Burke, John, 1859-1937

First settled in Rolla, N.D., attorney, North Dakota governor, State Supreme Court Justice, and U.S. treasurer.

Tenth governor of North Dakota (1907-1912) and U.S. Treasurer under Woodrow Wilson.

John Burke, the Roman Catholic son of Irish immigrants, was born in Keakuk County, Iowa, on Feb. 25, 1859. He graduated from Iowa State University, in law, in 1886 and moved to North Dakota in 1888. He eventually established a successful law practice in Devil's Lake. Perceived as a man of integrity with sympathies for the common man, Burke became active in progressive Democratic politics. He held the following public offices: North Dakota County Judge, Rolette County (1888-1890); North Dakota House of Representatives (1891-1892); North Dakota Senate (1893-1896). He was the North Dakota state Democratic party nominee for Attorney General (1894), for U.S. Congress (1896), and for District Judge (1900).

With the support of the progressive papers, the prohibitionists, and the eastern part of the state, Burke was elected tenth governor of the state (1907-1912). He served as U.S. Treasurer under Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921). From 1925-1937, he was a North Dakota Supreme Court Justice. Burke died in Bismarck, North Dakota, on May 14, 1937.