Note that the Mott Haven section of the Bronx appears for Mary’s place of birth. Their neighborhood was actually known at one time as North New York. And bordering, possibly overlapping, with the southern portion of the area known as Woodstock.

At one time (since 1874) this area was known as North New York as it’s that lower portion of the west Bronx that, in joinery fashion, ship laps the upper east coast of Manhattan Island. The area was previously known as Morrisania, which was carved out of West Farms. The area above and to the east of Morrisania remained West Farms. In turn, the area above West Farms was known as Kingsbridge, which had been carved out of Yonkers. These areas were bordered to the east by the Town of Westchester, with the Bronx River being the north-south dividing line. In turn, all of these areas were from the County of Westchester.

Between the score of years of 1874 to 1894, these three areas became part of the City and County of New York and were collectively referred to as the Annexed District. That portion to the west of the Bronx River, extending to the Long Island Sound, made up for the most part of the Town of Westchester and the lower portions of Eastchester and Pelham, became part of the Annexed District in 1895. In 1898, all of these once Westchester County areas became the borough of the Bronx of the City of New York. Once coextension issues were resolved, under New York State, it became the county of the Bronx. Thus, there’s five (5) NYS counties that make up New York City, in which they are referred to as boroughs.

Now with the geographic history of Mae’s home at time of birth out of the way, let’s get back to her. Mary (Mae) Ceceia is the daughter and oldest child of Francis Joseph "Frank" and Mary "Mae" Louisa (nee Haskins) Cullen-McElroy-Corrigan. Just as fathers pass on their “Y” chromosome to their sons, mothers pass on their “X” chromosome to their daughters. Thus, daughters carry on, in their mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of their “X” chromosomes, their ancestral maternal roots. For Mae’s maternal and familial ancestral roots going back to her great-great-grandparents, that is also mapped out, refer to her mother’s memorial (link at end of this memorial).

During the time of her father's tragically shortened married life, Mae lived at 578 Westchester Avenue, just in from St. Ann’s Avenue by 149th Street, down from Eagle Avenue, North New York in The Bronx. Causal to the construction of mass transit from Manhattan’s eastside to the Bronx during the later dozen years or so of the 1800s (3rd Avenue elevated train) and early first decade of the 1900s (subway from 149th Street), a number of family members had moved out of the crowded upper eastside of Manhattan, to the newer, more roomy offerings of the Bronx, and were residing nearby. The northern flight had begun.

As to the geographical location of Mae’s home at time of birth and her first several childhood years, there is a 1909-part-copy of a street map under the memorial of Mary Cecelia’s paternal aunt Susannah Marie “Susie” Cullen Dorgan’s memorial no. 19874347. Here’s a link to the street map: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/19874347/susanna-marie-dorgan/photo#view-photo=186468820 – click “View Original” in the lower right corner to see the original, larger copy; then click on the original for a more readable view. Each “red cross outlined in blue” denotes an area where a family member was residing. Specific details of these locations are provided within Susie’s memorial (for those who want to go for an historic mental street walk).

Mae was baptized four days after her birth on the 6th at St. Roch’s Church as Mary Cecelia. St. Roch’s was organized in 1899 and incorporated on November 29th, 1899. Note how the dates positively correlate with the development of mass transit in the area. Religious services were in an unused church at 150th Street and Jackson Avenue up until 1932. Since then until the present, St. Roch’s has been at 524 Wales Avenue, between 147th & 149th Streets, Bronx, NY. Her Godfather is James Joseph Haskins, her mom’s brother. Her Godmother is Mary Elisabeth McElroy. I believe she could be Thomas Cullen’s daughter Mary Elisabeth and possibly married a McElroy. Information at hand indicates that Thomas is the brother of Frank’s dad Edward. Both brothers had fatal head injuries causal to falls, almost 4 years to the date of each other.

As you read through this memorial, bear in mind that St. Cecelia is the patroness of musicians, as she sings to God accompanied by musicians, and there were musicians within the Haskins-Cullen clan. Further note that Cecelia in Latin means blind and that Mae’s mom, Mary Louisa, as discussed within her memorial, was named after her paternal blind aunt Mary Louisa Haskins. So, her receiving the name Cecelia could be a possibility of one or the other or both.

