COLEMAN & DEWITT FAMILies

 
 

This page details the paternal ancestors of the authors mother Alice May Bond

    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, Wave 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 late 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.

THE COLEMAN FAMILY

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 in 1826,  her mother = Clorinda Loretta Combs born in NY,

     About 1832/33 -  Loretta DeWitt died at home, 31 Monroe St., Geneva, Oct. 31, 1958

    Albert Sr. & Loretta had 9 or 10 children including Albert Jr. All the family are buried in Glenwood Cemetery, Geneva NY.

The other children are:

1 - John born Dec. 1885 - died June 27, 1957 - occupation = Lineman, Empire Gas & Electric, 

     Geneva NY - no record of him having been married.

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

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

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

       Geneva Daily Times article Sept. 6, 1898.

5 -  Katherine born Feb. 23, 1898 - She was an elementary teacher at the Cortland & West

        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.

6 - Clarina L. - from cemetery records, no other information. Her name is not on  grave

      monument.

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

        obituary.

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

9 - 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 may have been a twin to Edith

COLEMAN CENSUS RECORDS

                                                       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.


                                                       1940 Geneva City, NY -Ward 1

Loretta Coleman - age 79 - sales lady in department store

John H. son - age 54 -lineman - G & E Co.

Katherine - daughter - age 42 - public school teacher

Family living on Madison Ave.

DEWITT CENSUS RECORDS [Loretta Coleman’s  family]  

                                                   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 brother died before this census was taken. FamilySearch say her name was Clorinda Loretta Combs born 1833 died 1864 spouse of William DeWitt.

                                                           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. CT.

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]

                                                                1870 Town of Seneca

William C. DeWitt - age 45 - Butcher [Wm born in 1826 died i Aug. 28, 1894]

Katherine - age 33 - Housekeeping [William’s 2nd wife. Maiden name Coshun. First husband William Narigan. She was born Sept. 21, 1837 - died in 1917]

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 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].

Coleman Family in Glenwood Cemetery - Geneva, NY. No cemetery records for DeWitt Family