Mary Coe Sperry - c 1883-1884 - page 7 of Charles Joslin Call and Elizabeth Ann Coe's photograph album

The sixth photograph is Mary Isadore Coe (1851-1924), wife of George W. Sperry, sister of Elizabeth Ann Coe

Mary Isadore Coe was born 14 October 1851 in Pavilion, Genesee County, New York, the daughter of Albert Coe (1827-1907) and Deborah Prentice (1833-1910). 

When Mary was eleven, she suffered a severe case of the measles. According to The Memories of the Coes written by her sister Elizabeth, 

The measles we have particular reason to remember. Mary, who was eleven years older than I, and at the time in school in Le Roy, had them first. Father went to Le Roy, our trading place, and when he got home found with the other mail, a letter saying Mary was sick with the measles at her boarding place in Le Roy. He hitched the horses to the sleigh and went back the five mile and a half, to bring her home. She was never well after that. (Memories of the Coes, https://pattyhankins.blogspot.com/2020/07/memories-of-coes-1-introduction.html)

Mary received her education at the Le Roy Academy and a school in Gainesville, New York. (The Memories of the Coes, https://pattyhankins.blogspot.com/2020/08/memories-of-coes-26-schools-academy.html ). At both schools, she boarded with local families. It may have been at the school in Gainesville where she learned to make flower bouquets that her sister Elizabeth admired. 

I used to watch sister Mary make her old fashioned bouquets. She would gather a great quantity of flowers of different kinds, and liked feathery grasses and fern like leaves. She would start with a center and wind the flowers with a string as she added them, till they were all together. Mary went to a boarding school at Gainsville when quite a young girl. I have wondered how many of her pretty refined ways were acquired while she was there. (Memories of the Coes, https://pattyhankins.blogspot.com/2020/07/memories-of-coes-5-fossils-flowers-and.html) 

Mary married George W. Sperry (1853-1933), son of Platt T. Sperry (1814-1889) and Rebecca Storm (1821-1857) on May 7, 1879 in Le Roy.

According to Census records, the Sperry's lived in Pavilion until after 1900. In 1910, they lived in Benton, Lake County, Illinois. In 1920, they lived in Zion, Lake County, Illinois. Mary died on 4 December 1924 in Elyria, Lorain, Ohio. 

There is very little information on the photograph that helps date it to a specific timeframe, but I believe the photograph was taken in the first half of the 1880s, probably no later than July 1884. 

Based on the style of the cabinet card  - straight edge, no border, albumen print - the photograph could easily date from anytime between 1860 and 1900. The back of the cabinet card has a large imprint - which indicates a date after 1887. 

The page in the album identifies the subject as Mary Coe Sperry. Comparing this photograph with a group photograph from 1887 where Mary Coe Sperry is identified, she looks to be same woman as in this photograph, possibly a few years younger. 

On the back of the photograph, there is the same notation as on the previous photo - except given the way the letters are form - I believe it says L.A. Coe (not C.A. Coe),  July 1884. L.A. Coe would be Lizzie Ann Coe - which is the name Elizabeth Ann Coe Call was commonly known by. 

Both Mary's hairstyle and dress are consistent with a photograph taken in the early 1880s. 

The photographer - Albert K Drury (1843-1901) had a studio in Le Roy from 1868 until 1901. So that doesn't help narrow the time frame much either. I could not find comparable backs of photographs on the web from Drury's studio to help date the image. 

If the photograph was given to Elizabeth Ann Coe in July 1884, then the photo probably dates from around then - and perhaps Albert K Drury was one of the first photographers to use the large imprint on the back which is the one piece of evidence leaning towards a later identification date. 

Previous page in the album:  George Sperry

Next page in the album: Sarah Frances Ward