James Edmund Burke

James Edmund Burke (April 23, 1849 – May 4, 1943) was an American politician who served as the 18th, 20th, 22nd, and 27th Mayor of Burlington, Vermont. Burke was the last third-party mayor of Burlington until 1981 when the Independent socialist Bernie Sanders was elected, who was then succeeded by Progressives Peter A. Clavelle and Robert S. Kiss.

James Edmund Burke
18th, 20th, 22nd, and 27th Mayor of Burlington, Vermont
In office April 3, 1933 – 1935
Preceded by	John Holmes Jackson
Succeeded by	Louis Fenner Dow
In office 1913–1915
Preceded by	Robert Roberts
Succeeded by	Albert S. Drew
In office 1909–1911
Preceded by	Walter J. Bigelow
Succeeded by	Robert Roberts
In office May 31, 1903[1] – 1907
Preceded by	Donly C. Hawley
Succeeded by	Walter J. Bigelow
Personal details
Born	(1849-04-23)April 23, 1849 Williston, Vermont, U.S.
Died	May 4, 1943(1943-05-04) (aged 94) Burlington, Vermont, U.S.
Political party	Progressive (1912-1932, after 1933)
Other political affiliations	Democratic (1908, 1932) Populist (1895-1908, 1909-1911) Republican (before 1895)
Spouse(s)	Sarah Roakes (1870-1929)
Children	10

Life

James Edmund Burke was born April 23, 1849 in Williston, Vermont to Irish immigrants James and Ann Burke and was named after Irish politician Edmund Burke.[2][3] In 1870 he married Sarah Roakes and on May 18, 1873 Burke came to Burlington.[4]

Burke became involved in politics in the 1880s, and in the mid 1890s became involved in the Populist movement having been a Republican previously. He became involved in Burlington's city affairs under Democratic mayor Elliot M. Sutton from 1898 to 1900. In 1902 he ran for Vermont Secretary of State, and was the Democratic nominee for Governor of Vermont in 1908. In 1900 he made his first attempt for Burlington's mayoralty, but was defeated by incumbent Robert Roberts.[5] 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.[6]

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.[7][8] 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.[9][10] He was easily reelected in 1904 against R. E. Brown with 1,965 votes to 1,495 votes.[11]

In 1900 and 1902 he was selected as one of Burlington's delegates to the Vermont Democratic state convention, in 1904 he served as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention.[12][13][14] In 1912 and 1924 he ran to be a Progressive National Committee Delegate and presidential elector for Theodore Roosevelt and Robert M. La Follette and in 1932 he ran to be a Democratic presidential elector for nominee Franklin D. Roosevelt.[15]

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.[16] During the 1933 Burlington mayoral election incumbent Mayor Jackson chose not to run for reelection and endorsed Burke.[17] In his 4th 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][18]

On May 4, 1943 Burke died in Burlington after a short illness and was buried at the Saint Joseph Cemetery in Burlington.[19]

Electoral history

James Edmund Burke electoral history

1900 Burlington mayoral election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Robert Roberts	1,613	55.13%
	Democratic	James Edmund Burke	1,313	44.87%
Total votes			2,926	100%

1902 Burlington mayoral election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Donly C. Hawley	1,645	59.41%
	Democratic	James Edmund Burke	1,123	40.56%
	Independent	write-in	1	0.04%
Total votes			2,769	100%

1904 Burlington mayoral election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	James Edmund Burke	1,965	56.22%
	Republican	R. E. Brown	1,495	42.78%
	Independent	H. P. Monahan	35	1.00%
Total votes			3,495	100%

1908 Vermont gubernatorial election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	George H. Prouty	45,598	70.83%
	Democratic	James Edmund Burke	15,953	24.78%
	Independent	Quimby S. Backus	1,351	2.10%
	Prohibition	Eugene M. Campbell	918	1.43%
	Socialist	J. H. Dunbar	547	0.85%
	Independent	Other	12	0.02%
Total votes			64,379	100%

1929 Burlington mayoral election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	John Holmes Jackson	3,425	59.27%
	Progressive	James Edmund Burke	2,354	40.73%
Total votes			5,779	100%

References

1. "Mayor Burke Now". The Burlington Free Press. 1 June 1903. p. 5. Archived from the original on 9 December 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
2. Feeney, Vincent; Keleher, Brendan. "Burlington's Ethnic Communities,1860-1900" (PDF). Vermont History. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
3. Gardner, Jan. "Vermont's Irish". Boston.com. Retrieved 2019-09-24.
4. "James Burke". The Burlington Free Press. 24 April 1943. p. 10. Archived from the original on 8 December 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Election Notice". The Burlington Free Press. 7 March 1900. p. 8. Archived from the original on 9 December 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Mayor Hawley Again". The Burlington Free Press. 5 March 1902. p. 5. Archived from the original on 9 December 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "The Result In Burlington". Burlington Clipper. 7 March 1903. p. 1. Archived from the original on 9 December 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Burke Is Declared Mayor". Montpelier Evening Argus. 28 May 1903. p. 1. Archived from the original on 9 December 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Our History | Burlington Electric Department". www.burlingtonelectric.com. Retrieved 2019-09-24.
10. "Police Chief Is Removed". The Barre Daily Times. 8 June 1903. p. 1. Archived from the original on 9 December 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "James E. Burke Re-Elected Mayor of Burlington by a Plurality of 505". The Burlington Free Press. 2 March 1904. p. 1. Archived from the original on 9 December 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "Burke Is Declared Mayor". St. Albans Daily Messenger. 22 June 1904. p. 1. Archived from the original on 9 December 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
13. "Burlington Democrats". Burlington Clipper. 9 June 1900. p. 1. Archived from the original on 9 December 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
14. "Democrats Fused". Burlington Clipper. 19 July 1902. p. 1. Archived from the original on 9 December 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
15. "The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Burke". politicalgraveyard.com. Retrieved 2019-09-24.
16. "Jackson Overwhlems Burke In Mayoralty Contest". The Burlington Free Press. 6 March 1929. p. 10. Archived from the original on 4 December 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
17. "Jackson Says He Will Support Burke for Mayor". The Burlington Free Press. 18 February 1933. p. 9. Archived from the original on 16 May 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
18. Tabor, James M., Burlington International Airport: A History 1920–2010, Transcontinental Metrolitho, Inc., 2010
19. "James Burke, 94, Burlington, Dies". The Brattleboro Reformer. 24 April 1943. p. 8. Archived from the original on 8 December 2019 – via Newspapers.com.

Party political offices
Preceded by Percival W. Clement	Democratic nominee for Governor of Vermont 1908	Succeeded by Charles D. Watson
Political offices
Preceded by Donly C. Hawley	Mayor of Burlington, Vermont 1903–1907	Succeeded by Walter J. Bigelow
Preceded by Walter J. Bigelow	Mayor of Burlington, Vermont 1909–1911	Succeeded by Robert Roberts
Preceded by Robert Roberts	Mayor of Burlington, Vermont 1913–1915	Succeeded by Albert S. Drew
Preceded by John Holmes Jackson	Mayor of Burlington, Vermont 1933–1935	Succeeded by Louis Fenner Dow