Kansas City was a different place back in the early days. During this early period the area was known as the "town of Kansas" and was incorporated as such by Jackson County on June 01, 1850. On February 22, 1853 it was renamed the "city" of Kansas and in 1889 it was officially declared as "Kansas City". In the 1850's there was great unrest as to whether the new Kansas territory should be a free or slave state. Most residents were pro-slavery and as such skirmishes began here at least six years prior to the beginning of the Civil War. At one point when Quantrill's raiders (sympathetic to the Confederacy) was to come through town, area residents were ordered to evacuate. Quantrill and his raiders eventually moved on to Lawrence Kansas where they virtually burned and destroyed the entire town; (August 14, 1863). Then came the Battle of Westport (October 21-23, 1864) which was the largest Union - Confederate Civil War clash in Missouri history. Another event that took place would include Carrie Nation's Prohibition; 1901. While the area experienced these uncomfortable times, favorable changes eventually gained pace in the town. The railroad was expanding, new families were settling in, and parks were being built. Areas we currently may not feel comfortable venturing into were becoming very wonderful places to be. Families attended picnics and fabulous fairgrounds close by the Paseo, Troost and Independence Avenue. Here is a link you can visit to go back into Kansas City's past to see just how nice the area was. Fairmount Park and other areas of interest in Kansas City from 1887-1908. How these events personally impacted our ancestors lives can only be speculative but surely there would have been some effect.

Our direct ancestor, John T. Burke united in marriage with a very young lady of 16 years, Nellie M. (maiden name unknown) Burke. Of course, we know of her as Nellie Kershaw. In 1901 Nellie gave birth to their son, Elmer Robert Burke. The family appears in the 1910 Jackson County, Missouri census in WD-7. John's occupation was a house shingler and we know little more about him. The marriage was not successful and by 1918 they were divorced and Nellie was remarried to a firefighter by the name of Herman Kershaw. While Nellie lived with Herman and two of his sons, Elmer was now a young man and had made the decision to enter the US Navy. At this time it is unknown whether he entered the Navy in the last years of WWI or afterward. We do know that his position was a navy gunner on the ship USS Schley. In the year 1920, Elmer was active in the Navy and stationed in Hingham, Massachusetts with other fine young men of service. The decision to serve would ultimately be the beginning of the end for Elmer. While in attendance at a military dance, Elmer met a lovely young lady by the name of Elsie Lynn. The two married in the Spring of April 1926 and by December of that year, Elsie gave birth to their son, Francis Keith Burke. Their happiness would however be shortlived as Elmer had acquired Pulmonary Tuberculosis while in the Navy and his health was rapidly deteriorating.
It is unknown what year Elmer was sent to the Fort Lyon Veteran's Hospital in Colorado and not much is known about his stay there. We do know that Elmer was present there in the year 1928. A 1928 Thanksgiving menu, carefully held and preserved through the years, is the meager possession that lets us know his life extended at least that far. A couple of photos of a young Francis Keith, sweetly addressed "To Daddy" suggest that perhaps Elmer lived as long as 1929. The Fort Lyon photographs we have of Elmer and the two of his father, John, were more than likely taken on a Thanksgiving visitation. Elmer appears a mere shadow of a man in the clothing he wore and we can make the presumption that he was very near to the final days of his life. Unfortunately, we have not been able to locate any information about Elmer and do not even know where he was laid to rest. Elsie was left a widow at the young age of 22 and Keith was fatherless at age 3. What could have been a more than sad situation was remedied by the strong ties of extended family. Elsie and Keith lived with her parents, Brainard and Mabel Cross and appear with them in the 1930 census. She married again, once on 03 March 1931 to Hubert E. Millerand then again on 31 December 1934 to Roy H. Lienau, both ending soon in divorce. On 10 June 1936 Elsie married William Brausford Lynn. Francis Keith was raised by "Bill" and the extended family.
If you would like to you can submit some family memories for me to include in this ongoing Burke genealogy. You can make submission through the link below: