Daller: A lot of the paintings came from Europe, though. Q: And you said that you restored the garden there too? Its still there in Port Richmond. They had The [Charging] Bull in the city and they had the little [Fearless] Girl there. And the house was really, needed shapebut thank God it was built as well is it was built, otherwise it would have fallen down. So he came out. In fact, my mother worked there. Help NYPAP document and celebrate NYCs preservation movement. And then when I went looking for myhis name was Joinerand everybody was saying, Well, Sergeant Joiner is leaving, Sergeant Joiner is leaving. And I never thought much of it. Oh, they loved me. But the basement was the summer dining rooms and summer kitchen. Burke: Let me think of how all that started. STATEN ISLAND, NY 10309. In fact, her husband was a big-wig. 6389 Amboy Road. She was great because she would know. Its a real pretty smell. She said, Yes, its lilacs. She said Mrs. Whatever-her-name-was always had to have lilacs. Burke: So I did that [sold the Tidewater Inn]. So I found this big beautiful, French, mansard roof, big Victorian house in Tottenville. Burke: Mario Buatta and a couple of people of his friends that were just as big. And people were selling anything out of their house to support themselves and live. They didnt even have soap. Q: What do you think the role of this house is, in this part of Staten Island? Q: Right. But not long ago, I was talking about it. Ill give you a job. Dont look at me. Daller: From Michael and Jennifer, your nephew. Youd have to see the house to see what Im talking about. I forgottheres ten acres that is landmarked now. And I went in and I noticed my big box was gone. Because I wanted the man that built the house, and this is the man that saved the house. And the people that lived there, they got a little too old to stay there. The son and his wife took over Scalamandr. He was the top interior designer in New York. Because, now, they cant tear it down. Its been so long now. Im always doing something. I went around and I got it and shipped it all back home. Ill help renovate it, fix it up and such. And thats what we did. I mean, you talked about it, when you were a kid, that it was this big house that you would see when you were out on, Daller: Its a part of the history of Staten Island. And then Iwhatd I do then, Ioh, I paid for this house, didnt I? And if I couldnt take care of them, Id call down to the base and theyd send a helicopter and theyd pick them up and take them down to the hospital, because we had to take care of them, because Alaska was ours, and all the Eskimos was our responsibility. So I couldnt take any of the clothes. Daller: No. And then I what else? And with that money, I restored most of the house. And one day I got a call from Mrs. Seguine. So as long as you have people, youre going to have change, and people are going to say, That doesnt work! And he wanted to retire and he gave his son the business. Daller: Right, we really dont discuss any of that. It doesnt happen on the North Shore because were very condensed and its a dense population. They just went and just vandalized it to hell until there was nothing but a shell left. Its empty. Obituary George W. Burke, age 63, of Hull, entered into eternal rest on October 2, 2021. Frank Tredici. Daller: But when you got it, it really was in need of repair. 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. Burke kept records of the work, most of which he completed himself and financed the through the sale of his business, the Tidewater Inn. 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. But they did a lot for me. Find an obituary, get service details, leave condolence messages or send flowers or gifts in memory of a loved one. And, she said, If so, we will give you gifts. And then that was the end. I fixed it up. Burke: Yes, I paid off this house. I found three things like that. Daller: As a matter of fact, we had an event years ago. They were the Mackeys. Theyre all McMansions. You can go and look and read about anything about the South Shore of Staten Island. And that was the end of them. Daller: Well, he hopes that Historic House Trust and the Parks Department work hand in hand and maintaining itthat theyll maintain it as a museum. But the story that was cuteremember the lady in England, the antique dealer, that used to bring her bottles all the time? Right? And I want my painting. I know the Port Richmond store you just bought. Yes, he helped me with the colors, and this and that, and what I should getgood orientals for the floor, which I had but they werent these. My brother, he come in and he said, What are you, nuts? But he was excellent. The kitchen was never in the basement. That was a bigits still there. 