Mae Capone

Mary Josephine Capone ( Coughlin; April 11, 1897 – April 16, 1986) was the Irish-American wife of gangster Al Capone. Early life Mary "Mae" Josephine Coughlin was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Bridget Gorman and Michael (Mike) Coughlin on April 11, 1897. Her parents immigrated to the U.S. from Ireland separately in the 1890s. Michael was a laborer, Bridget did housework. They met in New York and were married. They had six children, Anna, Mary, Dennis, Catherine, Agnes, and Walter. She attended school until she started working as a sales clerk. Family life Marriage and family Mae Coughlin married Alphonse Capone on December 30, 1918, at the St. Mary Star of the Sea Church in Brooklyn, New York. They either met at a party in the Carroll Gardens neighborhood of Brooklyn, or their marriage was arranged by Al's mother, who knew Mae from church. Mae was two years older than her husband. On their marriage certificate, Al increased his age by one year, and Mae decreased her age by two years, making them both appear 20 years old. Despite the rivalry between Italian-American and Irish-American groups at the time, there is no evidence that Capone's parents opposed their marriage. It is speculated that Al's parents were probably in favor of the union, because an Irish partner was seen as higher status than an Italian at the time. In addition to their differences in ethnicity, Mae was also more educated, more Catholic, and more middle class, while her husband was less educated, and grew up in a rougher part of town. Mae Capone remained a devoted Catholic throughout her entire life.