Frank Joseph is the youngest of eleven children born to Edward and Sarah Jane Hickinson Cullen, both of Manhattan, NYC, NY. His father Edward passed away from a fatal accident that occurred Nov. 29, 1888, having fractured his skull from a fall off of a flag pole. Less than four (4) months after Frank’s birth. Thus, Frank never got the chance to consciously know his father.

He was the youngest sibling of nine other living brothers and sisters and a then widowed mother. His knowledge and perception of his dad was probably substantially from their perceived memories of him and the manner in how they described anecdotes of him. It’s important to grasp the gravity of this tragedy – his mom suddenly finding herself a single mother of 10. Then just three (3) days after their dad’s tragic death, the family would lose their sister Mary to tuberculosis. She was just 4 years old.

His brothers and sisters are: John Francis 09/16/1869 – 04/16/1904, Elizabeth “Bessie” 02/08/1871 – 11/02/1951, Ellen (aka Nellie) 08/04/1872- 01/13/1894, James March 1876 – 10/08/1924, Edward Jos. 12/31/1878 – 11/06/1950, Susanna M. 04/08/1880 – 06/11/1966 (memorial no. 19874347), William 11/13/1881 – 01/09/1916, Mary 03/19/1883 – 12/02/1888, Sarah 12/05/1884 – 06/17/1885 (the infant held in the family picture under the Edwd. Cullen entry and see memorial no. 127736804), Catherine “Kitty” (Nelson) 08/02/1886 – 10/22/1971, and himself. Res ipsa loquitor, their mother is indeed Mother Cullen (memorial link below).

Observe the 19, 13, 12 and 7 year difference in ages between him and his brothers John James, Edward Jr. and William respectively; and, that no children are reported as being born between the years 1873 through early 1875.

Just after the turn of the century, a dozen years after Edward's tragic passing, on the 5th of June, the family was still living at 110 East 97th Street, in Manhattan.

The Cullen’s "baby brother" Frankie would turn 12 that August and was still in school. Note: difference in birth years 1890 shown on census v. 1888 reported and documented herein. Caveat: I took a close look at enumerated dates, there may well be some mix up with Frank's dates as it appears that age 10 was written 1st, then a 9 written over it, possibly after given an August birth month with the census enumerator then calculating a birth year of 1890 rather than 1889, or more correctly, 1888, realizing that he would be 12 that August. More so, I well note that the entire enumerated "Schedule No. 1. - Population" sheet by this enumerator is replete with write-overs, as well as, easily misread, poor penmanship; math and penmanship do not appear as the enumerator’s, Alexander Falke, strong suits! Maybe some spirits were controlling his mind at the time. And, I’m not thinking of the spirits Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was seeking to make contact with. I suspect Alexander Falke did indeed make contact with his spirits.

Within five years' time afterwards the family would move to 164 East 100th Street, between 3rd and Lexington Avenues. So at 1905, the second oldest daughter, Elizabeth, had assumed being head of the household, which consisted of:
► Elizabeth herself, now 34 and a dressmaker;
► Mother Sarah, now 53, doing the housework;
► Brothers Edwd. Jr., age 25, a plumber and William, age 23, a motorman;
► Sisters Susana, reported as age 22 (v. 24) and being a milliner (hat maker) and,
► Katherine at 18, a saleslady in dry goods (note change in spelling "C" v. "K");
► "Baby" brother Francis, at age 16, was now working as a plumber's helper; and,
► Sarah's granddaughter, their niece, recorded as "cousin" Sarah Cullen (Sachs), b. Jun. 1892, now age 13 and in the ninth grade.

This 1905 New York State Census, reports Frank’s age as 16. This census was to record “Age at last birthday”. Frank Joseph’s birthday was the month after next. Thus, he would turn 17 that August indicating his correct 1888 birth year.

The "as of April 15th", 1910 Census shows that they moved to 122 East 98th St., still in the lower portion of East Harlem, a couple of blocks outside northern Yorkville (96th St.). This residence was within the 12th Ward [E. and W. 86th St., N. river, E. river (including Randall's & Ward's Islands), Harlem River and Spuyten Duyvil Creek].

In this snapshot, Sarah, now 59, is again listed as "Head', Elizabeth, 38, still a dress maker from home, Edward J., 31, a plumber "buildings", Susie M., 29, a milliner for a department store, William F., 27, a painter of houses (think Edward Sr.'s grandson Frank Jr.), Catherine E. (note spelling), 23, still working for a dry goods store as a "store fitter" and "baby brother" Francis J., no longer a “helper”, was working as a plumber earning his living through "jobbings". Frank was 21 and single. Filling out the household was Sarah Sachs, 18, Sarah’s granddaughter (father from Utah). Their brother James, the fourth oldest, was residing at Manhattan State Hospital.

At this time, 7 of the 11 children that Sarah J. gave birth to were alive; at not such an old age as 59, she has outlived her husband and four children. The four children were John F. (1904), Ellen aka Nellie (1894), Mary (1888) and 1 year old baby Sarah (1885).