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 I know everythingId love to go out to Staten Island. So he said, Good. Aug. 16, 1954 - February 25, 2023 Loving and loyal husband, father, brother, uncle, great uncle and friend. It was his first time off of Staten Island. And I did, I got in St. George wasnt it? Daller: No, I dont. And thats what I did. Q: So this is going to part of an online archive. And the porch, I dont thinkone end of it, you wouldnt dare walk on because the whole thing would have collapsed. Well, he didnt want the bull with the little girl. Because the problem was is that my uncle was paying for everything in the househe was paying for the heating, he was paying all the utilities, paying all the bills. But you used tell me. Daller: Yes. Burke: I think that waswhod ya call-it got me involved with that. And I took that room and made it into the dining room. But I was glad that I got this. You werent allowed to buy much because it was worth a fortune over there to the general public, to the British. Yes. I traveled all over the world, traveled to Alaska, all over, with the military. And then of course, being in New York and being in the thing like that, I got to be very, very good friends, with Scalamandr. Must have been twelve big columns, it was, oh! And one day, I was sitting in the dining room. Ill do that. So that was over in Port Richmondits still there, I understand, the store. And over the years, it became just prohibitive to try and do. And he come from a very, very wealthy family in Madrid. I bet. Burke: Mario Buatta got me into all of that. 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. George W. Burke, age 63, of Hull, entered into eternal rest on October 2, 2021. So I bought it. And he was stationed here, in St. George, and he would come home and wed live in the house. And that was the Air Force. I bought those buildings. The one in particular, United States Steel [Corporation]. But anyway, she said, Im not going in the house. Q: The Friends of the Seguine Mansionthe friends group. And then I said, well, now Im going to buy a home. Yes, but it was weird. So it just became a moot point. Q: You mentioned that the South Shore has changed in the last few years. He was 63. Q: So its budgets and the contractors, all that stuff. But Ive got to bring that portrait down and put it above that fireplace and get rid of that painting thats there. And there were two windows, like this. Thats when she said to me, George, go save my house. And I came down and looked at it. And Ill see to it that, financially, things work out for the two of us. [laughs] And I lived there for a long time. And while I was up there, I was sent up to work with Father Tom. Its, all the numbers are accounted for. I had no idea that that was it, when I bought the house or anything. I restored the whole housewell, how long did I live there? So, unfortunately, there arent many people that care that way anymore. They were gorgeous. Of course, nothings there. When did it start to feel done? Q: And, do you keep records on, on those kinds of things? Oh my god. My sisterher mother [indicates Daller], Francesmy sister living in the Bronx, she got me a little apartment and she got me a job working for Saks Fifth Avenue. That woman, she lived in riding clothes! She had a caretaker or she had a woman that took care of her, or something. A brooch that I gave Bess? And we were sitting in the kitchen in the basement and he was going on the Ouija board and I said, What does it say, what does it say? And Eric is sitting there and hes talking, and hes sounding like a lady, and hes saying, Youre in my house, and I dont want you. Would you sell me the acres in the front? And he died young. Devoted father of Matthew I. Burke, Jason L. Burke, and Georgina P. Burke, all of Hull. And then he got married and moved in with his wife. I have no idea what it would be like to live in some other place. Its a big plaque on it, its landmarked and everything. Stony Brook. Q: What grabbed your eye? The house is haunted, she said, if youre interested in it, George, heres the key to the front door, you go. And as I said, there was a big flight of stairs that went up and a big porch across the whole front of the house. Daller: He enjoys the whole house. I mean, I couldnt do stuff like that all the other stuff I could do. And so shes got the bridge, and it costs money. Soon, nobody had room in their house to store anymore of my stuff. That was her name. I bet shes there. I forgot whose house it was. And thats where we are today. And I said, What in the hell is this doing in my house? So I opened up the lid and there was this old lady laying in there, with this big lace collar around her neck, and her hair was puffed up behind her head, like that, was all gray. Burke: Her sister has it [indicating Daller]. It makes sense because she was an old lady. He worked by himself. Wow, what a great place. I said, now here you are, the woman we always wondered about, asking me if Im interested in saving that house? And I got these. But that was a condo. And he was studying art and he painted my portrait that shell show you, thats upstairs. And I took that for years. 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. And she kept, George, please, go save my house. Of course, she loved the smell of lilacs. In Europe, he felt like he had been. [laughs] But, itll be here. See Photos. And with the Air Force, I enjoyed every minute. Mom, you own the house, you own at least part of it, or half of it. People, Oh, could you help me? And especially when I came to Staten Island and I was working for Sherwin Williams, andwhat the hell, Florence? And I worked there for quite a while, and I lived in the Bronx. And when I seen it all over there, and when I seen the British people were poor as church mice, they were selling everything. And Bill moved in, and he stayed there for quite a while. This was the farmhouse. So I had people come in and wanted to buy the Tidewater Inn. So when I got it, of course, the old kitchen was inI had knocked it down because it was all falling apart. 