Vatican Conclave surprised the world this week by choosing to be the first American pope from Chicago. Soon afterwards, a respected genealogist surprised the world by revealing that the new Pope's legacy linked him to far more American experiences than previously known.
Robert Francis Prible, 69-year-old Pope Leo XIV, was derived from the Creole people of New Orleans' colour.
The detective works of New Orleans genealogist and historian Jali Onora are based on an analysis of historical documents, including census records, many of which are featured here. Other documents were excavated by the Archdiocese of New Orleans or obtained independently by the New York Times.
As a whole, the document began to track family stories on the part of Pope Leo's mother, and a diverse background rooted in New Orleans' unique Afro-Caribbean culture moved to Chicago in the early 20th century.
It is unclear why they left, but many Creole families like them moved north in search of better paying jobs and a racially hostile environment.
The document also suggests a story that is not uncommon among Americans who have made such a journey: switching of racial classification from black to white. One of the Pope's brothers, John Pre Post, 71, who lives in the outskirts of Chicago, confirmed his family's ancestry, but told The New York Times that he and his brother always consider themselves white.
Regarding his mother, he said, “I really couldn't tell you. She might just say Spanish.”
1870
Perhaps the earliest known records of Joseph Martinez, the maternal grandfather of the Pope, was a list of the 1870 census, and was photographed at the age of six. The birthplace of all of his family is shown as Louisiana.
1887
Joseph Martinez married Louise Bakier, the maternal grandmother of the Pope, on September 17, 1887. Martinez is listed on her marriage certificate from Haiti. Bakier is the daughter of Ferdinand Bakier and Eugenie Grandbois.
Both Louise's family had long New Orleans roots. The Archdiocese of New Orleans excavated records of the marriage of their parents in 1864, and recorded the baptism of her mother, one of the great grandmothers of the Pope at St. Louis Cathedral in 1840. The font of the baptism in which she received the first sacrament remains there today.
1900
Joseph and Louise Martinez were both recorded as New Orleans residents in the 1900 census. At the time they had two daughters, Irma and Margaret, and it seemed that their aunt lived at their address. Everything is listed as a black “B”.
The occupation of Joseph, appearing in line 6, is called “cigar maker” and his birthplace is called “Haity”, along with the origins of the marriage certificate.
1908
The following documents divide the property of Joseph's parents between heirs, from 1908, known as settlement (or probate of another jurisdiction). These assets included homes worth around $800 at the time. Genealogist Honora noted that there is a “Beaucoo New Orleans surname” among the various heirs, documenting links between the Pope's grandfather and many other New Orleans families.
1910
The 1910 census mistakenly surname the Martinez family in line 35 as “Martina” and lists their race as “W” in white. Joseph's birthplace is listed as “S. Domingo,” the capital of the Dominican Republic (and perhaps a faint “West Indies”?). This record appears to indicate that Joseph's father was Maltese and his mother was Spanish.
Various historical documents from Louisiana, Haiti and the Dominican Republic list three different origins listed for the Pope's maternal grandfather. Honora said it was not uncommon for people to change their reaction to recorders back then.
1911
The family appears to have moved to Chicago after the 1910 census, but the exact date of the Northern transition is uncertain. This is a digital record from Cook County for the birth certificate of Pope's mother, Mildred Martinez. Her lace is listed as white. (Other documents also show the date of birth in 1912 from Cook County.)
Her father's birthplace is listed as Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, but her mother, listed here as “Louis Bakiex,” is identified as originally from New Orleans. Her parents' races are not shown.
1920
The 1920 census shows the Martinez family, including Chicago's youngest daughter, Mildred, Joseph and Louise. The records starting at line 31 again show their race as white.
