Mary O’Rourke was one of Bernard O’Rourke’s eight children. Bernard was a pioneer resident of Modern Times and Brentwood.  .Mary’s brother, Thomas, was well-known in the village as the toll-gate keeper at Washington Avenue and Motor Parkway.  The O’Rourkes lived in a large, beautiful home at the end of Third Street, near the railroad tracks.

Mary O’Rourke was born here in 1866. She was a precocious child, showing great intelligence at a very early age. Family friend Dr. Edward Newbery noticed it and became her tutor. .Mary learned a great deal from Dr. Newbery. She attended the one-room school and graduated early and became a teacher. .She first taught in Bohemia’s first schoolhouse then later returned to Brentwood and taught in her old schoolhouse and the Second School. At age 20, she joined the staff of the Paulist Fathers in New York City and remained there for 48 years.

Mary was a brilliant mathematician and an accomplished writer. She also was a popular tutor at both New York and Columbia Universities. Among her many famous pupils was later Governor Alfred E. Smith. Mary  planned on writing a history of Brentwood after her retirement and accumulated a great deal of material unfortunately on  April 12,1935 Mary O’Rourke died after suffering two strokes. Mary’s last words showed her great love of her work and students: “God bless all the children. We were happy together”.  A devoted member of the Catholic Church, her funeral Mass was held at St.Anne’s.

-N. Ziino, Local History Newsletter, June 2009