Biography

Louis Marius Prevost, the younger son of John (Riggitano) Prevost and Suzanne Fontaine, was born 28 July 1920 in Chicago, Illinois. He died on 08 November 1997 at his home in suburban Homewood, Cook County, Illinois of colon cancer, and was buried the Assumption Cemetery in Glenwood. He was an educator.

Louis Prevost was the father of Robert Francis Prevost, elected the Catholic Pope on 8 May 2025, and who took the name Pope Leo XIV.

Louis’ father, John R. Prevost (1876-1860), was born as Salvatore Giovanni Gaetano Riggitano in Milazzo, Sicily, and emigrated to the United States in 1903, where he became a teacher of Romance languages with his own business. His mother, Suzanne Fontaine (1894-1979), emigrated from Le Havre, France in 1915.

Louis grew up at 5465 S. Ellis Ave. in Hyde Park, an integrated neighborhood on the city's South Side. He attended Hyde Park High School and then graduated from Woodrow Wilson Junior College in June 1940. He served in the United States Navy during World War II, commanding an infantry landing craft in the Normandy landings and later participated in Operation Dragoon in southern France. By the end of his 15 month deployment, he achieved the rank of lieutenant, junior grade.

After his military service, Louis attended DePaul University in Chicago, receiving a bachelor of arts degree in 1947, and master of arts degree in education in 1949.

Louis Prevost married on 25 January 1949 in Cook County to Mildred Martinez (1911-1990). Also a Chicago native, she was the daughter of the New Orleans-born Joseph Martinez and Louise Baquié. They were in the same graduate education program at DePaul University. She worked as a librarian before their marriage, and volunteered in school libraries while working as a housewife and mother.

They had the following children together:

1. Louis Martin Prevost
2. John Joseph Prevost
3. Robert Francis Prevost, born 14 September 1955 at Mercy Hospital in Chicago, an Augustinian priest who became Pope Leo XIV on 8 May 2025; the first Pope born in the United States.

Louis and Mildred Prevost raised their children in their own home in Dolton, Illinois, a suburb bordering the far South Side of Chicago, and were members of the parish of St. Mary of the Assumption in nearby Riverdale, where their sons attended school.

He later became superintendent of Brookwood School District 167 in Glenwood, Illinois. He was also a catechist.

Note: Some sources say his middle name was "Manius". Primary sources from his adulthood in which he gave his own name, as well as profiles of his son Robert in which Robert was interviewed, say "Marius".

Note: In 1950, newly married Louis Marius Prevost and Mildred Agnes Prevost were living at 212 East 141st Place, Dolton, Illinois. Their census record shows a foster son, Raymond Fuller, aged 15. He was probably this Raymond James Fuller, Sr., but confirmation and further details are sought. See discussion.

United States, Census, 1950", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6X1D-DJRB : Wed Oct 04 17:21:46 UTC 2023), Entry for Louis M Prevost and Mildred Prevost, 13 April 1950.

Sources

News articles

• Gervasini, Tessa. (12 May 2025). “ Pope Leo’s ‘greatest generation’ dad served on D-Day tank landing ship,”. Catholic News Agency. < link > Accessed 18 May 2025.
  • “Louis Marius Prevost, the father of Pope Leo XIV, served on a D-Day landing ship during World War II and was a junior lieutenant in the United States Navy. Since Pope Leo XIV became the new pontiff, the world has been eager to learn more about the first U.S.-born pope. The United States Department of Defense (DOD) released a statement about Pope Leo’s late father and his role in the revered “greatest generation” that won World War II.”
• Vergun, David, DOD News. (9 May 2025). “Pope Leo XIV's Father Served in the Navy During World War II”. U.S. Department of Defense. < link >. Accessed 18 May 2025.
• “Pope Leo XIV’s family: What to know about his parents and their deep Chicago ties.” The Chicago Tribune via Yahoo! News. (8 May 2025) < link >
  • Louis M. Prevost (father) He received a degree from Woodrow Wilson Junior College (now Kennedy-King College) in June 1940 then graduated from DePaul University in June 1949 — the school’s golden jubilee — with a master of arts degree. According to DePaul, both of People Leo XIV’s parents obtained graduate degrees in the same education program. …
• “DePaul University rejoices in election of Pope Leo XIV” (8 May 2025) < depaul.edu > Accessed 13 May 2025.
  • “CHICAGO — DePaul University joins the world in rejoicing in the election of Robert Francis Cardinal Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, as the 267th Bishop of Rome. The new pope is a Chicago native and the first American pope in the Catholic Church’s history. His parents, Mildred Martínez Prevost and Louis M. Prevost, were DePaul alumni: His mother earned a BA in education in 1947 and completed substantial master's-level education courses at DePaul, and his father graduated with an MA in education in 1949.”
• "Pope Leo XIV." Wikipedia, revision of 8 May 2025. < link > Accessed 8 May 2025.
• "Prevost." The Chicago Tribune via Newspapers.com, published 19 June 1990, sec. 2, p. 8. < link > Accessed 8 May 2025.
• "Prevost." The Chicago Tribune via Newspapers.com, published 10 November 1997, sec. 2, p. 6. < link > Accessed 8 May 2025.
• “One Man, Two Identities: How Salvatore Giovanni Riggitano lived his life as John R. Prevost” (13 May 2025) < discordgenealogy.com > Accessed 16 May 2025.
• Ancestry Team. “Finding the True Origins of the Pope’s Grandfather, John R. Prevost” (15 May 2025) < ancestry-blog > Accessed 16 May 2025.
• “Pope Leo’s European Grandparents: The Mystery Solved.” (15 May 2025) < en.geneanet.org/genealogyblog > Accessed 16 May 2025.
• “Family of Pope Leo XIV” Wikipedia, revision of 16 May 2025; < link > Accessed 16 May 2025.
  • Pope Leo XIV’s father, Louis Marius Prevost (July 28, 1920 – November 8, 1997), was a Chicago native .. cites
    • 10. Vergun, David (May 9, 2025). "Pope Leo XIV's Father Served in the Navy During World War II". U.S. Department of Defense. Archived from the original on May 10, 2025. Retrieved May 9, 2025.
    • 15. Musick, Morley (May 16, 2025). "From Hyde Park to the papacy: Pope Leo's local roots". Hyde Park Herald. < link >. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
    • 17. Rumore, Kori (May 9, 2025). "Pope Leo XIV's family: What to know about his parents and their deep Chicago ties". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved May 13, 2025.
    • 31. "Obituary for Louis M. Prevost". Chicago Tribune. November 10, 1997. p. 6. Archived from the original < link > on May 8, 2025. Retrieved May 8, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
    • 32. de Senneville, Loup Besmond (January 30, 2023). "Démission du cardinal Ouellet : un évêque américain placé à la tête du dicastère pour les évêques" [Resignation of Cardinal Ouellet: an American bishop appointed to head the Dicastery for Bishops]. La Croix (in French). Archived from the original on May 8, 2025. Retrieved May 8, 2025.
• Bosman, Julie. (16 May 2025) The New York Times. “A Century-Old Romance That Gave the Pope His Family Name.” < link > Accessed 17 May 2025. “Online genealogists found that Pope Leo’s paternal grandparents in Chicago were accused of having an “illicit affair” in the 1910s, adding another layer to the pope’s complex family history.”
• Vargas, Ramon Antonio. (17 May 2025). The Guardian. “Pope Leo’s grandfather was immigrant from Sicily, genealogists reveal.” < link > Accessed 18 May 2025.
• Généalogies réalisées par Le Centre de Généalogie. (Last update on 20 May 2025) “Ancestry of Robert Francis PREVOST (Léon XIV) Up to the 9th generation.” < link > Accessed 20 May 2025.

