When did it start to feel done? So we need to get help. Im offered fortunes for the front field, for the side field, for the backfield. Isnt that a huge house theyre building, you told me? Daller: He did the sofa upstairs as well. Daller: But it feels like home. And a friend of mine I was very good friendly with was John. I bought those buildings. Linda? Staten Island and the South Shore is the only place where people can still move, be in a country feeling, and build what they want to build, and have a garden and have a lawn and, you know, they can be in the country and still be in the city. And, well, lets face it, they never had any hot water over there at all. He did the White House and everything. Constantly. And so people saidthey took all the horses and they moved to New Jersey. Burke: After I had the house, then I got the big pieces of furniture. Q: Well, Im pretty much at the end of my questions. And now the people that I sold it to, the Pistillis [James and Kathleen Pistilli], they had the whole thing researched and now its got landmark things on it and everything. And they would give me all kinds of beautiful little carved objects and things that would be carved out of the whales teeth or. The front porch was up high. Q: So tell me about what its been like for you to live here. Because look how long the war went, and England had nothing. First thing I started with was the basement because it had four-foot of water in it. They bought a house. A lot of the windows were broken out of it. Burke: Yes, and I had a beautiful apartment for years in St. George. Where all the servants lived. And Im glad I did what I did, about just giving it to the National Historic Trust. Daller: Well, its just the fact that the South Shore has gotten very built-up. STATEN ISLAND, NY 10309. Burke: Chris will stay living here. And it was quite difficult to maintain the big house we were living in. And they were slate, the roof, and by walking on the slates, they broke and they slid off, and wherever they slid off, the rain poured through because it was holes. He cant do this anymore. Burke: Oh, well, when I was inI guess I was in England. Q: Right. Burke: Well, the house, actually, from the outside, is aoh, shitthe name of it went right out of my head. But the only thing was it was too small. Burke kept records of the work, most of which he completed himself and financed the through the sale of his business, the Tidewater Inn. Yes. I said I was the only person at that timemy uncle gave me my sweet sixteen there, and all my friends were invited to come formal. And I was the assistant to the general who was the surgeon for the European Command. He said, What in the hell youre buying this old piece of shit for? He said, Is it insured? I said, Yes, I took big insurance on it. He said, Good. So we brought that point up a few times. Burke: You want it from the first day I was born in the hospital across the street? If you give me a big helping hand here. I said, You know, I dont make that much money. But anyway, I had come back to America. They talk about Tottenville, its all McMansions. Everything has changed, all the old houses are torn down. Burke: Of course, Id been in Alaska for all that time. So they. And then Id been in Europe all that time. And then when you could see the house, it was a goddamn mess. See Photos. They couldnt handle it, the clientele that came in. Hes done it for forty-plus years, now its time to give back. This whole corneryou could stand and see the street out there, so this whole corner was rebuilt. And, you know, who has that!? But when he was in Europe, he rode. It was gorgeous and very ornatewas very, very much like Greek Revival. Daller: Well, no, Mrs. Seguine allowed him to buy, Burke: No, I already had this house from the first deal. What the hell is that coming from? So I come down the stairs, and as I got down the stairs, the spelling got stronger and stronger. I did go around and take pictures of what was left of some of them. Syosset. So everything just kept going off and someone would have all of this, someone would have all of that. I had no idea that that was it, when I bought the house or anything. Most of them were little things. Devoted father of Matthew I. Burke, Jason L. Burke, and Georgina P. Burke, all of Hull. Daller: Oh, thats exactlyI mean, because that was the reason for getting a board, was to also help get things done. Burke: Let me think of how all that started. And finally their husbands were getting pissed at them, because they were never home, they were always here. And he was studying art and he painted my portrait that shell show you, thats upstairs. I mean, how did you decide what to purchase, what to collect? And they said he had the box, and took it with them. Search Staten Island obituaries and condolences, hosted by Echovita.com. Its still there, you can see it. I was always in the operating room or someplace like that. And with that money, I restored most of the house. The Seguine girls, as they were called,. George: Oh, I knew the Seguines for years. So she finally died. 