And, I had a lot of time over there in London and so I decided, Well, hell, Im going to go to school and learn something. So I took interior design. But they are the ones thatup in arms, saying, Aww, that poor horse. Well, by this time, I had a lot of money. Im offered fortunes for the front field, for the side field, for the backfield. They just couldnt handle it. I got one or two things out of it. I started with the basement. So if this can remain a part of the history, thatll be great for people to appreciate. 06/26/1943 - 02/20/2023. Im sorry that, during all that construction, I wasnt taking photographs, of step by step. And Ed was very good at taking dents and things out of cars and he could spray paint. And then finally I had a man come in and talking to me about how hes bought a place on Staten Island that hes opening up a place like Saks only not as nice. Q: Yes, you can tell me about your early life and the memories you have of growing up here. Burke: And its great when you have friends come, you have extra bedrooms, you can put them all up. And as you see it today was from me doing all those little things. Then there was the main hall that went through, just like this: door, front door, back door. Burke: Oh, yes. And I, throughout the time, I went from room to room in the house and restored it. Bulldozed that down. She lived up on Lighthouse Hill. And there was nobody but my mother and I now, living in our house. Syracuse. He moved into the house shortly after the sale, and worked from the basement to the roof, and outwards throughout the grounds and stables, to complete the restoration. Q: When you were making those decisions about decorating, were you thinking about a particular style, like a historic style, that you were going for? Thats the only thing in the house left from the Seguines. And I was always a horse person. So I said, Well, I would have named it The Rossville Inn because it was in Rossville, but he will he loved Bermuda and he wanted Bermuda Inn. So I said, Yes, John, well call it the Old Bermuda Inn. George, now in his eighties, donated the house in exchange for a life tenancy, which has made living here a lot easier. Daller: We lived several places. Q: Well, Im pretty much at the end of my questions. Its still there, you can see it. And all the time when all the lilacs would come in the spring, and the whole place would smell of lilacs, its gorgeous, still is. And he dealed in antique rugs, and regular rugs and everything. It was piled up in their basement. Burke: Oh god. Theres one here, theres one there, and theres one in the other room. Q: Was it a similar style? And I said to the real estate lady, I said, Well, how do you know theres a ghost in there? She said, Because the old lady that originally lived in the house. You couldnt tell what it was. Daller: Well, its just the fact that the South Shore has gotten very built-up. Theyd go in and theyd take the windows out and theyd use the windows, and they destroyed it. Still kept it. I had all the plasters done. Im only a salesman in a department store. I said, and its going to take a lot of money to put that house back together. She said, Well, Im going to help you all I can. And I said, But why would I fix a house I didnt own? And she said, Well, why dont we talk about that. She said, If youre interested in buying it, I will make the arrangements that you can own it. That poor horse. They cant build houses on it. Because, now, they cant tear it down. Yes. I thought for sure that would never go. Lives in Rochester, New York. But it only reached a certain point of it, not in the very beginning. Then upstairs, was all the bedrooms. Most of them were like china and vases, such like that. But the old lady that lived there was very, very sick. And I invested in a couple of things. Where were you stationed and what was it like? Staten Island, Richmond County, NY Genealogy Site - Staten Island Recent Obituaries And there were two windows, like this. So, thats it, I said, to hell with it. Come here, Marge. I said, What? They said, Sell this goddamn place. I restored that, and that was an old mansionan old pillar-fronted mansionlooked like the house, similar. And if they were there and I could see them, and I could ship them free because the government had to ship it for me, and I had my sisters, who would store them for meI had had a great opportunity to pick up all this stuff that was beautiful, get it for nothing, and the government ship it back for me, and my sisters would keep it until I got a place to put it. What the hell is this? All of a sudden, she went, Youre in my house, and get out! Holy Christ. Q: Your collection of the items that you bought from Mrs. Murphy. I mean, Captains Quarters, instead of building all those condos down there, it would have been beautiful to have another stately home there. Because back when they built the houses, kitchens were never built in the house. Of course, she loved the smell of lilacs. And Ill invest in a couple of other things that will give me a nice little income, and I wont have to worry about it. So it took a fortune, but I had it, all that money, to restore the house. Architectural style and interior style? I restored all those buildings down in Tottenville, all those great old buildings. On a goddamn pillared mattress sleeping? And if they only would have remained, they would have been a part of it, and everything could have been fully appreciated. That place took off like you couldnt believe. Brother Celestine George Burke, an educator who was a member of the Brothers of the Christian Schools for 63 years, died on Thursday at Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank, N.J. . And he was so good. Burke: Im glad I did. So I run downstairs. Q: Okay, all of that. Because my house was right across the street from it. And I miss all those horses. In fact, I think it was just landmarked wasnt it? I said to him, Are you kidding? Daller: What about the coat? And Ill see to it that, financially, things work out for the two of us. I, being the youngest, of course, seeing everybody growing up. See Photos. And then upstairs was like a big balcony above that porch. And we used to