From Racing to Real Estate, the Burke Brothers in Los Angeles

 What became of some of the men who raced their bicycles long ago, men who were local, regional and even state-wide sport stars of their era but who, perhaps, have been forgotten over time. Sometimes in the middle of research I like to take a little side path, follow a lead and see where it goes. This is one of those times.

You might remember the Burke brothers from one Fast Digs post or another, or perhaps the book, Fast Digs, vol. 1. In particular, David L. and William A., two of six siblings, made a name for themselves in the early bicycle racing game in Los Angeles; a third brother, James K. also raced during the pioneering 1880s and 1890s. David and James came to the city, from Illinois, in 1886 and opened a plumbing and contracting business out of their shop at 458 South Spring street. Two years later, David entered his first race and quickly rose to join the top ranks of the regions' competitive bicyclists. William entered his first race in 1892, winning the novice event and placing 2nd in the 3:00 class race. Capitalizing on their renown, the Burke Bros, in 1894, transformed their plumbing business into one selling and repairing bicycles. In October 1898 the Burke Bros shop moved into 432 S. Spring street though they, apparently, kept the other shop as well.

The brothers were still selling bicycles at the beginning of 1904, but my March the business apparently transitioned into a real estate office, with advertisements for bikes almost completely disappearing, replaced by real estate listings. The first ad for the realty business seems to have appeared in the Los Angeles Evening Express on Saturday, the 5th of March, and included a plat of the Burke Bro's Figueroa Street Subdivision, and played up the brothers' long-time relationship to the city: "You know us. We have been doing business at 458 South Spring the past seventeen years..." Two months earlier, David Burke married Claudine Weaver under a bower of roses and smilax at the Highland Park home of the brides' parents.

A year later (January 1905) an advertisement in the Los Angeles Times confirms that the brothers had not completely abandoned the bicycle business. The ad, noted that lots in the Figueroa Street Tract were being offered for $250, and that this was the brothers' third property to be subdivided for sale. It also referred to the Burke Bros. as "Bicycle Dealers - Owners." Notices of sales and transfers of lots from the Burke Bros company were regularly made in the newspapers' real estate section from this point forward, with the names of the buyer(s) and sellers - David Lewis Burke, Claudine Weaver Burke, James King Burke, and William A. Burke - suggesting that the three brothers and David's new wife were partners in the business.

The Weavers' were owners of the Glen Rock Springs, and the Burke Bros. may have begun to take on some management of the Glen Rock Water business for in May 1906 prospective employees - a "reliable man to take charge of the Glen Rock Water business" - were encouraged to see the Burke Bros at 458 South Spring for information.

Back in 1898, William and James travelled to the gold fields of the Klondike. A letter from them, picked up by the local newspapers, noted that the two "packed over the Chilkoot pass and that vicinity and made big money... Will took a team of five S. [Saint] Bernards with him and these animals proved a source of profit... He met many people coming out of the country. Nearly all had plenty of gold, and were loud in their praises of the section, as far as gold producing was concerned. Burke and his party had got over the White Horse rapids safely and expected to reach Dawson City soon. The had 1800 pounds of supplies and two boats." The Burkes' experiences in the Klondike must have struck a chord, for in 1907 David, the "prominent local real estate man and subdivider of suburban tracts," along with his wife set off on an auto and sea tour to the Yukon and Northwest Territory. 

Hunting was a significant part of that trip, and Burke spent three weeks in Oregon hunting deer and bear; at one point a cub was captured and sent back to Los Angeles to "learn the ways of civilization under the tutelage of Billy Reuss," another old time Los Angeles racer and friend of the Burkes (what became of the bear is unknown). What ever the case, David Burke's interest in hunting continued for years afterward. In December 1916, while on a hunting trip near Palmdale, Burke slipped while crossing a log, discharging the shotgun he was carrying, severely injuring his left arm. Brought back to Los Angeles, doctors found it necessary to amputate his arm at the shoulder.

In 1907 yet another Burke brother arrived in Los Angeles from Illinois. This was Shannon Taylor Burke, born in 1855 at Chambersburg, PA. The oldest of the Burke siblings, he too joined the family real estate business, working there until passing away "ten years to the day" after his arrival in the city. Shannon's death came two weeks after he fell, while hunting in the mountains, and sustained serious, though unspecified injury. His obituary notes that he left a wife and five children, as well as sisters, Mrs. E. A. Emmons, Mrs. Carrie G. Nash, and brothers James K., David L., William A., and Harry F. He was buried at the Inglewood Cemetery, under the auspices of Masonic Lodge #405.

In 1918, and again in 1922, David decided to throw his hat into the political ring, and ran for the Republican nomination for a state assembly seat, representing the seventy-first district. Leading up to the election he had received "strong [endorsements] from business men in the district, as well as warm support from his neighbors." Four years later David, again, was running for election, and had received the endorsement of the Los Angeles Evening Express. Then, for a fourth straight cycle David Burke announced his candidacy in 1928. According to the election counts he does not seem to have succeeded in any of these efforts, but continued to be involved politically throughout those years.

 A simple announcement of memorial services, on Thursday 14 March 1940, noted the death of William, stating only that he was survived by sister Mrs. Carrie G. Nash, and brothers David L. and Harry F. Burke (presumably this shows that his other sister, and brother James had passed in the interim) as well as fifteen nieces and nephews. 

A short four months after Williams' death, David too passed on, the simple announcement (in the Daily News) on 30 July 1940 stating in its entirety, "Funeral services for David L. Burke, veteran bicycle race rider who died last Saturday of a heart attack at Hollywood park, will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2 at the Ivy Overholtzer mortuary." A similar announcement in the Los Angeles Times noted that he was the husband of Mrs. Claudine Burke and brother of Harry F. Burke, suggesting that they were both still alive at that time.

William Burke

David Burke