Burke, William 1882 family

BURKE, CLIFFORD

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 4/3/2020 at 12:34:16

From the Hawarden Centennial book 1887-1897 On The Right Track page 549

William Burke Family

Near the Lincoln - Union County boundary in Virginia Town ship a log cabin marked the homestead of William Burke family. William and Catherine Burke Iris Canadians, settled this homestead with their four children in 1870. In a two week period during March 1871 that fatal disease Diphtheria took the lived of the three youngest children, leaving only the oldest son Tom. William and Catherine buried their three youngest on the homestead. The Burke later removed the bodies to a cemetery beside a little parish church near Jefferson, the first Catholic church built in the Dakota Territory.

In 1873, a daughter was born and nine months later she died and was buried in the cemetery with her brother and two sisters. Five more children Blessed this home, including Catherine, Minnie, Ann and Will. Will was five years of age when his father passed away. The eldest son Tom helped his mother raise his younger siblings.

Will Burke was born Jun 15, 1882 on a farm four miles south of Hudson, where he spent his entire life. The fine friendly, staunch gentleman married Anna Clifford of Hawarden in 1908. They initially lived in a house east of their second home, which they built in 1917 six and a half miles north and a half mile east of Hawarden, near the Virginia school house in Hudson SD. Will and Anna farmed the land while raising five children, Clifford, Tom, Jack, Dorothy and Catherine Beatrice.

Jack Burke was born Jan 3, 1919, in Hawarden and also graduated from Hawarden High School in 1936. He farmed with his parents before entering the military service July 17, 1941 at Fort Crook NE. He was honorably discharged Nov 21, 1944 after attaining the rank of Sergeant in the U. S. Army Corp. After the death of his father Nov 11,1948 and mother Set 8, 1952, Jack moved from the family farm to St. Charles IL. He continued to own the SD farm which is farmed by his nephew, John Burke. Jack married Julie Olieslager of St. Charles and they raised two daughters, Annie and Jacqueline. After 27 years of employment he retired from the Howell Company furniture factory in 1979.

This story is dedicated to the loving memory of husband and father Jack Buke, who died May 1, 1985

This page was donated by Mrs. Jack Burke and daughters Annie and Jacqueline on loving memory of their husband and father Jack Burke.

Research note: a page on ancestry.com lists the parents of William Burke born 1882 as Tom Burke born 1840 Ireland died South Dakota and Catherine Kitty Allen(?) born Apr 1842 Ireland.