May’s brother, James Edward, would also be baptized at St. Roch’s; but no other siblings would be baptized there. Father Milo baptized both children at St. Roch’s. After her dad’s untimely passing in late November 1918, she, her two younger brothers and mom would relocate to 133 East 97th Street, nearby the other Cullens still in Manhattan. Refer to family member links below for interlacing information.

From 1919 and into the early 1920s, after her dad’s passing, during her mom’s second marriage (Johnny McElroy on 09/14/1919), she lived in the westside of Manhattan in what was colloquially known as "Hell's Kitchen". After Johnny’s passing in late October of 1924, the family continued living in Manhattan, back up in the eastside, by 75th and 76th streets and 3rd Avenue, by other Haskins-Cullen family members.

For visualization, refer to the memorial for Mae’s maternal aunt Teresa “Tessie” McEntee Haskins McGlynn, no. 107938338 (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/107938338/teresa-haskins_mcglynn/photo and follow directions as sequenced foregoing) for a detailed street map of these times. Tessie is the wife of her mother’s brother Mattie, a noted Irish tenor and owner of Haskins Irish Import Shop, known throughout the 1930s, 40s, 50s and into the 60s, as the heart of Irish news and music. His memorial number is 107852260 (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/107852260/matthew-james-haskins). Mary Cecelia’s mom Mae also recorded a 10-inch record with her brother Mattie in Sept. 1927 titled “Maloney’s Christening”, which was released in Nov. 1928. Mattie Haskins memorial can be accessed through his wife Tessie’s.

Mae is the oldest sibling to brothers Jas. Edwd. "Sonny" (1915-1964; Memorial# 102007933) and Francis "Frank" J. Cullen (1918-1979; Memorial# 542646), John "Johnny" (1920-1991; Memorial# 103754692), Anna (1922-1934; Memorial# 103722901) and Eugene McElroy (1924-1997; memorial# 975215) and Joan Corrigan Walker (1933-1990; Memorial# 103993155).

It was in Manhattan where she and her two oldest brothers, Sonny and Frank, would make their First Holy Communion and Confirmations (refer to photos). It’s possible that Frank made his Confirmation in Queens rather than Manhattan. Her two youngest brothers, Johnny and Eugene, would be baptized in Manhattan but make their First Holy Communions and Confirmations in the New York City borough of Queens (Queens County), as well as the two youngest sisters Anna and Joan. Although Anna was baptized in Manhattan, she may have passed on before her Confirmation. Refer to links at the bottom of this memorial.

From c.1928-30, after her mom’s marriage to Tom Corrigan of Duleek, County Meath, on April 8, 1928, along with her family she lived in a private house they purchased on 46th Street, just across the 50th Avenue border with Sunnyside, at 50-42, in the Woodside neighborhood of Queens County, NYC. In 1930, with the exception of Eugene, Mae and all of her siblings were in school, with Sonny also having a job as an errand boy for an insurance company.

From around the time of the family’s move to Woodside, from her mid to late teens, Mae loved going horseback riding at Culpepper, down in Virginia. As recounted by her son Matthew, she often spoke with fond memories of those days. What a special treat. And, during the depression years, too! The stables may have been owned or operated by a family member. A couple of her pictures there, as a 16-year-old, are included under the “Photos” division of this memorial.

During the ensuing years, Mae would go on to be a dancer. Under the “Photos” division is a publicity photo of her at the front of a chorus line for Phil Tyrell's "School Days" on Parade closeup insert of Mae. She had lovingly signed the photo to her mom on the 6th of March 1935. Mae was 20-1/2 years of age, not yet 21.

On February 15th, 1937, in Manhattan, Mae, still a dancer, filed for and received a license to marry jazz pianist Teddy Napoleon [01/23/1914 - 07/05/1964), marriage license No. 3346. They were married 44 days later (half of a piano keyboard) on Thursday, April 1st, 1937. They lived at 2837 Harway Avenue (around the corner from Bay 59th Street), in the Gravesend section of Brooklyn bordered by Bensonhurst to the west, Parkville to the north, Coney Island to the south, and bounded by Sheepshead Bay and Mildwood to the east. Teddy's family lived at 149 Bay 47th Street in Gravesend.

