James Edmund Burke was born in Williston, Vermont on April 23, 1849, a son of Irish immigrants James and Ann Burke; his parents named him for Irish statesman Edmund Burke.[2][3] He was educated in the public schools of Williston and at Williston Academy.[4] In 1870 Burke married Sarah Roakes and in May 1873, they moved to Burlington, where he worked as a blacksmith.[5][6]
Burlington politics and government
Burke became involved in politics as a Democrat in the 1890s and was a founder of Burlington's Young Men's Democratic Club.[7][8][9] He became involved in Burlington's city affairs when he was appointed to local positions including election day ballot clerk, and he was elected an alderman from the 4th Ward in 1893.[10][11] In the mid to late 1890s, Burke also served on the school board and as a member of the board of police commissioners.[12][13][14]
In 1900 he made his first attempt for Burlington's mayoralty, but was defeated by incumbent Robert Roberts.[15] In 1902 he ran for mayor against incumbent Mayor Donly C. Hawley and was defeated in a landslide along with the rest of the city Democrats.[16]
In 1903 he ran against Hawley again and was initially defeated by three votes, but after a recount and a ruling by the state supreme court Burke was declared as the winner in May.[17][18] During his first term as mayor, Burke suspended the chief of police and launched an investigation into the police department, oversaw the establishment of the city's electric department and completion of the electrical infrastructure construction.[19][20] He was easily reelected in 1904 against R. E. Brown with 1,965 votes to 1,495 votes.[21] Burke served as Burlington's postmaster 1915 to 1923.[22]
In 1929 he ran for mayor of Burlington and was defeated in a landslide by former mayor John Holmes Jackson with 3,425 votes to 2,354 votes.[23] During the 1933 Burlington mayoral election incumbent Mayor Jackson chose not to run for reelection and endorsed Burke.[24] In his fourth term he oversaw the creation of what would become the Burlington International Airport; in 1934, during his 5th term, he presented to Amelia Earhart the keys to the city at the airport.[3][25]
In 1912, Burke engaged in an extended feud with Thomas H. Browne, Vermont's member of the Democratic National Committee and unsuccessfully attempted to have him replaced by James E. Burke of West Rutland.[29] Later that year, Burke campaigned for Woodrow Wilson for president.[29] During World War I, Burke joined a statewide speaker's bureau that made speeches in support of fundraising for the American Red Cross and other wartime causes.[30][31]
Burke represented Burlington in the Vermont House of Representatives from 1925 to 1927, 1931 to 1935, and 1937 to 1939.[14] In his final term, Burke was the oldest member of the legislature, and was recognized as the dean of the House.[32]
Death and burial
On May 4, 1943, Burke died in Burlington after a short illness. He was buried at Saint Joseph Cemetery in Burlington.[33]
^Kenehan, Roady, ed. (March 1909). "Blacksmith Again In Field". International Horseshoers' Monthly Magazine. Denver, CO: International Union of Journeymen Horseshoers of the United States and Canada. p. 8 – via Google Books.