say, Wow, wonder who lives there? Leave your condolences to the family on this memorial page or send flowers to show you care. In fact, her husband was a big-wig. So I got this on the front porch somewhere, nailed to the house, butdoesnt matter. Kitchens were always built in a house outside by themself, and a breezeway going to the house, because the kitchens would always burn down. I was born on Oct. 11, 1930, one of nine siblings, to an. Well, I was born on Staten Island. I open the door to the parlor. But you do have Chris thats upstairs that lives in the servants quarters. So we brought that point up a few times. It was his first time off of Staten Island. Like this chair that youre sitting in, these are Chippendale chairs in the Chinese style. And then Id been in Europe all that time. Burke: And he was one of the top portrait painters in Madrid. Of course, I went to school here. Burn it down, put a candle in the middle of the hall. And right outside the window right here, is a great big round, thing thats all brickgreat big round thing, big as this room, covered-overand thats where all the water from the drain pipe from the roof would go in there and fill it, and it was called a cistern, and that was connected to the kitchen downstairs. All went into the landfill. I dont know, Im just used to it. So thats how that all came about. So I said, The hell with this. Big fluted columns with big Corinthian capitals on them. I was born right in the hospital across the street, and grew up 90% of my time on Staten Island until I became old enough and I joined the military. He had come into my room when I was not there, stole everything. If you want to come, behave yourselves. So you really cant even try to say what does it feel like? The columns werent square wooden ones, like these, they were beautiful fluted ones with all the Corinthian leaves on the tops of them and all that stuff. But that was a big improvement, putting in the kitchen, because there never was a kitchen in the houseand where the kitchen is now, that was the laundry room. That was her name. And my brother Bill and my brother Ed decided to go into an automobile repair shop. Troy. And when youd come down, there wasthe stairwell come down, and it was a double parlor, like this, and where this door was, was with two double doors. But again, I dont know that Staten Island appreciates anything, because we had a Borough President at one time that we asked him a question about something and his answer to my uncle was, Well, why would you want to put a new suit on an old man?. Because it was a big roof, like this, and then the gutters run around. Daller: Oh, thats exactlyI mean, because that was the reason for getting a board, was to also help get things done. And if you were wearing them and you went and got in your car and turned the heater on, you smelled like piss. Q: Is there somebody in particular that you work with for reupholstery or restorations? Thats what it is. Stony Brook. So I paid it off and bought it in cash, with the cash. Its a plus for the borough too. That was all what she had in mind! Im going to retire, Im going to go down to that big old house, restore it, fix it all up, move in it, and enjoy it. Daller: Oh, yes. Q: You mentioned that the South Shore has changed in the last few years. What the woman who was caretaking her, what she had to do was constantly keep lilacs next to the bed. Burke: I dont find any difference living here. Now the little girl had to be moved to Wall Street. With that old fabric, theres enough to make drapes for one window. George Burke was born on Staten Island and grew up in Annandale before moving to Florida with his family. His family was like aristocratic. It was so overgrown. He was an old craftsman from the other side. I dont know what it is. And we had our barracks, of course, and having your barracks, the only thing you had was a big trunk where you kept all your clothes in. And it was quite difficult to maintain the big house we were living in. Oh, God, it was gorgeous. Its been so long now. How the hell they got to the right people, I dont know. And she was laid in a dress with a big lace collar. Q: And you feel that thats at risk because of the development thats happening now. The income from the Seguine Equestrian Center, which stables some twenty horses a stone's throw from the mansion, helps. It was gorgeous and very ornatewas very, very much like Greek Revival. There isnt a room he doesnt go into. The oldwhat the hell was itgrocery store. And my uncle came in and was part of the whole group. George: Oh, I knew the Seguines for years. And thats where she was. She said, You saw her in your dream. I said, Holy shit, I said, you think that was her? She said, It could have been her. I said, Then she went like that and chased me out of her house. She said, That was her. One of the doors was shot, so I took this door off, and when I did, the brick wall, on the side, started falling out. GEORGE CROAKE OBITUARY. That works! Thankfully, no ones come here and said, Oh, you might have had slaves. I mean, Im sure if somebody came and decided to look back, theyd say, Oh, no, theres a reason for a house like that. People have ideals that are very strange. Burke: So, in other words, fifty years from now, if someone wants to learn about the house, they can find out. Unfortunately, all the grounds areI dont even know if the house is there anymore! Thats the usual setup, I think, for historic houses. I was in the mansion when the sisters lived there. So they built it like an attic and it was called an attic but it was a whole complete story. Mrs. Mackey. Casey Funeral Home Kathleen Burke, age 78 passed away at Richmond University Medical Center after a brief illness on January 26, 2023. They were all womens stuff. The mansion was gorgeous! Like our page to stay informed about passing of a loved one in Staten Island, New York on facebook. Ill do the whole window. And he died young. And then, on the side of the house in the back, there was a little piece built out. You know, everybody knew him, and everybody, wow. Tell us about when you were born? If you stood outside and looked at it, the staircase went that way. Q: