Burke, Judge Thomas (1849-1925)

Thomas Burke, chief justice of the Washington State Supreme Court, arrived in Seattle in 1875 at the age of 25. A lawyer, he began practicing law, and within a couple of years was elected probate judge. He was a civic activist, becoming involved in education, railroading, and the cultural growth of the city. He opposed the Northern Pacific Railroad, became a partner in the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern Railroad, and in the end served as attorney for James J. Hill's Great Northern Railway to Seattle. He was an eloquent speaker and a voice for racial tolerance during the anti-Chinese riots of February 1886. He was married to Caroline McGilvra.

On October 5, 1879, Judge Burke married Caroline E. McGilvra, daughter of Judge John J. McGilvra and Elizabeth (Hills) McGilvra. Caroline Burke also had civic and cultural interests. She worked on a food conservation campaign during World War I, participated in the Red Cross, supported the Ladies' Relief Society, Camp Fire Girls, the Seattle Garden Club, the Lighthouse for the Blind, and the Seattle Historical Society. Her social involvements included the Seattle Tennis Club, the Sunset Club, the Seattle Golf Club, and the Garden Club.