Teddy is an older brother to jazz pianist Marty, both are nephews of trumpeter Phil (Filippo)]. Phil died in 1990 and is in a mausoleum (Unit 7 North, Crypt 7 – 179) within Southern Memorial, the same cemetery as Mae. Marty, on piano, accompanied the American jazz trumpet legend Louis Armstrong on and off for several years over the decades. Teddy was the pianist for the legendary drummer, and "idol" of the 1940s and 1950s era, Gene Krupa, being on several of his albums – just do a YouTube search for Teddy Napoleon.

As mentioned, Mae's maternal uncle is Mattie Haskins (b. 1895 - d. 1930, pneumonia), a popular NYC Irish tenor out of Dublin, who had many Irish Ballad recordings in the mid-1920s (see memorial 107852260) and owned a famed Irish Shamrock Import Shop in Manhattan’s upper eastside, featuring, among other things, religious articles, sheet music, records, artifacts and, of course, Irish newspapers.

Mae (also rarely spelt as May) and Teddy have three children: Jeanine (Napoleon Manzo; b. 02/18/1938 - d. 01/31/2000), Matthew (Mattie b. Sept. 19, 1940) and Teddy (b. 10/09/1947 - d. 07/17/1978).

Jeanine was baptized Jeanette Giovanna Napoli at St. Teresa’s RC Church, 50-20 45th Street, Woodside, Queens, NY, on Sunday, the 13th of March 1938, twenty-five days after her birth. Her Godparents were Mae’s next younger sibling, by just over a year, her brother Sonny (James Edward Aloysius Cullen) and Ann Jane McElroy. Both Godparents were in their early twenties at the time. Ann would become Sonny’s wife, almost 4 years later, on January 16th, 1942 out in Riverside, California, while he was still in the U.S. Army. Sonny was in the Army from the late 1930s through 1945 (26 December) at which time he went into the Officers Reserve Corps up through 1952 (22 December).

Matthew was baptized at St. Teresa’s on Sunday, November 17th, 1940, two days before his one-month birthday. By this time the family was residing with his grandmother Mae at 50-42 46th Street, just up the block to the east from St. Teresa’s and down about 2/3rds of the street. His Godparents were Mae’s next younger brother after Sonny and their father’s namesake, Francis Joseph Cullen (II) and his father’s younger sister Marjorie Napoli. Some 12 and ½ years later, Matthew would be confirmed on the 12th of May 1953 at St. Teresa’s taking the name James after his mother’s brother, who, in turn, was baptized James Edward after his grandfathers, James Haskins and Edward Cullen. Matthew was sponsored by P. O’Keefe. By this time the family had completed their surname change from Napoli to Napoleon.

Teddy Jr. was born with the Napoleon surname and was baptized on Wednesday the 29th of October 1947, twenty days after his birth. His Godfather was his dad’s youngest brother, Andrew Napoleon, while his Godmother was his mom’s youngest sister, Joan Corrigan, who had turned 16 that 4th of July.

Along with all of their Cullen and McElroy cousins, they all attended St. Teresa’s school which was adjacent to the church, separated by the school yard on the 45th street side with the convent (Dominican Sisters) on the 46th street side with the rectory next door to the north. At one time or another, most, if not all, of the boys were monks and or cardinals in church processions, altar and/or choir boys. The choir master was Mr. Myers, who the writer’s brother Jimmy remembers as always wearing a brown suit. Once this suit color was mentioned the writer recalled him as wearing a loose fitting, drab, chestnut brown suit, although having mostly the choir master who succeeded him, Mr. Paul Denis La Medica. Mr. La Medica was successful in having the choir record a Christmas album, the cover of which this writer can be seen; his oldest brother Jimmy, can be made out on the album cover’s back side.

The writer readily recalls several times that aunt Mae would come over and “baby sit” us when our parents went out for a social event, such as, a VW dinner affair (e.g., https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/103772843/mary-ellen-murphy/photo#view-photo=156657684). Although Mae & Sonny were very close being only about a year apart, and Sonny and his wife Anne were married under 4 years later, they did not start raising a family until Sonny was home from the war and he was in the Officers Reserve. Thus, Mae’s two older children were old enough to watch their baby brother Teddy, freeing out aunt Mae to watch the five of us. Yes!!!!!

