Biography of John Emerson Burke, Sr, St Francis County, AR *********************************************************** Submitted by: Paul V Isbell Date: 19 Nov 2008 Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm *********************************************************** One of the foremost dental surgeons in the Mid-South, Dr. John Emerson Burke of Forrest City is also highly respected and influential public spirited citizen of this community. He was born in LaGrange, Texas, 1898, son of John E. and lillie Cornelia (Ware) Burke. After graduation from the LaGrange High School, he attended Philander Smith College in Little Rock, and received his D. D. S. Degree at McHarry Medical College in Nashville, Tenn., in 1918. On Oct. 13, 1918, he married Miss Thelma B. Williams, daughter of Daniel A. and Mary F. (Goens) of Forrest City. The Burke's have a son, John Emerson Jr., manager of Burke's Mortuary in Forrest City. During World War I, from 1913 to January, 1919, Dr. Burke served in the U. S. Army Dental Corps as a Second Lieutenant. He began his dental practice in theSuggs Building on Hill Street in 1918. and later the Norton Building on Washington Street for the last 15 years. He has taken post graduate work at Mayo's Clinic in Rochester, Minn., University of California, at Berkeley; Chicago Dental College; McHarry Medical College in Nashville; and McKesson School of Anesthesia at Toledo, Ohio. He is a member of the Baptist church, St. Francis County Non-Partisan Voters League, the American, National, and Arkansas Dental Associations. He also operated farming interests located Northwest of Palestine. SOURCE: HISTORY of ST. FRANCIS COUNTY, ARKANSAS, 1954 - Robert W. Chowning Copyright, with Permission: Weston McCollum Lewey, Publisher -Times Herald Publishing-Forrest City, Arkansas