If you give me a big helping hand here. I said, You know, I dont make that much money. Daller: But when you got it, it really was in need of repair. Q: No, that covers it! Burke: He did almost all the upholstery in the house. And Id go downtown and Id wheel and deal for a bottle of whiskey. And when I seen it all over there, and when I seen the British people were poor as church mice, they were selling everything. Things like that? Burke: Oh, and then the house, when I bought it, everybodythe real estate lady, she wouldnt come in. Because it was a big roof, like this, and then the gutters run around. Daller: Plus the fact, it cost a fortune to take away the manure. Daller: So can you imagine a three room apartment filled to the brim with antiques? Burke: Well, I wanted a beautiful Victorian look. Jack Johnson and George Burke bought the inn in February 1973. If you haven't identified the high-style social by now, it's George Burke 's "White Party," the classic celebration staged in the Seguine-Burke Mansion, the Greek Revival-style,. He did so much work for you. Burke: Well, when it came to really heavy construction, like this whole wall being rebuilt and things, I had to hire carpenters and I had to hire plasters to plaster the ceiling. Oneida County GenWeb Site includes death indexes, obituaries and cemetery listings Oneida County: Waterville Times Obituary Index . Daller: It just went right out of my head! And after he died the family still lived like we had my fathers money involved. And they said, Well, we cant handle it, George. Its all part of history, and theyre just destroying it every way they can. Then I got shipped to Europe. Right. Im only a salesman in a department store. I said, and its going to take a lot of money to put that house back together. She said, Well, Im going to help you all I can. And I said, But why would I fix a house I didnt own? And she said, Well, why dont we talk about that. She said, If youre interested in buying it, I will make the arrangements that you can own it. Christine of Cincinnati, Ohio and sons Thomas Burke and wife Christine; John Burke and wife Patricia of Staten Island. Daller: Yes, I found him. Burke: Like a locket. You dont have to worry about, sleeping on your couches and all that kind of stuff, and, you know, pulling out fake beds, and that kind of stuff. Works at Sandvik. You could see with all the houses over here, its gotten very built up. It is, however, on a country-sized parcel that covers about 27 acres, which is remarkable in a neighborhood whose common lot size is measured in feet. Before he left, the house was fine. to the family or plant a tree Is there anything else that you would like to add about the house as it is now, the history, or the future of the house? Burke: the Historic House people did give me a big bronze plaque to put on the front of it. Unlived in, they've been designated museums and have been visited by numerous tourists. I bet shes there. Formal gardens, stablesstables that you could live in. The walkway going to the beach, its still there, where the house was. I spent enough time breaking my back. What will I do? And I had two or three other girls that were there. The recognitions bestowed upon him: He received the 2015 Community Certificate of Appreciation, a proclamation from Staten Island for George Burke Day, the 2016 Preservation League Award and the NYS Senate Certificate of Recognition for 2015.The unique creatures on his property: Eighteen peacocks, descending from two he obtained in Florida, roam on his property. And I went from room to room and it took me a couple of years, didnt it? He enjoyed hockey, football, and the beach, but most important to him was family and friends. So when I got it, of course, the old kitchen was inI had knocked it down because it was all falling apart. But I put the kitchen in the basement and sealed up that, because once that filled up with water, it would leak into the basement. And youd walk out, and the porch was all brick, and at the end of the porch was a big arch that had little windows in it and a French door where you could walk out to the garden. Burke: Well, look at the mansion! I dreamed, I saw it. The woodwork, the moldings, the parquet floors. And the kitchen was outside. Its been so long now. Well, what are we talking about? Burke: Okay. One woman wouldnt go it, cant think of her name. And places on Staten Island are being destroyed every minute of the dayyou find another house is goingand its happening in all the boroughs! The whole family kind ofand the ladies got too old, and they decided they were going to move and go live inI think Georgia or Virginia, I forgot. Ticonderoga. And I, throughout the time, I went from room to room in the house and restored it. They are Chinese Chippendale. Hes the man that built the house. I mean, this was just a farmhouse. Eric. Burke: But what were we going into before I got into the architecture? Like there was old Greek, like the Parthenon, the Greek templesoh, it was beautiful. Burke: Well, a good example is the one right here at the end of the street. Tarrytown-Sleepy Hollow. Daller: Oh, yes. I went around and I got it and shipped it all back home. IN THE CARE OF. 2023 McNamara-Sparrell Funeral Home. [laughs] And I lived there for a long time. But before we know it, there wont be a thing left in the house. And that was, Mrs.these mirrors came from that house, they were in the parlor in that houseWhat the hell was her name? And I only have so much money being what I am. So he said, Dont worry about it. Daller: Well, you got involved with Burkes Landing with Scalia. And that makes more sense to people when they see something. Staten Island was very early on, and then Florida, and then off to Europe. The Greek Revival house is one of the few surviving examples of 19th Century life on Staten Island. See Photos. And no ones going to be able to talk about it, and point things out, and say where it came from, or whats the history behind