Thomas Edmund Burke (1875 - 1929)

Born 15 Jan 1875 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States

Husband of Ruth Conner (Bodwell) Burke — married 3 Jul 1911 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts

Died 14 Feb 1929 at age 54 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States

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Biography

Thomas is an Olympic Gold Medalist

Thomas Edmund Burke was born on January 15, 1875 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts. He was the son of John B Burke and Ann M Gargan.^[1]

In 1880, Thomas was 5 years old, and living in Boston with his parents and 4 older siblings. ^[2]

Thomas was a track star in high school and then attended Boston University and competed in track. He had a reputation as a 400 meter runner, and won the Amateur Athletic Union title in this event in 1895.^[3] At the 1896 Olympics in Athens, he competed not only in the 400 meter dash, but also in the 100 meter dash, an event he was not known for. He won gold in both the 100 meter and 400 meter events at the Olympics.^[4]

After the Olympics, Thomas resumed his education in law, and continued to compete in track events. Due to the great excitement over the marathon at the Olympics, Thomas and others worked to bring the event to Boston. In April of 1897, the first Boston Marathon took place.^[5]

He married Ruth Bodwell on July 3, 1911 in Boston.^[6]

Thomas practiced as a lawyer and was also a journalist for the Boston Journal and the Boston Post^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F4R8-N77 : 4 December 2014), Thomas Burke, 15 Jan 1875; citing Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, 4925; FHL microfilm 592,874.
2. ↑ United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHXV-F6M : 7 July 2016), Thomas E Burke in household of John B Burke, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States; citing enumeration district ED 637, sheet 221D, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0554; FHL microfilm 1,254,554.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Burke_(athlete)
4. ↑ Wallechinsky, David; Loucky, Jaime. The Complete Book of The Olympics 2012 Edition. Aurum Press, London, 2012
5. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/203815213/thomas-edmund-burke : accessed 13 December 2021), memorial page for Thomas Edmund “Tom” Burke (15 Jan 1875–14 Feb 1929), Find A Grave: Memorial #203815213, citing Holyhood Cemetery, Brookline, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, USA ; Maintained by Kyle Myers (contributor 47186008) .
6. ↑ Massachusetts Marriages, 1841-1915," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N4FF-TD4 : 17 February 2016), Thomas E Burke and Ruth C Bodwell, 03 Jul 1911; citing Boston, , Massachusetts, United States, State Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 2,409,942.

• United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9YJ-32D : 6 March 2015), Thomas E Burke in household of John B Burke, Precinct 4 Boston city Ward 17, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States; citing sheet 11B, family 223, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,240,684.