I recently discovered that my mother's half brother died in Springfield, Illinois a few years ago. My mother had never met him so she missed that opportunity. I would like to find out if he had lived in Springfield his whole life and more about him. His name was Alfred Lovett Stevens, born in Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1909. His mother died when he was 4 years old and he was raised by someone in his mother's family. Her maiden name was Shaw. If there is a genealogy angel who would be willing to check the city directories for years past, I would be very grateful. Thanks Mary at mebond@cox.rr.com

My great-great grandmother, Anna May Aldrich came to Sangamon County in 1852 as a seven year old child with her family. She had a twin sister Mary Elizabeth and lots of older brothers and sisters. She married Arza Brown Pilcher at the Chatham Baptist Church 15 Jan 1873. They had five children, Jessie Pearl (1873), Mabel Clare (1875), Charles Nelson (1877) and twins, Fannie May and Frank Ray (1887). Jessie Pearl married Frank Hayden Miner, 18 Sep 1894. My grandmother, Anna, 22 Jun 1895. Frank died in 1898 and Jessie married again and moved to Arizona and California. Mabel married James Long. Charles married someone but I have no data and his obituary mentioned no wife or children. Fannie May married a Mr. Dyke and had a son, Willie (I have several photos). Frank never married. Does anyone have when Fannie became Mrs. Dyke? I presume she married after 1900 or out of state since I have not found her records in the Marriage Register. Both Mabel and Fannie were living in 1952 according to a news clipping but I have no idea how long they lived. I have clippings on the Aldrich-Pilcher twin's 80th birthdays, obituaries for Charles and Jessie Pearl and new story on the death of Frank Ray Pilcher if someone wants to trade data.