Tuesday, May 17, 2005

William Burke (1845-1919) who emigrated from Ireland

William Burke (1845-1919) Immigrant from Ireland to USA and Milk Dealer in Jersey City, New Jersey (b. circa March 19, 1845, County Sligo, Ireland - d. July 29, 1919, Philadelphia General Hospital, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, USA)

Birth:
William was born in 1845 to Mary X (c1820- ) and John Burke (c1820-?) in County Sligo, Ireland

Emigration:
He emigrated to the United States on February 15, 1863 at age 18, to New York City. He was naturalized as a US citizen on October 27, 1874 in Jersey City and his certificate was handed down in the family and was last with his great-grandson, Vincent Gerard Norton (1923-2005) in Florida in 2005.

Marriage:
He married Margaret Kane (c1834-1912) in 1868.

Children:
Together they had at least two children: John Joseph Burke (1868-1939) who married Nora M. Finn (1866-1898) and after her death married Josephine Smith (1875-1962); and Mary Ellen Burke (1870-1957) who married Richard B. Patterson II (1869-1930).

Milk Dealer:
He operated a milk dealership from his home at 26 Atlantic Avenue in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Marriage of Son:
Around 1889, his son, John married Nora M. Finn (1866-1898) and she gave birth to Mary Margaret Burke (1890-1949) aka May Burke. In 1898 Nora died of pneumonia and Mary was raised by Nora's sister, Catherine Elizabeth Finn (1863-1918) aka Kate Finn, who worked as a secretary at a pencil company. In 1899 John Burke then married Josephine Smith (1875-1962) and they had five children together. John had trouble earning enough money to support his children so the girls were raised by his sister, Mary Burke. John's sister may have adopted two children: Leona Veronica Patterson; and John Patterson.

Pennsylvania:
By 1910 William Burke and his wife, Margaret, retired to Delaware County, Pennsylvania and lived with their daughter, Mary Ellen Burke, and her husband, Richard B. Patterson II .

Death of Wife:
Margaret died on June 12, 1912 and William bought a cemetery plot in Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery in Yeadon. The deed was in the possession of Vincent Gerard Norton (1923-2005) in Florida as of 2005.

Death:
William Burke died on July 29, 1919 at the Philadelphia General Hospital in Philadelphia. He died of Alzheimer's disease and his death certificate lists the cause of death as "exhaustion from senile dementia".

Burial:
He was buried in Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery in Yeadon with: his wife, Margaret Kane; his daughter, Mary Ellen Burke; and Mary's husband, Richard B. Patterson II; and two of his granddaughters: Bertha M. Burke (1902-1971) and Josephine Veronica Burke (1907-1995). There are no markers for any of the graves.

Relationship:
William Burke (1845-1919) was the second great-grandfather of Richard Arthur Norton (1958- ).