I'm trying to find biographical information about the family of
Francis J. Burke ("stage" name: Johnny Burke) who was a pretty famous
U.S. composer, born Antioch California in 1907 or 1908, died NYC
February 1964, SSN 081-09-6050.  In particular, about his son, Kevin,
who would have been born between 1940 and 1950, and died between 1969
and 1972.  Given the internet's enormous resources, I can't believe
this information isn't available but I keep getting just so far and
then getting "no information available" or being asked to pay nearly
$100.  Thank you for whatever help you can give me.

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Request for Question Clarification by tutuzdad-ga on 24 Nov 2002 19:37 PST

Dear imwtk-ga:

Does your statement "Thank you for whatever help you can give me"
indicate that you will accept partial information in Johnny Burke's
life and career as an answer?

Tutuzdad-ga

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Clarification of Question by imwtk-ga on 24 Nov 2002 21:23 PST

No and yes - I know a lot about Johnny Burke's career which has been
written about and documented pretty extensively. It's his family for
which I'm looking for information, mainly about his son, Kevin - birth
and date deaths - and his twin daughters one of whom is named Cory
(although that spelling may be wrong).  And/or how to find the
information without having to pay an annual fee to "ancestry.com". 
Thanks.

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Clarification of Question by imwtk-ga on 25 Nov 2002 20:06 PST

Where did you find the information about the "1 son and 3 daughters"? 
Nothing I've found has indicated anything about the descendants. 
Thanks!

11-25-2002

DEAR IMWTK:

Some limited information is available, but you will have to do a
little bit of follow up research yourself.  Visit the website
www.rootsweb.com, and click on the MESSAGE BOARDS link (at the middle
of the strip at the top of the webpage), then, in the box titled "FIND
A MESSAGE BOARD", enter the search term "NEW YORK COUNTY", and a page
of links will come up.  Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find
the link "BOARDS--LOCALITIES--NORTH AMERICA--U.S.--STATES-NEW
YORK--COUNTIES--NEW YORK" and you can post your query there, similar
to what you have posted here.  An amateur or professional genealogist
will respond who can lead you in the right direction.  It is virtually
the same type of website as ancestry.com (they own it), but the
rootsweb site does not require a paid membership before you get
information or see the results.

Please explain exactly why you want the information or how you are
going to use it.

Francis was one of the most prolific songwriters in America and had 1
son and 3 daughters.

SINCERELY,
4keith-ga

Thanks for this tip.  I'll try it.

I want the information because the children were good friends of my
brother and sister when they were young, and we were wondering what
happened to them all, having lost touch in the late sixties.  (My
father was a jazz critic who knew Johnny Burke well, at one point.)

11-30-2002

Instead of the complicated www.rootsweb.com/www.ancestry.com websites,
it may be easier to do a posting on FRANCIS BURKE/JOHNNY BURKE on the
website www.findpeople.org, where you just list the basic information
you have on him, and then in a brief separate descriptive comment,
mention that you are looking for names of his children.

SINCERELY,
4keith-ga

12-26-2002

The New York Times obit for Mr. Burke mentions:  He was married 4
times.  Fourth wife's name was Mary Mason.  4 children from 2nd
marriage to Bessie Patterson:  1 son, KEVIN, 3 daughters, MRS. PATRICK
REGAN, RORY BURKE, TIMOLIN BURKE.  Campbell Funeral Chapel (81st St
and Madison Ave) handled the arrangements, and Mr. Burke had lived in
a suite at the Parc Vendome hotel on 340 W. 57th St.

SINCERELY,
4keith-ga