Burke, Father John d. 1894

BURKE

Posted By: Barbara Hug, volunteer transcriber
Date: 8/11/2006 at 16:28:53

DIED. – At the Catholic Hospital on Sunday, Jan. 14, 1894, FATHER JOHN BURKE, died from injuries received in a railway wreck.

For the past two years FATHER JOHN BURKE has been the priest of the Catholic Church at this place and in that time has endeared himself to the hearts of his Congregation. He was one of the unfortunates who was in the wreck on the Rock Island, east of Grinnell, last week, but it was thought at the time that he was one of the less injured. He was taken to Des Moines and it was a great surprise when the news of his death reached here. He was born in Ireland about fifty years ago. The funeral was held in Des Moines yesterday.

Tuesday’s Register speaks of the deceased as follows:
“The funeral of Rev. P. Burke, who died at Mercy Hospital at 10 a.m. Sunday, from injuries received in a wreck near Grinnell Wednesday, will be held from St. Ambrose church at 10:30 a.m. to-day. The solemn requiem and high mass will be heard at that hour. The services will be attended by the bishop of the diocese and a large number of priests in this portion of the state. The remains are to be taken to Ft. Dodge at 2 p.m. Dr. Burke was the pastor of the Newton Church and adjoining missions for two years, having been priest of the Davenport diocese for fifteen years. He built two churches, one at Colfax and one at Valeria. He was highly respected and a brilliant member of the Catholic Clergy. ~ The Newton Journal, Wednesday, Jan. 17, 1894.