Frank met, fell in love with and married Mary Louisa Haskins of Dublin City, Co. Dublin, Ireland. At year end of 1913, they applied for and received their license (No. 32660) to marry, issued on Friday, the 19th of December, 1913. It was the day that Jim Johnson challenged Jack Johnson for the Heavy Weight Boxing Championship that resulted in a 10 round draw and considerable controversy as Jack Johnson, as the fight went on, was predominantly using only his righthand to box. He later claimed his left arm was broken. However, there was no evidence of that and he did retain his title.

From these early 1910s, my brother Jimmy informed me that they lived on Winchester Avenue in the Bronx until Frank's sudden death from the Spanish Flu (word of mouth family history); but it certainly fits within the more severe “second wave” time period of the affliction. While on the phone together, Jimmy subsequently came across Frank J.’s 1918 Draft Card that records their correct address as 578 Westchester Avenue.

Subsequently, I then searched for various directories and street maps of the time – anything I could find or uncover. I have since documented their exact geographic location, as well as a considerable number of other family members living within the same section of the Bronx’s Morrisania area known as Mott Haven and Woodstock. Ironic as I did go to the Woodstock concert in upstate New York during my “hippie” days. Muddy Good!!!! Refer to the Susan M Cullen Dorgan memorial no. 19874347 for which family members lived where in this section of what was at one time all a part of Morrisania.

After marrying, Francis J. "Frank" and wife Mary "May" [(Haskins) Cullen-McElroy-Corrigan] became the parents of Mary "May" (09-02-1914 to 02-08-1975, memorial# 104085460), James Edwd. (12-29-15 to 12-29-1964 3rd Calvary, refer to memorial link below) and Frank Cullen ("Jr." 03-14-1918 to 01-24-1979 Calverton, refer to memorial 102007933). Refer to wife Mary’s memorial (102161743) for full details of their early married years and his sister Susie Cullen Dorgan’s memorial (no. 19874347) for a descriptive narrative and map of their residences’ locale.

Mae, a dancer, married jazz pianist Teddy Napoleon [01/23/1914 - 07/05/1964, older brother to jazz pianist Marty, both nephews of trumpeter Phil (Filippo)]. As will be read within details of May's memorial, her brother Sonny's and that of their mom's, it is of interest to state here that May's maternal uncle was Mattie Haskins, a popular Irish tenor broadcasted over NYC radio air waves, with several recordings to his credit, during the middle of the "roaring twenties". Aunt May and Uncle Teddy went on to have three children Jeanine (02/18/1938 to 01/31/2000, memorial no. 104896486), Matthew “Mattie” (b. Sept. 1940) and Teddy Jr. (10/09/1947 – 07/17/1978, memorial no. 47533369).

James Edwd. married Ann Jane [(Anna Janette McElroy) 07/09/1917-06/29/1962] and have five sons: Jas. E. II, Lawrence V., Daniel M., Kevin F. and Francis J. With the exception of the Census data, Calvary records note, Spanish Flu history, death particulars and our Aunt Mae-Uncle Teddy family history, it is our brother Jimmy who provided me the initial birth and death dates, which were critical milestones to start my research.

Coincidentally Frank ("Jr."/II) also married a Mary (nee Bannon, 02/18/1921-01/30/1997), daughter of John Jos. (08/30/1888-12/26/1948 at home), an Irish immigrant who was at first a patrolman then a fireman, and Catherine (Lee), who had three older daughters [Eilein (new born death 04/27/1926 – 16 days), Claire & Rosie]. John was the son of Roger & Mary (Malley); he left Clarinbridge, Galway, arrived 04/15/1910 via the Lusitania out of Queenstown (Cork). The Lusitania’s maiden voyage (Liverpool to Queenstown to New York) arrived three years earlier in New York on September 13,1907 - Sandy Hook, NJ then up the Hudson towards Pier 56. This is the same Lusitania that was torpedo off the Irish coast and sunk by Germany in 1915 during World War I. Mary grew up in the family’s house at 48-20 45th St., Woodside, just a few blocks from the Cullen-McElroy-Corrigan clan’s 50-42 46th Street residence. They went on to have eight (8) children: Patricia, Laura, Francis “Frank” III, Kevin, Shawn, Terence, Eugene and Mary Elizabeth.

Ten months before the birth of his third child, Frank Joseph registered for the World War I Draft on June 5th, 1917 at the 63rd Precinct in the Bronx. Thus, at the time he was married with two children - Mary “May” and Jas. Edward. He was working as a steamfitter and general mechanic at the Almerall Steam Cont. Co. based out of Clifton, Staten Island. You can see a picture of his two children, wife May and mother Sarah Jane at Sarah Jane’s memorial no. 18796415. As noted under the picture’s caption it is reasoned to have been taken September 2nd, 1917. By the way, there’s another picture with baby Frankie (II) being around 18 months old with older sister May and his brother Jas. Edwd., which I think may have been taken possibly two years later around September 2nd, 1919. If so, baby Frankie would be 18 months, older sister May would be 5 years of age and his brother Jas. Edwd. around 3-2/3rd years of age.

