history files newspapers etc for the time that the deaths of your families occurred, there may have been typhoid or a local plague in the area [swine flu?]or just accidents. I am researching from the UK so don't know what data is stored in the US or how to access it. Wishing you the very best of luck in your research so sorry I can't be of more use to you.
Sheila