Gary, This is just a thought. On the 1880 Transylvania Co. census there are other Fletchers listed: Alice, age 26, living with Charles C. Lowns family, listed as a servant (cook) Angie, age 17, living with John W. Mills family, listed as a servant Jackson, age 17, living with Jesse W. Gilreath family, listed as brother-in-law (wife's name was Mary L., age 21) Eli, age 17, living with the Gideon J. Gilreath family, listed as brother-in-law (wife's name Elizabeth, age 30) Nancy, age 28, single, living with William Grant family, listed as a boarder. All of these Fletchers listed their father as born in NC and mother in Ga, same as your Alfred. Possibility of all being siblings and orphaned? Some were able to find homes with other siblings, others had to hire out as servants and maybe that was why Alfred was living with the Lyons family in 1870. Like I said, just a thought. Shawna