Albert Coe - c 1884-1890 - page 5 of Charles Joslin Call and Elizabeth Ann Coe's photograph album

 The fourth photograph (on page 5 of the album) is Albert Coe (1827-1907), father of Elizabeth Ann Coe. 

The photograph of Deborah Prentice (1833-1910) that was originally on the facing page in the album is missing. 

Albert Coe as born in 17 February 1827, probably in Covington, Genesee County, New York. The family farm was in the part of Covington that split off and became Pavilion a few years later. Most family sources list Albert's birthplace as Pavilion. 

He was the fifth child born to his parents 1796-1869) and Elizabeth Ann Sornberger (1795-1888). 

Albert Coe lived in Genesee County, New York for his entire life. According to stories recorded by his daughter Elizabeth 

My father seemed to us a fine-looking man. He had a rosy complexion, inherited by me, and some of the grandchildren, and now great grandchildren. He had a perfectly formed nose, I never saw a  handsomer. One may laugh at that, but if you stop to think, a nose makes a difference to a face! One of our minister's wives, Mrs Robt. Browlee, was quoted as saying he was the best looking man who came to our church, the Le Roy Methodist. (Memories of the Coes: Father Albert Coe  https://pattyhankins.blogspot.com/2020/08/memories-of-coes-13-father-albert-coe.html)

Albert attended the local schools where he met his future wife, Deborah Prentice in 1847. They married on December 31, 1850. 

Father was a big fellow of twenty going to district school, (he never went to any other, much to his regret,) when a girl of fourteen, a stranger, started to come to school one day. A cousin of father's, whom E.F. and I visited on a trip west in 1880-1, said that father said when he saw her "That's my wife!" When we told this to father he indignately retorted, "I didn't say any such thing. I said 'That's the girl for me' " She said when they began to tease her about Bert Coe, she would ask, "Which one is Bert Coe?" She always called him Albert.  (Memories of the Coes: Father Albert Coe  https://pattyhankins.blogspot.com/2020/08/memories-of-coes-13-father-albert-coe.html)

Again according to family stories, Albert and Deborah loved each other very much

 A lady was vising Sarah once, when they, father and mother, were old people. Father told this lady something of his love story, and said that he loved her more and more as the years went by. He made some pretty remark about mother after she dressed for their Golden Wedding "As sweet as she was fifty years ago!" I am sorry I cannot recall exactly. The winter of his last illness he so wanted her by his side all the time, and could would turn with such a look of utter weariness to lay his head against her. Before he went away he said, "You won't be long, will you, Mother?" In their old age, they used a playful wit and humor and badinage with each other that was most charming, but I doubt if I could reproduce it in writing, even if I could remember it.  (Memories of the Coes: Father and Mother  https://pattyhankins.blogspot.com/2020/08/memories-of-coes-24-father-and-mother.html )

 Albert and his family lived in Pavilion until 1873. Two years later, they purchased land in Le Roy, where they lived for the remainder of their lives. 

There is no information about when the photograph was taken on either the photo or the album page. However, I believe it can be dated to about 1883-1884.

 Information on the photograph identifies the photographer J.H. Kent of Rochester, New York. John Howe Kent was the preeminent photographer in Rochester in the late nineteenth century. Frederick Douglas, Susan B. Anthony and George Eastman were among the notable people he photographed. You can read more about career at http://historiccamera.com/cgi-bin/librarium2/pm.cgi?action=app_display&app=datasheet&app_id=2915

Two specific pieces of data help date this photograph. The small plain text identifying the photographer on the front of the cabinet card was most popular from 1870-1883, although Kent seems to have used the style on occasion until about 1890 based on photographs on the George Eastman Museum website. 

While Kent had a photography studio in Rochester for that entire timespan, the address for his studio on the back clearly dates the photograph to 1883-1884.  From 1869-1878, city directories have his studio located at 58 State Street. 1880-1883 city directories place the studio at 20 State Street. The 1884 city directory is the first to have his studio at 24 State Street. 

So presumably he relocated his studio a few doors up the street between the time the 1883 and 1884 city directories were published. The photo was probably taken sometime after that and probably before 1890

Previous page in the album:  Robert Call

Next page in the album: George Sperry