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Valda, 

Yes, they are siblings as they all are found in the 1860 Census in Massachusetts living with their mother.  There is an older sister named Elizabeth who was born about 1842-43 in England.  She came here and settled in Lawrence, Massachusetts and married a man who was also born in England by the name of Joseph Webster.  Their son was named Joseph Eli Webster. 

As far as noting on the birth certificate to a person's mortality or not.  I have not seen the situation happen before and do not believe it would be noted.  If I recall, the way that Massachusetts handled sending copies of birth records for genealogical purposes is to send a handwritten copy of the record showing only the vital information.  Parents names, address and occupation.  Child's name along with the date of birth and place of birth.  I am not even sure (I will have to look again) if the parent's country of origin was even noted. 

As for searching for Eli's burial.  Yes, I have attempted to do so and I have contacted the Vital Statistics offices that cover the majority of records for Massachusetts.  But, because I don't have the exact date or town where he died it hasn't been easy.  But to answer your question, yes I have searched both for the death record and the burial records. 

An interesting fact about some of the larger cities here in the States.  My wife sent to New York City on three separate occasions for a birth record that she had previously verified the date and burough.  She received "Record Not Found" notices each time and finally another registrar got the order and found the record.  So depending on who takes the time to 'look' for the record at the Vital Records offices can determine if it is found or not.  Some registrars are more dedicated than others. 

When Massachusetts does not have a record at their State Archives, they refer you to the town in which the event happened.  At this point, I cannot do that since I don't know what town or city Eli came to or possibly died in.  I just recently found that Mary Ann Flathers probably died in Lawrence, Massachusetts, but I have about a ten year span of when this event occured.  I also do not know if she died a Flathers or a Robinson.  I have to contact them in writing to see what they might be able to find for me. 

gflats

From what I have found....  Mary Ann showed up in the 1860 census near Boston, Massachusetts and worked in a cotton mill along with her new husband Alfred Robinson.  Alfred is shown in the census to have been born in England.  Alfred and Mary Ann show up again in the 1870 census as living in upstate New York and then she is found in 1880 living with her son George in Lawrence, Massachusetts using the name Flathers again.  All of her children were grown by then and it would not seem logical that she would have changed it back for their sakes.  I have not been able to secure any marriage or passenger records for Mary Ann and Alfred.  In the 1841 English Census, Eli is living with his future wife's family.  Mary was 15 and he was 20.  By the following year they were married and their eldest daughter came along very shortly thereafter.  So it would be possible that she did leave and come to America with Alfred Robinson and Eli died in 1860 in England.  Proving it will be a challenge though.     

Jebber, 

I had seen the Ely listed and wondered about ordering the record.  Possibly the parents names would be listed.  Thanks.

gflats