Records

• Ancestry.com. Cook County, Illinois Marriage Index, 1930-1960 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008. < link > Accessed 8 May 2025.
• Ancestry.com. U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. < link > Accessed 8 May 2025.
• Ancestry.com. U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. < link > Accessed 8 May 2025.
• "Louis overseas for work." Chicago Tribune (May 13, 1945) via Newspapers.com. < link >. Accessed 18 May 2025.
  • ”Lt. [J. g.] Louis M. Prevost, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Prevost, 5465 Ellis av., recently was promoted to the command of an LCI [L] in the Mediterranean. A graduate of Central Y. M. C. A. college, he received his commission in November, 1943. He has been overseas 15 months and participated landings in Normandy and southern France as executive officer abroad an LST.”
• "United States, Census, 1950", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6X1D-DJRB : Wed Oct 04 17:21:46 UTC 2023), Entry for Louis M Prevost and Mildred Prevost, 13 April 1950.
  • Name Louis M Prevost Sex Male Age 29 years Birth Year (Estimated) 1921 Birthplace Illinois Residence Place Dolton, Cook, Illinois, United States House Number 212 Marital Status Married Industry Public School Race White Relationship to Head of Household Head Father's Birthplace France Mother's Birthplace France Event Date 13 April 1950 Event Place Dolton, Cook, Illinois, United States Event Place (Original) Dolton, Cook, Illinois Enumeration District 16-739A Line Number 17 Page Number 24.
  • Name Mildred Prevost Sex Female Age 37 years Birth Year (Estimated) 1913 Birthplace Illinois Marital Status Married Race White Relationship to Head of Household Wife Event Date 13 April 1950 Event Place Dolton, Cook, Illinois, United States Event Place (Original) Dolton, Cook, Illinois Enumeration District 16-739A Line Number 18 Page Number 24
  • Name Raymond Fuller Sex Male Age 15 years Birth Year (Estimated) 1935 Birthplace Illinois Marital Status Single Race White Relationship to Head of Household foster son Event Date 13 April 1950 Event Place Dolton, Cook, Illinois, United States Event Place (Original) Dolton, Cook, Illinois Enumeration District 16-739A Line Number 19 Page Number 24
• "Louis M Prevost." U.S. Social Security Death Index (SSDI) via MyHeritage. < link > Accessed 12 May 2025.
• "Louis M. Prevost." United States, Deceased Veteran Benefit Claims via MyHeritage. < link > Accessed 12 May 2025.
• "Louis Marius Prevost." FindAGrave, published 23 May 2019. < link > Accessed 8 May 2025.
• https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/person/details/PS63-HJX

Miscellany

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catechesis In the Catholic Church, catechist is a term used of anyone engaged in religious formation and education, from the bishop to lay ecclesial ministers and clergy to volunteers at the local level.
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DePaul_University DePaul University is a private Catholic research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded by the Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from the 17th-century French priest Saint Vincent de Paul. In 1998, it became the largest Catholic university in terms of enrollment in North America. Following in the footsteps of its founders, DePaul places special emphasis on recruiting first-generation students and others from disadvantaged backgrounds.
• Louis Prevost attended Woodrow Wilson Community College before his deployment overseas in World War II. He must have been an early student at the school. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kennedy–King_College Kennedy–King College (KKC) part of City Colleges of Chicago, is a public two-year community college in Chicago, Illinois, United States. The City Colleges of Chicago is a system of higher two-year education that has existed in Chicago since 1911. Kennedy–King was founded as Woodrow Wilson Junior College in 1935, named in honor of U.S. president Woodrow Wilson. The school was renamed to honor Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. in July 1969, a year after they were both assassinated.