So, Frank was now a steamfitter, having earlier started out as a plumber’s helper and then a plumber. According to oral family history, when he died in 1918 it was from the Spanish Flu (so called as Spain was not a party to WW I and publicly acknowledged the epidemic; nations at war did not because of morale reasons, while troops suffered from it at the fronts, as well as carrying it home). In Frank's case, as a steamfitter engineer, he was likely working in close quarters when he contracted it.

Subsequent medical research studies of the Spanish Flu pandemic have revealed some rather surprising facts and a new perspective. A study titled “Deaths from Bacterial Pneumonia during 1918–19 Influenza Pandemic “, from the August 2008 issue of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Emerging Infectious Diseases presents an overview of factual findings. The number of deaths from this strain of influenza were unprecedented. Following is a brief of findings.

The virus itself did not directly cause most of the deaths. Of the overall population the mortality rate was
However, the notion of “cytokine storm” did not completely stand up to the realization that new soldiers within this age bracket had worst outcomes than their cohorts that were already there. The paper notes “during wartime, 60% of all influenza–pneumonia deaths affected soldiers who had been in the service
To summarize the actual pathophysiologic, the authors reference an excerpt from a 1927 paper titled “Epidemic influenza. A survey” by E.O. Jordan and issued by the AMA:
“(1) The influenza virus weakens the resistant power of the pulmonary tissues so that various bacteria are able to play the role of secondary invaders;
(2) the precise nature of the secondary - and tertiary - invaders is largely a matter of accident, dependent on the occurrence of particular bacteria in the respiratory tract of persons at the time of infection, and in the case of group outbreaks, on their occurrence in contacts;
(3) the character of the resulting pneumonia, clinical and pathologic, is largely determined by the nature of the secondary invaders, whether Pfeiffer bacillus, streptococcus, pneumococcus, or other organisms;
(4) there seems little doubt that the influenza virus, besides depressing the general pulmonary resistance, also acts directly on the pulmonary tissues, causing capillary necrosis, edema, and hemorrhage;
(5) it seems to be true, therefore, that the fatal outcome of influenza pneumonia is determined partly by the degree to which the influenza virus depresses local and general pulmonary resistance, and partly by the virulence and nature of the bacteria which invade the tissues in the wake of the specific virus”

The authors summarize “The synergistic effects of infection with the virus, aberrant immune responses to the virus, and secondary opportunistic bacterial pneumonias were severe and often fatal.”

With the foregoing in place as context, Francis Joseph passed away at 6:40 A.M. on Sunday, November 10, 1918, after suffering for nine (9) days, and having been attended to by Dr. Thomas E. Treston since the 8th of November. The cause of death was lobar pneumonia, something this author has suffered from several times since having leukemia. As a child I was hospitalized for “walking pneumonia” – maybe a precursor. I have always been susceptible to Staphylococcus aureus. Frank passed away from his 578 Westchester Avenue residence in the Bronx. His doctor was located about a dozen blocks away at 414 East 140th Street, between Willis and Brook Avenues, a block west of St. Ann’s Avenue and four (4) blocks south of the SW corner of St. Mary’s Park. Refer to his sister Sue’s memorial for a map of the area – link below.

Note that although the doctor simply gave his address as 414 East 140th Street, NY, it was not located at 414 East 140th Street in Manhattan. If it was, the “East” would denote an address east of Fifth Avenue. There is only one block between 5th avenue and the Harlem River at 140th Street in Manhattan. At the time, on the south side of East 140th Street was the Water Department Storage Yard, occupying the block, directly across the street (5th Ave.) was Schubert’s Piano Factory, between West 139th and West 140th Street. The block on the north side of East 140th Street was a vacant lot; possibly one of the last large size vacant blocks not yet developed in Manhattan. National Laundry occupied half of the northern side of the block across 5th Avenue, the remaining southern half along 5th Avenue consisted of a 25 ft. wide 2 story frame building around 35 ft. deep next to 3 vacant lots each c. 25 ft. wide by 100 ft. deep.

I have found that Calvary Cemetery records his death at age 28 with burial occurring in November 1918. So, this indicates a 2 year discrepancy between his actual 1888 birth year and his burial records. I suspect that his 1888 birth year was simply rounded up to 1890 for simplicity. New York City Vital Records has his age as 30 as recorded on Death Certificate 9916 (1918), issued as occurring in the Bronx, the image of which is on FHL roll number 1322788. His Death Certificate correctly records his August 4th birthday and that he was 30 years, 3 months and 6 days at time of death. It also records that both his parents were born in the U.S.

The family employed the undertaking services of Joseph E. Oates of 204 East 83rd Street to handle all arrangements, including his interment at Calvary Cemetery on Wednesday, the 13th of November.

Edward, his wife Sarah, and his brother Thomas, are all interred in 2nd Calvary. Frank J. is interred in 2nd Calvary along with his wife Mary "May" Cullen McElroy Corrigan. Jas. E. I and Ann Jane are interred in 3rd Calvary, as are her parents, Michael and Catherine (Prunty) McElroy. Their beloved son and our dear brother, who we all miss very much, the Hon. Lawrence V., USMC is interred in 1st Calvary by The Chapel.