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. And when youd come down, there wasthe stairwell come down, and it was a double parlor, like this, and where this door was, was with two double doors. You are to get out. She said shell keep the doors locked and call Linda if anybody wants to get in and take anything out. Formal gardens, stablesstables that you could live in. People that owned U.S. Steel, their mansion was over there. Destroyed. But the other house, one of his friends was pushed down the stairs. I mean, as a kid going down here crabbing, down on the beach, we used to look back at the house all the time. Daller: See, now you learned about kitchens. And so I had all that stuff in my apartment. Well, he lived on Staten Island. So I went around and looked and looked and I said, You know, I could open a restaurant. And I walked around and I found a couple of nice places. And all these houses would never here! So one day, my sister Bess said to my mother and me, she said, Go pack. Because he paid for the entire outside himself. Burke: I had a beautiful big old house in Tottenville that I loved. So as long as I own it, I own it, theyll pay for it. And I was in the medical department, worked in the operating room. She was living in the house untilshe owned it until she died, and then I would take it over. And I only have so much money being what I am. So he said, Dont worry about it. The columns werent square wooden ones, like these, they were beautiful fluted ones with all the Corinthian leaves on the tops of them and all that stuff. And, oh, nobefore then, when I had moved in, I had moved in, and the house had been empty for years. Burke: Well, I was always an antique collector. I dont want you in this house. What was. Q: Can you give me an example of one of the things that you worked on together in the house? Burke: Ed. And you can ask[gesturing to Daller], Daller: Everybody got something. But anyway, I had come back to America. So it didnt matter. So all the big mansions were built with outside kitchens. And, of course, being in the military and traveling with them, the government shipped all my stuff that I bought and picked upshipped it all back to America for me. I dont know, Im just used to it. So thats how that all came about. So my mother decided she would make it into a two-family, and rent out one part of it. Burke: Oh, well, the Eskimos up there would give me beautiful mukluks and all kinds of things. And I studied architecture and the history of design and everything, I know all that. And hes the one that did my portrait upstairs. If we can reach an agreement with Historic House Trust, by all means. They gave me the fabric and they did it and such. His family was like aristocratic. Burke: Oh, and then the house, when I bought it, everybodythe real estate lady, she wouldnt come in. I said, Where are you? She said, Well, I moved out years ago and went back to Georgia. Join Facebook to connect with George Burke and others you may know. Daller: And he formed the board in order to support the house. Unbelievable. And they would give me all kinds of beautiful little carved objects and things that would be carved out of the whales teeth or. And I finally got to meet Mrs. Seguine because she had stables at that time. I had just bought this house, and it needed a lot of work. You know, everybody grew up together. Burke: I used to, but I didnt I didnt keep it on everything. Q: Did you start the restoration process at that house? And then when they decided thatthey owned a beautiful house on one of the Keys in Florida. Burke: But anyway, when my time was up in the service, they shipped me back here to, Burke: Alaska, and I stayed in Alaska. So I went up with Father Tom and I had to take care of all those Eskimos, if any of them got sick or hurt this or that. She was a very good friend of mine, a really pretty lady. Q: When you were making those decisions about decorating, were you thinking about a particular style, like a historic style, that you were going for? I wanted to know some more details about the life tenancy. I need to get someone in to do a good cleaning on the house, someone to take care of maintaining it. Daller: Yes. Because she begged me. Loving son of Joan (Perry) Burke of Plymouth and the late George W. Burke. Leave a sympathy message to the family in the guestbook on this memorial page of George Burke to show support. Youre coming with me. So Id say Okay, Murphy, lets go! She was something, I mean. If you stood outside and looked at it, the staircase went that way. Q: Was it a similar style? They tear down one house and build five. Q: And did you keep records of the restoration process? Save my house. And I thought, Oh, shit. I was down on the beach one day, I forgot what were doing. Is there anything, you think? No, its not something were talking about right now. And its still there, its all there. So I got this on the front porch somewhere, nailed to the house, butdoesnt matter. Im getting rid of everything. He said, I have three of the most beautiful Persian carpets from Persia, said, You cant get them anymore. He said, Theyre antiques but they are brand new, never used. He said, Im giving them to you. And this is them. So while I used to work then with them, and then I decided, this is not for me. Burke: Oh, my nephew. I grew up loving it and always having it, and my mother was great with it. Lets stay friends. I lived in one room, for almost five years. It was piled up in their basement. The oldwhat the hell was itgrocery store. Donald was born August 16th, 1954, in Staten Island, New York, to Michael and Eleanor. They