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. And on top of that, I still worked for Sherwin Williams. Thats the only way to explain it. I know everything, what to do. The ceilings had fallen down because a lot of the drain pipes had leaked. They cant do anything. 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. Create an obituary. 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: Oh, yes. He was born here. And my other sisternow, of course shes passed awaybut now her daughter took it, and the daughter gave it to her daughter. The developers came in with bulldozersbulldozed that mansion, bulldozed the stables. And the only reason why this survived is because nobody wanted the farmhouse! Burke: But everything will stay here exactly as it is, because if its going to be a museum, people are not going to come in and look at empty walls. 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. So I got this on the front porch somewhere, nailed to the house, butdoesnt matter. Burke: Yes, he did that little sofa there. I wanted to ask about the Equestrian Center. And he dealed in antique rugs, and regular rugs and everything. 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. Q: I wanted to ask, also, theres a painting of you in the house, right? She lived up on Lighthouse Hill. And my father died, and we were all very young. This was in the East Bronx, this was on 167th and College Avenue. And she was laying like this. But thats what that was. I saved that, thats still there. People didnt want it because it had such a reputation as being haunted. Sign up for NYPAP mailings and our Newsletter to stay up-to-date. And there was French doors that went out from the basement under the porch. Its going to hell. Hell utilize every room of the house. And I wish the hell I could have gotten a hold of that before they tore it down. All Rights Reserved, Town Departments at Work: The role of each part of your local government. You come out and take over the boys and mens department in the store. I said, Thats fine. Beloved husband of Rosanna (Ialuna) Burke. In good condition? But again, I dont know that Staten Island appreciates anything, because we had a Borough President at one time that we asked him a question about something and his answer to my uncle was, Well, why would you want to put a new suit on an old man?. New York obituaries and death notices, 1986 to rent. Burke: Oh, its in beautiful condition because the guy I told you, Jimmy Pistilli, he had it landmarked. It has to stay exactly as an old plantation house. But Ive got to bring that portrait down and put it above that fireplace and get rid of that painting thats there. Brother Bill? Yes, that was all Scalamandr. Im going to get gifts now because Im staying in the house and Im going to fix it up.. I did everything. George Burke was born on Staten Island and grew up in Annandale before moving to Florida with his family. And I took interior design and the history of architecture, and something else. Burke: One was a necklace with a heart on it. It was terrible. I mean, one year, the oil bill here was $11,000. So, unfortunately, there arent many people that care that way anymore. Its still there in Port Richmond. Q: And will the board continue and play a role in in that? Because the water was in the basement for so many years, all the dampness had lifted all the floorboards and everything, and so I had to dry the house out, and replaster the walls. I found a beautiful place in Tottenville and I opened it and called it the Tidewater Inn. And the porch went all like this, around the house. But you do have Chris thats upstairs that lives in the servants quarters. Theyre deciding they want to build, so they tear down and build. Or you can do a small whatever. Burke: I went and I was stationed in England, and I loved being in England. Q: Was that here in the house? Burke: Well, I wanted a beautiful Victorian look. She said shell keep the doors locked and call Linda if anybody wants to get in and take anything out. And what they did is they bought a whole fleet of old taxis. But they tore the house down to build that school. And he said, Mom, Ill move in to the other part of the house. Burke: Oh, I loved her. I cant go and say, You know, fifty years ago that was mine, and I never gave it to you. And he asked me would I be interested in working for him out here on Staten Island. He had the military ship the items back to family members in New York City, a perk of military service that made moving his collection back to the States possible. So most of the stuff is Victorianturn of the century and Victorian. Daller: Then you got rid of thatbut those are the early days. And over the years, it became just prohibitive to try and do. Theyre getting rid of everything! So I come home dead tired. I bought another restaurant, didnt I? They