And, do you keep records on, on those kinds of things? That was a bigits still there. And a lot of people kept their horses in the stables. And I dream that I heard some noise. Thats why I did what I did, because I figured that if anything ever happens to me, all of this, now, will have to stay as it is. Burke: Scalia. Must have been twelve big columns, it was, oh! I mean, its just normal living in a normal house. Frank Tredici Jr., age 79, of Staten Island, New York, passed away on Monday, February 20th, 2023. Q: The Friends of the Seguine Mansionthe friends group. When I was over there looking at their house. Daller: From Michael and Jennifer, your nephew. And I had this goddamn old sergeant who was going back also, but he was getting out of the service, and he was being discharged. Up until a year ago, he was still cutting the lawn! The mayor and everybody else in the cityyou cant ride on the beach. And he wanted to retire and he gave his son the business. Click here to view all obituaries Search Obituaries Contact Us / Location. Daller: Thats been acquired over the years. Daller: Well, they hope to. And, well, lets face it, they never had any hot water over there at all. It was under your bunk. Thats when she said to me, George, go save my house. And I came down and looked at it. Its Meissen. Burke: Anyway, she was well known here on Staten Island. And people were selling anything out of their house to support themselves and live. Do you drink? No, we dont drink. So I would collect all the stamps. Oh god, that was a gorgeous mansion. And I took that room and made it into the dining room. And when I seen it all over there, and when I seen the British people were poor as church mice, they were selling everything. One woman wouldnt go it, cant think of her name. And, of course, being in the military and traveling with them, the government shipped all my stuff that I bought and picked upshipped it all back to America for me. The orientals that originally were on the floor here, I put up in the bedrooms upstairs. Thats whats in this whole house, all the things you see. Q: Yes, absolutely. Daller: You werent here. And then you could walk under the porch out into the garden. Daller: See, now you learned about kitchens. And it was twice the size of this house. Burke: Okay. I found a beautiful place in Tottenville and I opened it and called it the Tidewater Inn. Yes. Do you remember that? I took forty-four big trees down in the front field just so you could clear the front and see the house. Q: Yes. And then when they decided thatthey owned a beautiful house on one of the Keys in Florida. And theyd come out and Id get involved with them. Is there anything, you think? See Photos. I bet. And my father died, and we were all very young. And I could turn the horses loose and theyd keep all the fields cut and mowed, you know? The stables were here for years. Frank Tredici. So tell me about when you went to Europe. Id come back up and I could still smell it in the hallway. And whats going on up the street here now? Beloved husband of Rosanna (Ialuna) Burke. Half the railings were gone off the porch, and the column was falling over, and, oh, Jesus. Theres none of the spirits. Burke: He did almost all the upholstery in the house. And they were going to pay for everything if they owned it. I said I was the only person at that timemy uncle gave me my sweet sixteen there, and all my friends were invited to come formal. And this is Sarah Dziedzic. Leave a sympathy message to the family in the guestbook on this memorial page of George Burke to show support. Off of Hylan Boulevard? Burke: But what were we going into before I got into the architecture? Obituary George W. Burke, age 63, of Hull, entered into eternal rest on October 2, 2021. The one in particular, United States Steel [Corporation]. We had beautiful stuff in our home, all the time. Q: So those things that you got later on, afterthey didnt come from Europe. Daller: You met some interesting people there. And I took the money. But, with that money, I paid this house off. And thats where I had all this wonderful carved stuff from the Eskimos that they gave me. Burke: I was thinking about getting a big home, having a home, and what I would want in itthe paintings, what kind of furniture, carpets, everything. You werent on Staten Island. Okay. The only thing that will save this house as a bulldozer! [laughs] But anyway, I saved it. So then I said, well, what the hell am I gonna do? Burke: One was a necklace with a heart on it. They couldnt handle it, the clientele that came in. Oh, that was the ghost in Tottenville. I mean, I could do a little woodwork, but I wasnt a carpenter. Q: Was that here in the house? And then I decided Id get involved again with things that are going on. Beloved husband of Rosanna (Ialuna) Burke. I mean, after it was finished, who cared? People, Oh, could you help me? And especially when I came to Staten Island and I was working for Sherwin Williams, andwhat the hell, Florence? She stated, George, I want you to save my house, and agreed to sell the house for a feasible sum in exchange for his promise to restore it. So dont worry about it. Ghost in the houseif shes gonna live there, she could do some cleaning up, do some dusting. Thats the only way to explain it. And she couldntthey couldnt keep up with it anymore. And he kept up with him, up until the time Mario passed away. Yes. Burke: Oh, my nephew. So I went down and I just went around and everything I seenall the stuff you see hanging in this house, most of it come from me going around and wheeling and dealing in, you might as well say, the black market. They cant do anything. Its no different from home. Like there was old Greek, like the Parthenon, the Greek templesoh, it was beautiful. Served in NYPD for 25 years, ran many mararthons George Arthur Croake, 78, of Manasquan, NJ (previously Flatbush, Brooklyn & New Dorp, Staten Island) passed away peacefully . And I said, What in the hell is this doing in my house? So I opened up the lid and there was this old lady laying in there, with this big lace collar around her neck, and her hair was puffed up behind her head, like that, was all gray.