The man above is Albert Howard Coleman Jr. He is the “natural” father of the author’s mother. Alice Bond/Blakesley/Bardeen. In the late 1970s Alice was going thru old pictures with her mother, Wave, when she saw this picture. When she asked who the handsome man was, Waves replied “Oh thats your father”. What Alice said to her mother was not related to this author. I can only imagine. A note on the back on this photo says “Hello Wave, What do you think yours lovingly B.C.” This was the second shock for Alice. As related in an earlier link she was 19 when she found out her legal surname was Bond not Lane. Now in her 60s she finds out yet another man is her father !

   Albert Howard Coleman Jr. was born in Geneva NY Nov. 9 1887. He was the son of Albert Howard Coleman Sr. & Loretta L. DeWitt. When & were Al Jr. & Wave met is not known. One possibility is they met when she was visiting relatives in Geneva where he was an ice delivery man. Al Jr. must have known he had daughter. In the late 1980s Alice met his sister Katherine Coleman. She was a retired Geneva school teacher then living in a church home at 600 Castle St. At the time she was about 90, but still very sharp. She said she heard her brother had a daughter someplace & Alice looked just like him. She certainly does. See her picture above next to him.

    He enlisted in the 3rd Regiment Company B June 23 1916. The regiment was set to Camp Whitman in Beekman NY. Albert was sent home July 13 1916 for physical problems. He died at his parents home 8 East Washington St., Geneva, Oct. 24 1917, not quite 30 years old. Cause of death: Mitrae Insufficiency [heart valve]. Occupation: Groundskeeper - telephone co.

Father - Albert Howard Coleman Sr. - Born in Yarmouth MA Nov. 27 1852 - his father =John

               Coleman born in Plymouth MA., his mother = Katherine Snow born in Plymouth MA

               Albert Sr. & Loretta L DeWitt were married in Geneva NY Feb. 15 1884

               He died at home, 62 Madison St., Geneva , Dec. 10 1933 - occupation Bookkeeper in a

               lumberyard for 26 years - resident of Geneva = 50 years.

Mother - Loretta L. DeWitt - Born in Town of Seneca, Ontario Co. NY July 4 1860 - her father =

                William C. DeWitt born in NY about 1826,  her mother = Loretta Combs born in NY, date ?

                She died at home, 31 Monroe St., Geneva, Oct. 31 1958

    Albert Sr. & Loretta had 10 children including Albert Jr. All the family is buried in Glenwood Cemetery, Geneva NY.

The other children are: John born Dec. 1885 - died June 27 1957 - occupation = Lineman, Empire

                                         Gas & Electric, Geneva NY - no record of him having been married.

                                         Clarence L. died Feb. 6 1893 age 6 months - from Geneva Times obituary.

                                        Pearl A. died Feb. 16 1895 age 10 months - from obituary.

                                        Paul N. died Sept. 6 1898 age 3 years - died from burns while playing with

                                        matches-from Geneva Daily Times article Sept. 6 1898.

                                        Katherine born Feb. 23 1898 - She was an elementary teacher at the

                                        Cortland & West Street schools in Geneva for 41 years. She retired in

                                         1958 At the time she was probably living with her mother at 31 Monroe

                                        Street.

                                        She later lived at 731 South Main St. In 1987 at age 89 she moved to a

                                        church home 600 Castle St. She died there Feb. 15 1996.

                                        She never married.

                                        Clarina L. - from cemetery records, no other information

                                        Edith F. [Florence] - died May 15 1901 no age given, probably less than

                                         two years - from obituary.

                                        William T. - from cemetery records, no other information*

                                        George C. - from cemetery records, no other information*

                                       *One of these boys died as an infant July 29 1901 - obituary only said an

                                         infant son of Albert Sr. had died. No name.

                                        He must have been a twin to Edith

                                                       1880 Geneva City Ontario Co. NY

Albert Coleman [Sr.] - age 28 - servant in household of John McKay.

