Patrick W Burke : Short Biography

Patrick W. Burke is my great-grandfather. He is the outermost member of the Burke Family Tree that I have been able to identify. I’m still searching for some critical facts about his life, including where he was born and who his father was.

Patrick W. Burke was born 17 March 1852.

His place of birth is most likely England according to most documents. City and county are unknown.

There are some documents, however, that indicate he might have been born in Ireland. Parish and county are unknown.

Records show that both of Patricks parents were born in Ireland. Parishes and counties are unknown.

Although the names of Patrick’s birth parents are not clear-cut, it’s likely that Patrick’s father was John W. Burke and his mother was Winifred McDermott. There is a chance that Winifred could have been Patrick’s aunt.

Dominick McDermott was Winifred’s father. Her mother’s maiden name is unknown.

I have yet to find any marriage records of John and Winifred or birth/baptism records of Patrick.

Winifred might have remarried within a few years of Patrick’s birth. A NLI record from RootsIreland shows that a marriage between Jo(h)annes (John) Kilgallen and Winifred McDermott took place on 20 Feb 1855 in Kilbeagh, County Mayo. It is hard to tell, however, if this is Patrick’s mother.

John W. Burke’s fate is unknown.

Patrick emmigrated to the U.S. between 1852-1860. Ports of departure and entry are unknown.

There is a passenger manifest record from RootsIreland that shows 6-year old Pat Burke traveling from Liverpool, Lancashire, England to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States in July 1857 aboard the ship Saranak. He was accompanied by a spinster named Catherine Murphy, but there is no record of his parents. It is hard to tell if this is the right child.

Patrick was raisedin the United States by Johannes Kilgallen (or Gilgalon) and Winifred Kilgallen (nee McDermott), but he retained his Burke surname.

Patrick and the Gilgalons settled in Taylor County, Virginia, United States and appeared in the 1860 U.S. Census. (Taylor County later became part of the state of West Virginia when the state was formed during the U.S. Civil War.)

According to the 1870 U.S. Census, the family had moved to nearby Ritchie County, West Virginia.

On 29 November 1876, at age 24, Patrick married Catherine Shea at St. Augustine Catholic Church in Grafton, Taylor County, West Virginia, United States. Catherine was born in Baltimore, Maryland, United States.

Patrick and Catherine had 10 children, all of whom were born in Grafton, West Virginia.

The family moved to Pittsburg(h), Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States between June 1900 and June 1901.  On 24 June 1901, Catherine Burke suddenly passed away at age 48. Catherine was taken back to Grafton, West Virginia for burial in the Old Catholic Cemetery.

On 7 April 1911, Patrick remarried. His new wife was Marie Conroy. Patrick and Marie had three children.

On 14 January 1916, Patrick died at age 63. He is buried in Calvary Cemetery in Hazelwood, which is a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States.

I continue to search for information to verify Patrick’s birthplace and his birth parents.