moved in there, and they lived there. They tore down those two nice little cottages that were there. In a house that you dont even own? And she said, George, do you know who this is? and with her big Southern accent. Everybody had left, and Bess and Marge were there, and Bess said to me, George, sit down. Phone: (718) 966 . Then I was down in Florida for a while and Im wondering, Well, what in the hell am I going to do in Florida? What was I? I bought the house and Bess and Marge came over. And that went for years. Daller: It was like, we cant even find him anymore. See Photos. George, now in his eighties, donated the house in exchange for a life tenancy, which has made living here a lot easier. Burke: Oh my god. Then, on that side, was the dining room, and the kitchen. And Id go downtown and Id wheel and deal for a bottle of whiskey. Theyre deciding they want to build, so they tear down and build. In fact, he was just a few years older than I, and wasnt it last year we were trying to locate him? Q: And so when you were deciding what to collect, were you thinking about. Daller: Mm-hmm! I think I got the two of them for five bucks or something like that. Q: Okay, all of that. But how many people really have a sense of history anymore? Well, the paintings and the small stuff like thatthat like that mirror and those paintings and all that stuffthat was all the little stuff. Staten Island. Hell utilize every room of the house. It was so overgrown. Q: So those things that you got later on, afterthey didnt come from Europe. Burke: Yes, there was a little man in New Jersey. And the only problem with that was the kitchen was downstairs. All the way to the Great Kills Harbor. Im sure some will. I said, Oh shit, look at this. And I pulled that out and unwrapped it, and what the hell was in it? The Greek Revival house is one of the few surviving examples of 19th Century life on Staten Island. And even though the house belongs, in essence, to Historic House Trust, they werent reimbursing him for anything. So then I said, well, what the hell am I gonna do? After Burke returned to Staten Island, he purchased and restored two houses and an old restaurant and bar before he was contacted by Bess Seguine in 1981, who had inherited the then-deteriorated Seguine Mansion. Daller: Stating that it is part of it part of Historic House. And we were great gardeners and she had always come over in the spring, and she gave me little cuttings of all the flowers, and the different things. And then, it wasI guess that was in the spring, then later on, I dont know what I was doing. If you give me a big helping hand here. I said, You know, I dont make that much money. Its a plus for the borough too. She came and did a lot for the draperies and everything here. Coach Robert Joseph "Bob" Burke, 74, died April 4, 2020, at home, surrounded by his loving family, in Wilson, N.C. It was under your bunk. Death and Obituary Indexes from the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library includes: Buffalo Deaths, 1882-1892; Death Notices and Obituaries in the Buffalo News, 4-22-2009 to 2010; Index to Births, Marriages, and Deaths found in select Buffalo and Erie County Publications, 1870s-1950; some cemetery burial records; and other items. Daller: That was the house that had ghosts. Staten Island . All rights reserved. Burke: Oh, it was all overgrown with undergrowth. And my neighbor across the street, who had lived there forever, she comes over again with a couple of little plants for me. Oh, God, it was gorgeous. By Carol Ann Benanti | benanti@siadvance.com STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- It's designated one of Staten Island's signature society events of the year, a. Thats whats in this whole house, all the things you see. And Luis Caizares painted that. Daller: So not that much time was spent on Staten Island. Burke: Like a locket. Daller: So can you imagine a three room apartment filled to the brim with antiques? Thats the usual setup, I think, for historic houses. So it took a fortune, but I had it, all that money, to restore the house. But it doesnt work that way. And I lived there for quite a few years. He was an old craftsman from the other side. I restored that, and that was an old mansionan old pillar-fronted mansionlooked like the house, similar. Burke: Of course, Id been in Alaska for all that time. Daller: Well, he said, he felt that house had spirits in it. If they brought flowers, it had to be lilacs. So I said, Oh. So that was thatI got that little story. Q: And how did you decide, I guess, how to rebuild? Burke: She has it. But some strange things did happen in the house. But I dreamt it and I knew every single thing about it. You couldnt even see it. What will I do? And I had two or three other girls that were there. 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. He used to stay out here. Its a beautiful house. And I had to have somebody upstairs, standing on the stairs, and told me when to stop jacking, when the stairs got level, because the stairs were like this. But when they were building houses, if you had a third story, your taxes went out of sight! I cant think of the name of the thing now. Yes. Hes done it for forty-plus years, now its time to give back. Id come back up and I could still smell it in the hallway. If you lived in Alaska, where it was always cold, it was fine. Yes, the dining room and the kitchen was on the other two, side. 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