Son of Seth Alford and Mary Elmer
Frank Alford was the 5x great-grandson of Benedict Alvord and Jane Newton
Frank Alford was the 5x great-grandson of John Randall and Susanna Kemball
Sunday Showcase Crystal Lake Historical Society
Crystal Lake’s Doctors: Dr. Alford
Frank Lambert Alford was born October 25, 1899 in Cropsey, in central Illinois. His WWI draft registration card indicated that he worked as a clerk for the Chicago and Alton Railway in Bloomington in 1917. He served as an infantryman in WWI but only for 4 months and the war was over. He attended the University of Illinois and met Rilla Ferguson at a church dance in Champaign and they were married in Champaign. Frank Alford earned his MD degree in 1925 from the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Chicago. The couple lived in Chicago while he interned at Lutheran Memorial Hospital in Chicago.
He came to Crystal Lake, filling in at first, and then he opened his own office in August 1926. There were two other long-term physicians in Crystal Lake at the time, Doctors Lindberg and Pflueger. Dr. Alford purchased the Jim Kitchen property with its frame house at 4 (now 3) W. Crystal Lake Ave., at the southwest corner of Walkup and Crystal Lake Ave. Before long, he transformed the frame house into a brick structure with office space and residential quarters, to serve as his office and his home.
Dr. Alford enlisted in August 1942 and served again in WWII as a captain in the medical corps, mostly in the South American coastal jungles. He was honorably discharged September 19, 1945 at Fort Sheridan. After he returned home, he received a letter that had been to Idaho, South America, Puerto Rico, and Fort Sheridan trying to find him to tell him he had been promoted to Major.
His patients said he never failed to answer a house, hospital, or accident call. He was a member of the American Legion Post No. 171, the Nunda Masonic Lodge No. 169, the District No. 47 school board, a charter member of the Crystal Lake Lions Club in 1931, and president of the local Izaak Walton League chapter 1931-1933. He was a member of the county, state, and national medical societies and on staff at several local hospitals. Rilla was very active in the Woman’s Club and the American Legion Auxiliary.
In 1957, he moved his living quarters to South Shore Drive on the lakefront. At age 65 in 1965, he had not thought seriously of retirement until he received an offer to sell his building at 3 W. Crystal Lake Ave. He sold the property to Dr. Walter Sir, dentist. Dr. Alford had no intention of leaving Crystal Lake. He loved its lake, beautiful churches, excellent schools, spacious parks, and countryside. During his years away from home during WWII, he always added “Crystal Lake, a Good Place to Live” to his letters home. In 1972, Dr. Alford had been the dean of Crystal Lake physicians and had served as the city health officer for many years. He had moved to 95 Dole Avenue before he passed away at age 77 on June 22, 1977. He is buried in Crystal Lake Memorial Park in Ridgefield. The McHenry County Historical Society holds some of his medical equipment as well.
In May 1943, his daughter, Frances Alford 1923-1978, married Dwight Flood 1916-
23 June 1900: Anchor & Cropsey Townships, McLean Co., Illinois; Married 23 years, 4 children, 2 Living; Occupation of Seth: Hotel Proprietor; Seth R Alford Head of Household 52 New York/New York/New York; Mary E Alford Wife 42 New York/New York/England; Ruby B Alford Dau 10 Illinois Franklin L Alford Son 1 Illinois Bertha E Alford Cousin 17 New York/New York/New York; Peasley Clark Boarder 31 Ohio Samuel Stevens Boarder 33 Ohio https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MS4H-JBC
18 April 1910: Cropsey Township, McLean Co., Illinois; Occupation of Seth: Hotel Manager; Seth R Alford Head of Household 62 New York/New York/New York; Mary E Alford Wife 52 New York/England/England; Ruby B Alford Dau 19 Illinois; Frank E Alford Son 10 Illinois; Thomas E Huston Boarder 47 Illinois; Charles J Hitter Boarder 48 Kentucky; Jason Long Boarder 57 Iowa; James T Hayward Boarder 61 Illinois; https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MK6C-V65
14 January 1920: Cropsey Township, McLean Co., Illinois; Occupation of Seth: None; Occupation of Mary: Hotel Keeper; Seth R Alford Head of Household 71 New York; Mary Elizabeth Alford Wife 62 New York; Frank L Alford Son 20 Illinois; Maddie Buck Boarder 25 Illinois; Harvey Downs Boarder 28 Illinois; https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MJH4-S4K
1930 ?
1940: Crystal Lake, McHenry Co., Illinois; Frank L Alford Head of Household 40 Illinois; Rilla E Alford Wife 40 Illinois; Frances E Alford Dau 17 Illinois; Louise A Alford Dau 12 Illinois; Frank L Alford Son 6 Illinois; Marie E Alford, Widow, Mother 82 New York; https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KWRC-FZF
Find A Grave: Memorial #118733392
Crystal Lake Historical Society
SECONDARY SOURCE: Family Tree https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LZJF-4SL
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Frank is 25 degrees from Herbert Adair, 21 degrees from Richard Adams, 16 degrees from Mel Blanc, 25 degrees from Dick Bruna, 20 degrees from Bunny DeBarge, 34 degrees from Peter Dinklage, 20 degrees from Sam Edwards, 19 degrees from Ginnifer Goodwin, 21 degrees from Marty Krofft, 16 degrees from Junius Matthews, 15 degrees from Rachel Mellon and 22 degrees from Harold Warstler on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.
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