Person:William Burch (22)

Note from Kathy Burch Williams: William Preston Burch is said to have been a "horseracer", and possibly lived in the Washington, DC area. He apparently never went to Texas to live." The Burch book also said he lived in DC.

Article below found at William P. Burch's lengthy career covered the late 19th century and the early 20th century. He was the first of three generations of Hall of Fame trainers from the Burch family. Born in 1846 in South Carolina, Burch served as a courier under Gen. Wade Hampton's command in the Confederate army. After the war Burch raced Quarter Horses at southern fairs and gradually shifted to Thoroughbred racing.

Burch's first good horse was named Wade Hampton; he won the 1872 Monmouth Sequel and the Saratoga Sequel Stakes. Burch trained his own horses until the 1890's when he began training for Francis Hitchcock.

Among the horses W.P. Burch trained for Hitchcock were Decanter, Gen'l. Mart Gary, and Grey Friar, winner of the 1902 Matron and Grand Union Hotel Stakes. Prior to his death in 1926 Burch also trained Adm. Cary Grayson's My Own, winner of the 1923 Saratoga Cup, Uncas and Maryland Handicaps, and 1924 Saratoga Handicap.

[Picture] William P. Burch, right, with his son Preston Burch, left - ©C.C.Cook

Burch brought other significant horsemen into the sport of Thoroughbred racing, including: apprentice jockey George Odom, A.J. Joyner, Burch's stable foreman and another future Hall of Fame trainer, and his son trainer Preston Burch.

William P. Burch was inducted in the Hall of Fame in 1955.

1. ↑ Burch, W. Bernette. Burch Family and Hollendsworth, Thomas, Meadow, Jackson No.1, Jackson No.2, Blakeney, Timmons etc
   5.
2.   United States. 1850 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M432)
   Chesterfield District, South Carolina.
3.   Research of Kathy Burch Williams kb-smwilliams addtheAT sbcglobal addthedot net.

   Her source was Sara Walker Powell, 15 Mar 2000.