William Ethelbert Burke
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William Ethelbert Burke | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 23, 1845 Knox County, Ohio, U.S. |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1865–1882 |
| Children | Billie Burke |
| Relatives | Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. (son-in-law) Patricia Ziegfeld Stephenson (granddaughter) |
William Ethelbert "Billy" Burke (born October 23, 1845) was an American circus performer. He is best known as a clown at Barnum & Bailey Circus.
Early life
[edit]Burke was born on October 23, 1845 in Waterford, Knox, as the third child and second son of the four children of John Dillon Burke (1808–1870) and Elizabeth Arbuckle (1815–1849).[1][2] He had two brothers, McKendrie (born 1848) and Thomas Ewing Burke (1846–1926), and a sister, Sarah Jane Burke (born 1835).[citation needed] Burke began his career as a clown by working as an apprentice to a druggist in Fredericktown, Ohio.[1] He then became the center of attention at the drug store.[1] At the age of 16, Burke joined the Union Army and was seriously wounded during the battle of Arkansas Post, which gave him a honorable discharge from the army due to the extent of his injury.[1]
Career
[edit]Burke started his professional career by joined a minstreal troupe in 1865.[1] He then joined the J. M. Nixon Circus and was join their show in Galveston, Texas, where he nearly lost his life due to steamship that carrying him lost at sea and he was picked up and brought to New Orleans.[1] In that city, Burke joined Thaver and Noyes circus where he experienced again the sink of the steamer that carrying the troupe on the Red River, and escaped with losing his wardrobe.[1] He then remained with Thayer and Noyes circus for a years and later moved to Mike Lipman show.[1] Burke also moved to the great Forepaugh show for a years and then moved to the Lewis B. Lent circus in New York City where he achieved his big success there.[1] He later joined the James Robinson show and merged into the Great Chicago show, where Burke then moved to the Trans-Atlantic Show.[1] Burke then returned to Lent and later moved to the Great Eastern and Montgomery Queen.[1] He joined various other shows and then became featured on the Barnum and Great London circus in 1882.[1]
References
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