Aunt Mae was quite the character, a real pistol full of verve, a really cool personality, especially for an aunt. To wit, when she baby sat us, she just didn’t sit by listening to the radio or watching the small black and white television, or making phone calls or doing her nails. No, way! She actually participated with us. As a matter of fact, she used to teach us stuff. Useful stuff that you could not only use later in life, but could use right away. Stuff where we learnt about money and risk taking. How many kids can say they had an aunt like that? Among the many useful life tools she taught us was how to play cards, how to roll dice and play craps, not only how to flip coins but how to pitch coins! Wow, what an aunt and what useful lessons we learnt from her. Practical things that we could use the next day with our friends. She also increased our vocabularies to which we added terms like “snake eyes” and “box cars”. Each baby-sitting was a true life adventure in learning. There you have it – five (5) young boys learning and loving it.

In 1959, the Teddy & Mae Napoleon family moved down to Miami, Florida, where Teddy (Sr.) was starting his own trio. His Uncle Phil was already living down there. The Cuban Revolution, led by the, Jesuit educated, communist leader Fidel Castro, had taken over Cuba that 1st of January. The uprising rooted back to July of 1953. When the existing military government was toppled, chaos ensued, and there were immediate evacuations of businesses and people from Cuba to Florida just 90 miles away. Based on the 1969 novel by Mario Puzo, the Hollywood director Francis Ford Coppola’s movie The Godfather Part II, released December 1974, provides a vivid portrayal of the collapse of the existing Cuban military government, the take over by communist revolutionaries, and the mass exodus of wealth, in the form of businesses and people, from Cuba.

To this day, I still have a clear memory of aunt Mae coming over before her departure, talking with our mom and dad, saying their goodbyes as Florida, at the time, seemed so far away. She was leaving us to go far away way down to Florida. She had her beautiful blonde hair back in what looks like a thick braided bun, maybe 3 thick braids. It was also up in the front. She reached up on her tip toes and my father bent down, they gave their goodbye kiss and hug and my mom stood right by to say her farewells. The writer perceived it as a in case we don’t see each other again farewell. What the writer remembers most is that kiss and hugging goodbye from each to the other. It was readily visible how close they were. And, our mom was there too, right alongside, with her farewells. Wow, aunt Mae was leaving.

Just a couple of years after their move, Jeanine married Tony Manzo in August 1961 and a couple of years after that Matthew married Yolanda (nee Ediselli) in May 1963, both in Miami. How fast they grow up and time passes. So, in 2013 in Matthew’s words he “… celebrated my 50th wedding anniversary to my darling wife and best friend Yolanda. We have three daughters and 7 grandchildren.”

Mae is Godmother to Sonny's second youngest child, Kevin Francis. Whenever she returned to New York, after having moved down to Florida in 1959, following Teddy's jazz career, she would bring some really cool stuff back for Kevin; like coconut heads decorated to look like some face painted Polynesian warriors, totem poles, miniature reptile replicas, and the like. Boy, were we envious, at least I know, I for one was! Kevin had a cute Irish face, blue eyes with red curly hair and she lovingly always referred to him as her "Speedy Alka Seltzer" boy after the popular advertising character of the time who had red hair, freckles and always smiling.

In times of health, it was always a happy gala event when we would see Aunt Mae, which we experienced “wide-eyed”. Realize that, while our parents grew up in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s with radio as "The Media", by the mid to late 1950s most U.S. homes had black and white TV, however small they were at the start of the 1950s.

Mae’s husband Teddy was only 50 yrs. and 5 mos. old when he died (lung cancer) and Mae 60 yrs. and 5 mos.(diabetes), both relatively young, taken before retirement age and experiencing a meaningful Grandparent era. Teddy passed on about 6 months before that of the father of the writer of this memorial and his brothers, Mae’s brother Sonny. Their mother had already passed on at the end of June 1962. The family became shattered apart around the mid-sixties, but beautiful, fond memories have always remained alive within our minds. That’s what makes life ….. life.