couldnt. Would you sell me the acres in the front? And in the summer, he sits outside, enjoys the outdoors, enjoys the lawn, the grounds. He did so much work for you. And that was, Mrs.these mirrors came from that house, they were in the parlor in that houseWhat the hell was her name? They were gorgeous. Burke: Well, if she left them there, she had to come back as a ghost and tell me that they were there! It would have been spectacular but greed set in, and thats what they did. He moved into the house shortly after the sale, and worked from the basement to the roof, and outwards throughout the grounds and stables, to complete the restoration. And that was a kitchen, and that was bedrooms and a little living room, all up there. So as long as I own it, I own it, theyll pay for it. And that was nothing but a little house that caught firewas just a little, little house. Its a big plaque on it, its landmarked and everything. Well, the paintings and the small stuff like thatthat like that mirror and those paintings and all that stuffthat was all the little stuff. He was the top interior designer in New York. Then I startedI said, You know, theres a lot of things on this end of the island nobody wants, its the forgotten-end of the island. And I made a lot of money. And then, it wasI guess that was in the spring, then later on, I dont know what I was doing. Theres one here, theres one there, and theres one in the other room. The son and his wife took over Scalamandr. Burke: Oh, God, Mario come out here all the time. If you stood outside and looked at it, the staircase went that way. Thats what I wanted. Im gonna save it, its a gorgeous house!. In fact, her husband was a big-wig. And these roofs had big arches, like this. And a lot of it got given away, got lost. All the grounds, the stables, everythingthey cant change a thing. I think so. So then I said, well, what the hell am I gonna do? Now the little girl had to be moved to Wall Street. My big old Victorian house is saved, and thats still there. Daller: The stables. But before we know it, there wont be a thing left in the house. But anyway, she said, No, Im not going in. The stables were here for years. They tore down those two nice little cottages that were there. George Burke is one of these dedicated keepers: He minds the Seguine Mansion, which he bought in 1981. Burke: Well, I hope it gets maintained. Its all stay in here. He appreciated it. You couldnt see the grounds through the trees and it was just covered and everything. Everybody had left, and Bess and Marge were there, and Bess said to me, George, sit down. 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. What was her name? And then I what else? Q: So about this house, I wanted to ask about the Friends of the Seguine Mansion. Because it was a big roof, like this, and then the gutters run around. Unfortunately, all the grounds areI dont even know if the house is there anymore! Theres none of the spirits. I mean, lets face it. 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. I grew up loving it and always having it, and my mother was great with it. They didnt even have soap. Always, in that vase in the hall. Did quite well. Must have been twelve big columns, it was, oh! But Id go off with Murphy and wed go to these estate sales and most of the stuff thats in here was, I bought and shipped it all back. Burke: Well, youve got to thank Mrs. Seguine. Thats ittheres no more of them. Daller: But it was the thing with the lilacs smell. And then the Eric woke up, and I said, Well, I dont know. And I was a medic. I went around and I got it and shipped it all back home. And we recognized Mario at the event. Burke: Oh, well, the Eskimos up there would give me beautiful mukluks and all kinds of things. The Secret Service, as well as a Cohasset school accounting specialist and the superintendent, are determining how much the operation cost the town. But anyway, she said, Im not going in the house. All my life, I was raised in a big house. Burke: I used to, but I didnt I didnt keep it on everything. That was her name. So that had the outside kitchen. I had all the plasters done. I mean, I could do a little woodwork, but I wasnt a carpenter. I should really do something to save it. And it just was luck that I had just sold a real estate deal and made a lot of money. A lot of these drapes, they did. Sure, Id no idea of ever owning his house because I had a beautiful big house in Tottenvillebig French style house. Stole all that carved stuff, stole all that stuff, that whole box of stuff. Burke: No, who gave me that? [laughs] And I lived there for a long time. But down here, all the beautiful homes that were down here are gone. Yes, the dining room and the kitchen was on the other two, side. Daller: Yes, I found him. I dont know what it is. I said, I still have friends that myour parents met before we met. But thats part of whats been going on down here. That is the only thing that worries methat the house will be stripped. So by the time he came back, all this had changed. Dont look at me. Q: Yes, you can tell me about your early life and the memories you have of growing up here. Adriana would come out and shed say, Well, Ill tell you what, George. And the house across the street from it, the Old [Sir Walter] Tyrrell House. See Photos. And I got a good price for that. Most of the furniture thats hereI never furnished the house until I owned it. 