University of Virginia Library

THE BURKE FAMILY

The name Burke, Burk, Bourke or Bourck, as it is variously
spelt, was originally written De Burgh and under that form is
an ancient name, traceable back to the fourteenth century.
The family is of Norman origin and is prominent in Irish and
English history. The first person of the name, of record, in
America was Richard Burke, of Sudbury, Mass., of whom nothing
is known previous to his marriage in Sudbury in 1670. Connecting
his appearance with the fact that less than twenty years
prior to 1670, Michael de Burgh, Earl of Clauricarde, was driven
from his country, his estate sequestered and his home broken
up, we are led to wonder whether in the consequent dispersion of
his retainers, one of his relatives, or possibly himself, did not
find passage to the new world to start life anew, under less
oppressive circumstances. Major John Burke was born at
Hatfield, Mass., November 28, 1717 and died at Deerfield, October
27, 1786. Richard Burke, a descendant of the Burkes of Massachusetts,
came to Virginia, it is supposed, about 1775. He
had issue: John, Henry and William. John Muse Burke, his son,
married Frances Sophia Woolfolk, of "Shepherd's Hill," in
Caroline, May 31, 1817 and had issue: Thos. George, John,
Jourdan, Bettie Ann, Cordelia, Maria Louise, Margaret, Fanny
and Mary Ellen. Thomas George Burke m. Isabella Garnett
and had issue: Betty W., John Muse, Thos. George, Robt. Hampton,
Sallie M., Belle Garnett. John Muse m. Sarah Grineck
and had issue: Daniel G. Burke. Thos. George m. Nannie Beazley
and had issue: Charles, Leslie, Harry, Mabel, Earle, Thomas,
Grace. Robert Hampton m. Agnes Lowe and had issue: James,
Isabella and Robert. Bettie W., m. James M. Jesse and had
issue: Fannie, Corra and Annie. Sallie M. died unmarried.

Belle Garnett m. Robt. Emmett Collins, son of Capt. Charles
Collins of War of 1812 and had issue: Mary Lou, Emmett Burke,
Sarah Muse, George Waverly, Thomas Maury, Belle Hampton,
Margaret Catherine, Samuel Dickinson and Ione Bertrand
Mary Lou m. Wm. A. Beazley and had issue: Robert Hampton,
William Ashby, Thos. Collins and Emmett Garnett. Emmett
Burke, unmarried. George Waverly, unmarried. Thomas Maury,
unmarried. Sam'l Dickinson, unmarried. Sarah Muse m. Thos.
Orin Hyatt, no issue. Belle Hampton m. Elwood Dunn Davies
and has issue: Elwood Dunn, Jr., Dickinson Maury and Lou
Belle. Ione Bertrand m. David C. Glascock, no issue. For
further Burke genealogy see History of Burke Family, 239 pages,
and also Woolfolk genealogy elsewhere in this volume.

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