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John Lewis Burke

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John Lewis Burke

Birth
Millville, Butler County, Ohio, USA
Death
3 Sep 1940 (aged 83)
Burial
Rapid City, Pennington County, South Dakota, USA Add to Map
Memorial ID
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From the "Belle Fourche Bee" Belle Fourche, Butte, SD, September 12, 1940, page 1

JOHN L. BURKE DIED AT RAPID CITY HOME

Funeral services for John L. Burke, 84, was held at the Episcopal church, Rapid City, Thursday of last week. Mr. Burke passed away at his home Tuesday evening.

A resident of Western South Dakota for over fifty years, Mr. Burke had been prominent in political and community affairs. He had served as state legislator, registrar of the Rapid City Land Office.

Source- History of Dakota Territory IV, By George W. Kingsbury, 1915

JOHN L. BURKE.

John L. Burke, register of the United States land office at Rapid City, was born in Millville, Butler county, Ohio, December 12, 1856.
His father, Addison Milton Burke, followed the profession of teaching
but died when his son John was but two years of age. The mother, who in her maidenhood was Dorcas Lewis, was born in Ohio and has also passed away.
John L. Burke is the elder of two children. He attended the public schools of Millville and the Dayton Business College at Dayton, Ohio. He entered upon his business career as a bookkeeper for the Variety Iron Works at Hamilton, Ohio, remaining in that connection for two years. He next entered the auditing department of the Clover Leaf
Railway at Dayton, Ohio, and subsequently was with the same company at
Toledo, that state, where he was promoted to the position of chief
clerk and later to that of traveling auditor. In 1885, failing health
made it necessary that he resign and, hoping to be benefited by a
change of climate, he came west to the Black Hills, settling at Hot
Springs, where he took up a homestead. Subsequently he became connected with the Dakota Hot Springs Company, serving as its secretary. In 1890, he organized the Burke Stone Company, of which he was president and manager. It is his nature to concentrate his energies with effect upon anything that he undertakes and carry it forward to successful completion and in his business life his interests have ever been most carefully managed and directed.
In 1892, Mr. Burke was called to public office in his election to the state legislature and in 1894 he was chosen treasurer of Fall River
county, to which office he was reelected with very little opposition in 1896. In 1900, he was chosen to represent his district in the state
senate, serving from 1901 until 1903, and on the 1st of April, of the
latter year, he was appointed receiver of the United States land office at Rapid City, where he has since resided. In April, 1908, he received the appointment of register of United States lands and except for a brief period, when ill health compelled a years, absence, he has filled this important position continuously and with ability to the present time, covering six years. He also has other important interests, being president of the Western South Dakota Alfalfa Growers Association, one of the state's most useful organizations from a development standpoint, for it is largely through the efforts of its members that this part of the state has been brought to a position of leadership as an alfalfa growing district, placing the state first in seed production in 1914.
Mr. Burke owns two valuable ranches devoted largely to the growing of
alfalfa. In addition to his activities already mentioned, Mr. Burke
served in 1900 as supervisor of the United States census for the
western district of South Dakota and during his residence in Hot
Springs he was for years a member of the school board.
On the 21st of September, 1893, Mr. Burke was married to Miss Mattie Spangler, a daughter of Elijah and Ellen (Farr) Spangler. They have four children, A. Milton, J. Timon, Allan L., and Alice. Mrs. Burke is prominent in the social, charitable, church and club work of
the city.
Mr. Burke holds membership in various fraternal organizations, the Masons, the Elks, the Knights of Pythias and Modern Woodmen of America and he has always given his political allegiance to the republican party. His is a long and creditable record of public service, in which he has displayed a conscientious devotion to duty and a close application of his energies and business ability, with the result that his present office ranks among the highest in efficiency in the government service. He finds recreation in farming, which might be
termed his hobby, and of it he has made a close study along modern
scientific lines He is one of the city's deservingly prominent and
successful citizens and public officials.
From the "Belle Fourche Bee" Belle Fourche, Butte, SD, September 12, 1940, page 1

JOHN L. BURKE DIED AT RAPID CITY HOME

Funeral services for John L. Burke, 84, was held at the Episcopal church, Rapid City, Thursday of last week. Mr. Burke passed away at his home Tuesday evening.

A resident of Western South Dakota for over fifty years, Mr. Burke had been prominent in political and community affairs. He had served as state legislator, registrar of the Rapid City Land Office.

Source- History of Dakota Territory IV, By George W. Kingsbury, 1915

JOHN L. BURKE.

John L. Burke, register of the United States land office at Rapid City, was born in Millville, Butler county, Ohio, December 12, 1856.
His father, Addison Milton Burke, followed the profession of teaching
but died when his son John was but two years of age. The mother, who in her maidenhood was Dorcas Lewis, was born in Ohio and has also passed away.
John L. Burke is the elder of two children. He attended the public schools of Millville and the Dayton Business College at Dayton, Ohio. He entered upon his business career as a bookkeeper for the Variety Iron Works at Hamilton, Ohio, remaining in that connection for two years. He next entered the auditing department of the Clover Leaf
Railway at Dayton, Ohio, and subsequently was with the same company at
Toledo, that state, where he was promoted to the position of chief
clerk and later to that of traveling auditor. In 1885, failing health
made it necessary that he resign and, hoping to be benefited by a
change of climate, he came west to the Black Hills, settling at Hot
Springs, where he took up a homestead. Subsequently he became connected with the Dakota Hot Springs Company, serving as its secretary. In 1890, he organized the Burke Stone Company, of which he was president and manager. It is his nature to concentrate his energies with effect upon anything that he undertakes and carry it forward to successful completion and in his business life his interests have ever been most carefully managed and directed.
In 1892, Mr. Burke was called to public office in his election to the state legislature and in 1894 he was chosen treasurer of Fall River
county, to which office he was reelected with very little opposition in 1896. In 1900, he was chosen to represent his district in the state
senate, serving from 1901 until 1903, and on the 1st of April, of the
latter year, he was appointed receiver of the United States land office at Rapid City, where he has since resided. In April, 1908, he received the appointment of register of United States lands and except for a brief period, when ill health compelled a years, absence, he has filled this important position continuously and with ability to the present time, covering six years. He also has other important interests, being president of the Western South Dakota Alfalfa Growers Association, one of the state's most useful organizations from a development standpoint, for it is largely through the efforts of its members that this part of the state has been brought to a position of leadership as an alfalfa growing district, placing the state first in seed production in 1914.
Mr. Burke owns two valuable ranches devoted largely to the growing of
alfalfa. In addition to his activities already mentioned, Mr. Burke
served in 1900 as supervisor of the United States census for the
western district of South Dakota and during his residence in Hot
Springs he was for years a member of the school board.
On the 21st of September, 1893, Mr. Burke was married to Miss Mattie Spangler, a daughter of Elijah and Ellen (Farr) Spangler. They have four children, A. Milton, J. Timon, Allan L., and Alice. Mrs. Burke is prominent in the social, charitable, church and club work of
the city.
Mr. Burke holds membership in various fraternal organizations, the Masons, the Elks, the Knights of Pythias and Modern Woodmen of America and he has always given his political allegiance to the republican party. His is a long and creditable record of public service, in which he has displayed a conscientious devotion to duty and a close application of his energies and business ability, with the result that his present office ranks among the highest in efficiency in the government service. He finds recreation in farming, which might be
termed his hobby, and of it he has made a close study along modern
scientific lines He is one of the city's deservingly prominent and
successful citizens and public officials.


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