Old Dutch Church NYC
Worship and Activism Since 1656
Staten Island native George Burke
not only played a role in Port Richmond commercial history,
but he is singlehandedly responsible for preserving the country estate
of 19th century SI businessman, Joseph H. Seguine, where he currently resides.
The Voorlezer's Book tells us that in 1730 Lady Mambret, the great grand- mother of Joseph H. Seguine, brought Joseph H.'s grandfather, James,
to be baptized in Port Richmond's
Old Dutch Church.
In 1980 Burke rescued the 1838 Joseph H. Seguine Mansion in Prince's Bay.
George Burke ca. 2000
at the gate on Hank Pl.
In 1989 Burke sold the Greek Revival Mansion on ten of its original acres to New York City for half its value while retaining a life interest - the legal right to live there.
He personally took care of the 1838 building and its property every day until recently.
It is part of the Historic House Trust and sits within Lemon Creek Park. For years it was open for tours by appointment, and Burke hosted a summer White Party in June and a Harvest Festival in October.
At present The Joseph H Seguine House is open only on special occasions, but it is worth the trip to view from outside.
In 2017 Burke donated historic Seguine land papers to the Port Richmond Dutch Reformed Church archives.
One day George Burke got a call, out of the blue, from a man who lives near Shanksville PA. He explained that he was a 92 year old Seguine descendant who learned about the Seguine Mansion on the internet. Since he had no heirs, he asked if Burke wanted some land papers that he did not know what else to do with. "Send them along," Burke replied and thus came into possession of several documents, the earliest an original deed created in 1688 with the orignal wax seals intact.
Burke gave the entire cache of papers, including the 1688 deed, to the Old Dutch Church archives based on the Seguine baptism connection.
We were unaware of the close connection yet to be discovered.
Burke also has a much earlier connection to commerce on Port Richmond Avenue
From Fifth Avenue, Manhattan to
" the Fifth Avenue of Staten Island"
how George Burke came home.
Up to the mid 1950s shopping on Staten Island meant Port Richmond with Woolworths, Kresge's, Lerner's Stores and especially Garber's.
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Garber Brothers department store was founded in 1919 by brothers Louis, David and Paul Garber, who started a peddling business. Each day they would set out to a different section of Staten Island selling house to house.
The Brothers later opened a retail store on what is now Port Richmond Avenue and another in Stapleton, and in 1969 in the Hylan Shopping Plaza in New Dorp.
Garbers' was nicknamed the "Lord & Taylor of Staten Island" and used the slogan "We treat you like family."
Harold Garber, the brothers' cousin, who rose to be president, initiated cutting edge merchandising and buying strategies that made Garbers the go-to store for better men's, women's and children's clothing and accessories on Staten Island.
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In 1964 the Goldring Corporation, a national apparel chain, purchased Garber's.
One day shortly after that purchase, Mr. Goldring brought his six children
to Saks Fifth Avenue in Manhattan for back-to-school clothes.
The sales associate was George Burke, a 33-year-old native Staten Islander,
just out of 14 years in the Air Force and living in the Bronx with his sister.
Mr. Goldring was so impressed with Burke he asked, "How would you like to be the manager of my store in Staten Island?"
Burke was thrilled to come home. He worked for Garbers for 17 years.
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Burke was also affiliated with Sherwin Williams, directly across The Avenue from the Reformed Church, for 16 years.
His "Victorian Colors" collection was one of the first lines of color created by a designer for any paint company.
He provided a full range of interior design services, including wallpaper, t
o clients who came from all over the metropolitan area to consult him.
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"There was plenty to do in the neighborhood, shops, restaurants, the Ritz movie house. There was always something going on at the [Reformed] Church across the street. Every day about 9 am an old lady, her name was De Hart, would come to the Church and set up a chair in front of it, on the sidewalk to the left, and sit there all day until about 5 pm, like she was going to a job. People would bring her sandwiches at lunchtime. She walked down to the shore at the end of the block and gathered firewood. She and her sister lived in a huge house, but used only the kitchen. They were very wealthy, even had a street named after them, De Hart. Everyone said they had $5 million stashed away in the house somewhere."
The Voorlezer's book has seven entries for De Hart just between 1707 and 1720. Several family members are buried in the cemetery. No wonder that "old lady," Miss De Hart, was happy, and at home, in front of her Old Dutch Church, and that the community that was happy to care for her.