                                                       1900 Geneva City NY Ward 4

Albert H. Coleman [Sr] - age 46 born Nov. 18 1853 in MA.  [Nov. 27 1852 from death certificate] - Occupation = general labor.

Loretta L. - wife age 38 - born July 1861 in NY [ July 4 1860 from death certificate].

Married 16 years. Eight children born, 3 still living [2 more were born & died in 1901].

John - son age 14 - born Nov. [or Dec.] 1885 in NY.

Albert H. [Jr] - son age 12 born 1887 in NY. [Nov. 9 1887 from death certificate]

Catherine L. [Katherine] - daughter age 2 - born Feb. 1898 in NY. [ Feb. 23 1898 from death certificate].

All living on Washington St.

                                                       1910 Geneva City NY Ward 1

Albert Coleman [Sr] - age 57 born MA - laborer by day.

Loretta - wife age 49 born NY.

John H. - son age 24 born NY - stagehand.

Albert H. [Jr] - son age 21 born NY - laborer by day.

Catherine L. - daughter age 12 born NY.

Albert & Loretta listed as having 9 children, 3 still living - cemetery record show 10.

All living on Park Ave.

                                                       1920 Geneva City NY Ward 4

Albert Coleman [Sr] - age 66 - no job.

Loretta - wife age 59 - launderer at home.

John H. - son age 35 - telephone lineman.

Katherine - daughter age 22 - schoolteacher.

Renter on East Washington St.

                                                       1930 Geneva City NY Ward 1 - 2nd district

Albert H. Coleman [Sr] - age 77 - age at marriage 31 - he + parents born MA - no job.

Loretta - age 69 - age at marriage 23 -  she + parents born NY.

John H. - age 44 - single - born NY - no job.

Katherine - age 32 - single - born NY - public school teacher.

Renter on Madison St.

                                                   Geneva NY City Directory

1917 - Albert Coleman Sr. - Fisherman

           Albert Coleman Jr. - no occupation listed  [He died Oct. 24 1917]

           Katherine L. Coleman - Teacher [She is not listed in school directory for 1917]

            John H. Coleman - Empire Gas &  Electric

            All living on Washington St.

1928 - Albert H. Coleman [Sr] - Retired

            John H. Coleman - Electric Co.

            Katherine L. Coleman - 4th grade teacher at Cortland St. School 

            All living at 62 Madison St.

                                                   1860 Town of Seneca Ontario Co. NY

William DeWitt - age 34 - Butcher

Clorcinda DeWitt - age 27

Harriet A. DeWitt - age 3

Loetta [Loretta] DeWitt - age 1

According to Loretta’ s death certificate she was born July 4 1860 just one month before this census was taken. It also says her mothers name was Loretta Combs. A Geneva newspaper article [1950] about her 90 birthday says she had twin brother that died. Looks like young Loretta’s mother & brother died just before this census was taken. Clorcinda may have been William’s sister or other relative who moved in to take care of the young ones. The census record does not give any relationship as some later ones do.

                                                                1870 Town of Seneca

William C. DeWitt - age 45 - Butcher

Katherine - age 33 - Housekeeping

Harriet A. - age 14

Lotta [Loretta] L. - age 11

Ester E. - age 9

William C. - age 4

Lorrin W. - age 2

Joel P. - age 1

All born in NY

                                                           1880 Geneva Ontario Co. NY

William C. DeWitt - age 54 - occupation + Teaming [?] b. NY - father b. NY - mother b. CT.

Catherine - age 43 - wife - keeping house b. NY - father b. NY - mother b. NJ

William C. - age 14 - son - at school - b. NY

Lauren W. - age 12 - son - at school - b. NY

Joseph P. - age 10 - son - at school - b. NY [this may be Joel age 1 in 1870 census]

David E. - age 9 - son - b. NY [not listed as at school]

George O. - age 6 - son - b. NY [not listed as at school]

                                                         1880 Fayette Seneca Co. NY

Loretta DeWitt - age 20 - Servant in household of James Kennedy - age 56. This is most likely the future wife of Albert Coleman Sr. [married in 1884].