Walter Burke
Independent Enterprise
Thursday, January 11, 1940
WALTER BURKE FUNERAL SUNDAY
Plymouth Pioneer Buried Last Sunday; Held In Burke Hall
Final tribute was paid Sunday afternoon to Walter Burke, 82 New Plymouth pioneer, in one of the largest funerals in the history of that community. The funeral was held in the new Walter Burke hall dedicated only recently to Mr. Burke with all but four of the 500 seats filled. The Landon funeral home was in charge of the services with the New Plymouth I.O.O.F. lodge No. 83 participating.
The ceremony opened with the singing of "No Night There" and "All Is Well With My Soul" by a quartet composed of Mrs. M. G. Davis, Mrs. Clyde Makinson, Clair Knight and Rustin Shaw. Prayer by Rev. Paul Felthouse, Baptist minister. Mrs. Bernard Eastman sang as a solo, "Abide With Me." Mrs. Roy White accompanied at the piano. C. F. Eder, past noble grand of the New Plymouth lodge, read Mr. Burke’s obituary and gave his history as a charter member of Odd Fellows lodge there.
E. C. S. Brainard of Payette, an old time friend and business associate of Mr. Burke, spoke on his part in the development of the New Plymouth district. Graveside services were conducted at New Plymouth by the New Plymouth I.O.O.F. lodge No. 83 with Clarence Hallock of Fruitland as noble grand and Charles Hartung of Payette as chaplain.
Among the mourners were many Odd Fellows from the nearby towns of Payette, Weiser and Ontario.
The following men were active pall bearers: W. H. Goldsmith, Herb Bayer, Paul Duesen, Charles Eder, W. H. Hazeltine and John Rhinehart. Honorary pall bearers were J. C. Palumbo, E. M. Dean, Dr. A. V. Strauss, Roy White, Roy Tuttle and Dr. I. Hylton.
WALTER BURKE
Walter Burke was born in New York state on June 3, 1857, and a few years later moved with his parents to St. Paul. After a year in the city the family moved to the woods 50 miles west of St. Paul. The father constructed a log house with a wood slab floor. Although the Indians were still wild and outnumbered the white settlers five to one, the senior Mr. Burke managed to gain their friendship and his family was spared although many another settler was scalped. In 1863 Mr. Burke’s father enlisted for the Civil war and the mother, a tall, strong woman, was left along with Walter and his sister.
In 1876, at 16, Walter left home for good. He did many things for a living, cut wood, did blacksmithing, ran a locomotive and panned gold. A year later Mr. Burke and three companions went to the frontier town of Bismark, shortly after which he left his friends and reached Fort Keough the same night that the Nez Perce Indians under Chief Joseph surrendered to General Miles. Mr. Burke heard Chief Joseph give a talk there. The urge to go further west persisted and Walter Burke started out on foot for Bozeman, 200 miles away. From there he went to Helena and in 1882 was made superintendent of the 220 mile Powers stage line from Coulson to Fort Benton. Mr. Burke shortened this route by 40 miles and founded the town of Lavina as a stage station. In 1885 Mr. Burke married Katie Leath.
It was in 1896 that Mr. and Mrs. Burke came to New Plymouth as members of the original colony that settled this district. He opened a blacksmith shop and owned and operated a large orchard tract. He was associated with the Farmers Ditch company for 30 years after its organization in 1901, serving as director and at times as president. He was also a charter member of the Odd Fellows lodge at New Plymouth, having been initiated at the first organization meeting on Feb. 10, 1902.
He is survived by his widow with whom he lived for 55 years, a niece in Bellingham, Wash., and several cousins. The niece, Mrs. G. A. Heintz, and her husband were in attendance at the funeral.