it. What is a shame is some of the mansionsthe really, really ornate mansions that were torn down. So as long as I own it, I own it, theyll pay for it. And then the Historic House Trust will use it as well to understand whats important to you about maintaining the house. Kitchens were always built in a house outside by themself, and a breezeway going to the house, because the kitchens would always burn down. And thats what I did. Did you know that from? So Id go up there and Id say, Ed, Adriana, what do you got? Well, we got some old fabric, out of date fabric. Give it to me! And Id take it. I moved in, I cleaned it all up. In good condition? But it looked like an attic with the roof like that and everything. Burke: So then I gave it to the Historic House Trust of New York. I knew what she looked like, I knew where it was. But the other house, one of his friends was pushed down the stairs. And I kept life rights for it. Daller: A lot of the paintings came from Europe, though. So when I get out of the service, I got a job. Because you never finish, youre always finding something to do. He painted that for me. How the hell they got to the right people, I dont know. Posted Thursday, October 10, 2019 12:00 am. Find an obituary, get service details, leave condolence messages or send flowers or gifts in memory of a loved one. And he owned the funeral home. Q: And how did you keep track of all the items in your collection as they were moving from, Burke: Well, a lot of this stuff, I never got back, because once you left it for years and years, you werent going to go back and say, Well, give me that, and give me this. Was it your mother I gave her all the blue and. So that was the reason we chose to do a White Party. I forgot whose house it was. But thats what that was. And that was only one of them. Because he paid for the entire outside himself. And I was so damn busy, I never got to go home. We just mentioned him. Eventually she decided she wanted to give it up and approached me with a cry of "George save my house" and I did.What was it like at that time?It was in terrible shape. Where all the servants lived. You werent on Staten Island. Q: So well have audio recording and a transcript for researchersand Ill remove those names that you mentioned, Linda. Unfortunately, you got to find environmentalists, theyve got to look for things and theyve got to point things out. Yes. I lived in one room, for almost five years. Burke: Well, most of the stuff in the house, he worked with me. And there was nobody but my mother and I now, living in our house. So I got this on the front porch somewhere, nailed to the house, butdoesnt matter. You know, nobody wanted to end it but nobody wanted to, say, Lets do it. My brother, he come in and he said, What are you, nuts? The beloved husband of Rosanna (Ialuna) Burke, he was the devoted father of Matthew I. Burke, Jason L. Burke, and Georgina P. Burke, all of Hull. Thats what I wanted. So I stayed there, worked for him for years. And that guy, look at the size of that house he just built. And it was one of those busy, busy, goddamn nights. Ive been to the Tenement Museum, and I love the fact that theres a woman on a loop and she discusses living in the apartment. I mean, I couldnt do stuff like that all the other stuff I could do. Did quite well. They just went and just vandalized it to hell until there was nothing but a shell left. And, I had a lot of time over there in London and so I decided, Well, hell, Im going to go to school and learn something. So I took interior design. Though he thought it had no chance, he called and learned that Parks had long been thinking about trying to obtain the mansion. . What are we gonna do here? So he said, Well, I really love doing this, George. And I said, Okay, John, thats fine. Daller: Stating that it is part of it part of Historic House. And he wanted to retire and he gave his son the business. They were all along the waterfront here. Put a candle right in the middle of that floor and go take a walk. [laughs] He called it the one-candle house. All the grounds, the stables, everythingthey cant change a thing. She was living in the house untilshe owned it until she died, and then I would take it over. Theres a ghost in there. And I said, Well, I dont believe in ghosts. Because I wanted the man that built the house, and this is the man that saved the house. And they were big floors. And he saw the way to help out, and I said, well form a board and what well do is well continue to have fundraisers in order to support the house, but we need additional help and support as well. And then I what else? That woman, she lived in riding clothes! Eulogies and Obituaries; Pre-Arrangement. Always curious and seeking information, George started a second career with Siemens, where he worked for ten years as a Service Specialist of Building Technologies. Mrs. Mackey. But he did a lot of the work for you. And you would have been taxed in this country if it was already like that. I could. And here was the street. Thats why I did what I did, because I figured that if anything ever happens to me, all of this, now, will have to stay as it is. But under that porch was the basement. And as I said, I was in the military up there and we werent a big group of military, it was like a small base. This was in the East Bronx, this was on 167th and College Avenue. Come here, Marge. I said, What? They said, Sell this goddamn place. And I said, Well, the smell is still there. And I said to her, Whatever happened to the old girl? And she said, Well, years ago, when she died, she said, she was laid out in the front parlor in the coffin, and it was nothing but lilacs. Daller: Yes. If you lived in Alaska, where it was always cold, it was fine. And that was the Air Force. Loving brother of Stephen Burke of Florida, Joan Burke of Plymouth, and Timothy Burke of Plymouth. And the only reason why this survived is because nobody wanted the farmhouse! So we lived there, and it