• Records by Lori Manning (previously Lori Berg) 05/06/00 by John Burke Truher, 05/10/00
Our web friendly Burke genealogist , Lori Manning, provides email, reconstructed below:
• Thomas Bourke was born in 1833, immigrated to USA in 1844, was a private (age 15-19, or 16-20) in the US Army in the Mexican-American War of 1846-1849. He received a war service bounty which he applied to a homestead in Indiana. He was swindled out of it, and bought the Richland Center, Wisconsin, farm sometime between 1870 and 1873. Thomas Bourke died in 1883. Thomas also may have served in the Civil War, not sure we have hard records on that.
Catherine Stapleton Burke registered for a veteran's wife pension when she was about 60 years old. No details on particulars of award. Catherine lived until aged 75.
OFFICIAL RECORDS:
June 27, 1857 Marriage Certificate, (County Room Brewer Library, given by Helen Sanden of Edgerton, WI), Thomas Burk and Catherine Stapleton married June 27, 1857 in the state if Indiana, Tippecanoe County.
October 11, 1858 Citizenship Papers, (County Room Brewer Library, given by Helen Sanden of Edgerton, WI), "To the Judge of the Tippecanoe Circuit Court, In the State of Indiana: Thomas Burk Being an Alien, and a free white person, makes the following report of himself: upon his solemn oath declares that he is aged 27 years; that he was born in the County of Tippraray in the Kingdom of Great Britain & Ireland that he emigrated from Liverpool in the year one thousand eight hundred and forty two; that he arrived in the United States at the City of Baltimore in the State of Maryland on the 29 day of September eighteen hundred and forty two that he owes allegiance to Victoria Queen of Great Britain & Ireland and that it is bona fide his intention to become a citizen of the United States of America, and to renounce forever allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty whatever; and particularly to Victoria Queen as ? of whom he is a subject. Sworn to and Subscribed, Before me, on the 11 day of October A.D. 1858, William ? Ellis Clerk C.C."
July 13, 1892 Widow's Service Pension, (County Room Brewer Library, given by Helen Sandin of Edgerton, WI), Mexican War "Cathren Bourke, Dayton Twp.- Richland Co., WI, Widow of Thomas Bourke Pvt., [who] died April 2, 1883, [pension] received July 13, 1892."------
Declaration of Widow for Pension, (County Room Brewer Library, given by Helen Sandin of Edgerton, WI), Mexican War Pensions. "On this 8th day of July, A.D. 1892, personally appeared before me, clerk of the Circuit Court the same being a court of record in the State of Wisconsin, Catherine Bourke, a resident of the Township of Dayton in the county of Richland, in the State of Wisconsin who being by me first duly sworn according to law, deposes and says: I am the widow of Thomas Bourke, who served under the name of Thomas Bourke, as a Private in the war with Mexico; That my said husband enlisted at Charleston Virginia, for the term of during war; That I was married under my name of Catharine Stapleton to my said husband, by Father James Cloak on or about the 28th day of June, A.D. 1857 at Lafayette, in the State of Indiana, and lived with my said husband from the date of my said marriage until the day of his death, to wit: the Second day of April, A.D. 1883, when my said husband died at Township of Dayton, Richland Co., in the State of Wisconsin, and that I have not since remarried; That there was never any legal impediment to said marriage. Believes he served sometime over sixty days. Remember he said he was in hospital with bloody ? three weeks after the rest were discharged. That since the death of my said husband I have resided at the following places, to wit: In the same house continuously since my husband died."
Census for 1900, WI, Richland Co., Dayton Twp., E.D. 111, sheet 6, family 94, (Bourk) head, female, date of birth Mar. 1832, age 68, widow, 9 births, 6 living, born Ireland, father Ireland, mother Ireland, immigrated 1846, 54 yrs. in U.S., farmer, can read & write, own home, mortgaged, farm.
September 3, 1908 Burial Permit, (County Room Brewer Library, given by Helen Sandin of Edgerton, WI), "Town of Dayton Sept 4th 1908. A satisfactory certificate of death having been furnished to me, as required by the laws of this State, permission is hereby given for the burial of Catherine Burke who died at Dayton Township in the county of Richland on Sept 3rd 1908; the cause of death being cancer of stomach. Place of burial Richland Center.---Thompson's Richland Co. Cemeteries, St. Mary's Cemetery #211, b: 1833, d: 9-3-1908, 75yrs., "Aged 75 years."