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. You just named them. Obituary George W. Burke, age 63, of Hull, entered into eternal rest on October 2, 2021. I put the post on it up under the floor where the newer posts in the staircase was upstairs, and then, when I took the jack away, it sat on the post. GEORGE CROAKE OBITUARY. Daller: Well, yes. We were only allowed so much. You want to take down every statue thats been there for a thousand years because, No, that statue shouldnt be there. That whole salon set there was a Victorian salon setand the couch is a camelback. I hope it isnt that the people who have access come in and empty it because Ive had people say, Oh, when youre not here, Im taking that painting, and Im taking that painting, and I want that couch, you know. So when I get out of the service, I got a job. Its all part of history, and theyre just destroying it every way they can. Yes. The walkway going to the beach, its still there, where the house was. Would you like to elaborate on that? George Burke. Daller: So not that much time was spent on Staten Island. So I paid it off and bought it in cash, with the cash. Theyre going out for the garbage. I said, No, no, no, Im trying to take them. So I took them and I had them all redone and reupholstered, and here they are. Eventually, he was able to move his collection of Victorian-style furnishings safely into the home, and add to it larger pieces of furniture to complete the restoration. But I restored all that. Burke: It was. And in the meantime, I made a couple of little investments and they turned out very well for me. But those things, I couldnt. I dont think anythings missing? So one day, my sister Bess said to my mother and me, she said, Go pack. Burke: But what were we going into before I got into the architecture? So thank you. Developers. Special thanks to The Peggy N and Roger G Gerry Charitable Trust for their support to complete this initiative. Were not going to stay and put up with these two people. Im always doing something. This the expensive piece of property! They sold it to the developers. And now theyre buildingI havent seen it, but Linda says its a huge house theyre building. Shit. Burke: Yes, she held the mortgage on it. Id bring her bottles of whiskey and shed say, Listen, George, Im going to an estate for saleeverything in it is going! Burke is joined in this interview by his niece, Linda Daller. You could see with all the houses over here, its gotten very built up. Leave a sympathy message to the family in the guestbook on this memorial page of George Burke to show support. They tear down one house and build five. But I forgot what the other two things were. Daller: If they cant ride, why should they be here? That was all what she had in mind! Daller: And when he wasnt doing that, he was horseback riding because he loved to ride and thats kind of segued himself to the Seguine House and to Bess. Well, it doesnt matter, her name. Daller: A lot of the paintings came from Europe, though. And he had helped meyou know, while I had my own ideas for design, and whatever I thought of, he said, George, thats great. And then, on the third floor, which was in the mansard roof, that was all the servants quarters. Burke: So, in other words, fifty years from now, if someone wants to learn about the house, they can find out. Brooklyn Births: 1898-1909 Deaths: 1847-53, 1857-1948 Marriages: 1866-1949 *Pre-1898 records are for Brooklyn city only. Join Facebook to connect with George Burke and others you may know. Staten Island, Richmond County, NY Genealogy Site - Staten Island Recent Obituaries So we lived there, and it was a big courtyard and there were four buildings and the center courtyard was all grass. Lots of photos, costs, everything. Eric. So I stayed there, worked for him for years. That was a great house. Burke: Greek revival. I could. Facebook gives people the power to. And we used to say, Wow, wonder who lives there? And one day, I was sitting in the dining room. For example, could you tell what the original construction was? Burke: Its right on the Boulevard and it goes down to the beach. So tell me about when you went to Europe. Or did you have to just guess and make decisions? Q: Was it a similar style? And there were two windows, like this. One of the doors was shot, so I took this door off, and when I did, the brick wall, on the side, started falling out. Yes. I was maybe nineteen, twentysomething like that.
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