was a big courtyard and there were four buildings and the center courtyard was all grass. Daller: Its life estate that he has. I was in the mansion when the sisters lived there. Thats how I got to know Adriana Scalamandr and the Scalamandrs. A funeral service for Yun will be held Saturday, April 15, 2023 from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM at Casey Funeral. And that was a kitchen, and that was bedrooms and a little living room, all up there. Obituary for George W. Burke | George W. Burke, age 63, of Hull, entered into eternal rest on October 2, 2021. So we brought that point up a few times. He worked by himself. I wanted to ask about the Equestrian Center. . Thats not good. The same thing thats going on with statues. So it took a fortune, but I had it, all that money, to restore the house. In lieu of flowers, donations to honor George may be made to Tunnels to Towers Foundation, 2361 Hylan Blvd., Staten Island, NY 10306. Msgr. Always curious and seeking information, George started a second career with Siemens, where he worked for ten years as a Service Specialist of Building Technologies. Of course, when I bought the house, that was all weeds growing up among the bricks. I was maybe nineteen, twentysomething like that. So finally, I think, the old lady died, didnt she? Yes, by the time I got to do all that I had no money left. Daller: No, I dont. The real estate lady wouldnt come in. Off of Hylan Boulevard? Family and friends are coming together online to create a special keepsake. When I was over there looking at their house. Q: Okay, all of that. Daller: Well, you did at a certain point, because you have a lot of photos. can stop at any time. And then finally she sold the house and she bought a beautiful place in Greenwich Village and moved to Greenwich Village. Got a good price for a couple of other real estate pieces that I bought and fixed up and sold. Q: [Laughs] Yes. He brought a crowd with him and it was just to tell him thank you for everything that hes done. But when they were building houses, if you had a third story, your taxes went out of sight! But that was biga big, two-bedroom condo. George Burke. So Id go over there and, of course, Bess Seguine was always over there. Q: And so when you were deciding what to collect, were you thinking about. He was temporary administrator of St. Mary's, Staten Island, 2010-2012. And think about it. Oh, thats right. So they built it like an attic and it was called an attic but it was a whole complete story. The roof was shot because the old guy that was caretaker here, he used to walk around on the roof and watch all the boats in the harbor. Also survived by many in-laws, aunts, cousins, nieces and nephews. More beautiful than peoples houses. Daller: At least the property itself, because when you stood outside, I mean, you couldnt see anything. So we talked to our brother Bill and he had come up with the money, bought the house. But I dreamt it and I knew every single thing about it. They even stopped you riding in the parks. And she had this woman who was a caretaker. She would say, The lilacs still in the front hall? And Id say, Oh, is that what that smell is? So I said, Well, I would have named it The Rossville Inn because it was in Rossville, but he will he loved Bermuda and he wanted Bermuda Inn. So I said, Yes, John, well call it the Old Bermuda Inn. But the old lady that lived there was very, very sick. Burke: Yes. And then I went through floor and room after room, and took almost five years to put the house in good shape, the way you could see it. Visiting hours Friday, October 8, 2021 from 4-7 pm in McNamara-Sparrell Funeral Home, 1 Summer St. (across from St. Anthony Church), Cohasset, MA. Q: So tell me about what its been like for you to live here. But the problem is, its so limited on Staten Island. You werent allowed to buy much because it was worth a fortune over there to the general public, to the British. Daller: But he has albums upstairs, photos. Oh, God. Burke: She has it. I saved it years and years ago. She said, Now you can save it., And I said, Well, I can save it. And one day, I was sitting in the dining room. So while I used to work then with them, and then I decided, this is not for me. This old? And they did. And he come from a very, very wealthy family in Madrid. That was a bigits still there. Dont remember what happened to it, right? Good God! Burke: Her sister has it [indicating Daller]. It was a sweet sixteen Ill never forget. And I took that room and made it into the dining room. He was an antiquehe had a big rug business in. That works! Thankfully, no ones come here and said, Oh, you might have had slaves. I mean, Im sure if somebody came and decided to look back, theyd say, Oh, no, theres a reason for a house like that. People have ideals that are very strange. And I said, Was that a dream? We all got coupons. Its still there. So he came out. Valley Stream. You said you started with the basement. Take a walk. I said, No, no, Im gonna save this house. He said, Oh! As a young adult, he joined the U.S. Air Force and served in the medical department, spending time in locations across Europe and Alaska. What was. She was a nasty old lady! But that was funny. Of course, nothings there. Thanks to him, a piece of Staten Island history has been saved for future generations. Yes. And I hope whoever is in charge of itLinda will probably be here in charge! We had beautiful stuff in our home, all the time. Because the other way, my uncle was digging into whatever a little bit of savings he had, in order to pay. The family will receive friends . You couldnt see the grounds through the trees and it was just covered and everything. Burke: Well, the house, actually, from the outside, is aoh, shitthe name of it went right out of my head. About that time, I learned that the historic Vanderbilt museum housed a descendent of the original Vanderbilt who had lived there. 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