Mary Elizabeth Head

Mary Elizabeth Head was born on August 9, 1875 in Brooklyn, New York, the child of Mathias F Head and Catherine (Katie) Noll. Mathias' family lived on Schenectady Avenue and Catherine's on nearby Sumpter Street. They had married the year before on August 23, 1874.

Mathias, Katie and their daughter Mary lived with Katie's father, John Noll, a widow, through 1878. Soon after, Mathias left his family. We lose sight of him until he turns up in Chicago in 1883, where he enlists in the army using the name Frank Head. He will end up serving in New Mexico, marrying again and having a second family, which he eventually deserts as well.

Catherine Noll re-married quickly. In 1880 she is living with her husband, Charles Service, together with her father, her daughter and a newborn child. No further record of Catherine has been located, but in 1892, Mary is living with Charles and Bridget Head, her paternal grandparents. It seems likely that her mother had passed away at some point during the 1880s. She is buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Brooklyn.

In the 1892 Census, living in the same tenement as the Head family, we find William M Poole, who immigrated to the US from Ireland. His entry follows immediately after theirs so it's likely they were next door neighbors. The couple married on November 2, 1896 and their first child, William B Poole, was born on August 20, 1897.

Over the next 17 years, 13 more children were born: Mary (1898), John (1899), Agnes (1901), Charles (1903), Joseph (1904), James (1906), Thomas (1907), Monica (1908), Catherine (1910), twins Theresa and Loretta (1911), Margaret (1912) and Thomas (1914). The first Thomas died at the age of two months so, following custom, the name was reused for the next male child.

On February 23, 1918, Mary's husband William died. She was left with thirteen children at home. Fortunately, a few of them were old enough to work and by the time of the 1920 census four of the thirteen, including 15 year old Joseph, were employed. Also in 1920, we find them for the first time living in the Borough of Queens, having gradually moved eastward in Brooklyn through the years.

The family was very religious. On April 2, 1927, Mary's son John was ordained as a priest. As a diocesan priest, he was appointed to serve in Holy Child Jesus Church, the parish in which his family lived. Son James entered the Passionist order and was ordained as Father John Francis Poole on February 14, 1931.

In addition, four of Mary's seven daughters entered the convent as Sisters of St. Joseph. On March 24, 1928, Catherine took vows and became Sister Mary Rosarita. On April 2, 1931, Theresa and Loretta joined the order, taking the names Sister Mary St. Raphael and Sister Mary St. Gabriel. Loretta, however, did not remain in the convent but returned home. Finally, on August 6, 1932, Margaret became Sister Margaret Maureen.

In 1932, Mary's daughter Agnes died of post-operative shock while being treated at Mary Immaculate hospital.

Son Joseph married on May 5, 1930 and on Feb 11, 1931, Mary's first grandchild, Joseph David Poole was born. A second child, John Anthony, followed on April 19, 1932. Charles married in 1937 and a third grandchild, also Charles, was born on October 12, 1942. Although other grandchildren were yet to come, he was the last one born during Mary's lifetime.

Mary died on January 5, 1944. Her requiem mass at Holy Child Jesus church was sung by her two priest sons.