BURKE, William R., Iberia Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Mike Miller
Source: Southwest Louisiana Biographical and Historical, Biographical
Section
Date: 21 Oct 1998


**********************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm
**********************************************
 

W. R. BURKE, NEW IBERIA.--William R. Burke, superintendent of the public
schools of Iberia parish, is a native of the town of New Iberia, born
February '4, 1839.

His parents, William Burke and Ellen Lee, were both natives of Ireland,
reared in the city of Waterford, where they married.  While young and
ambitious, with hope of future reward in the new world, they bid, in
1833, a lasting farewell to the home of their childhood.  After a
tedious voyage of three months across the Atlantic, they, with the few
immigrant friends who had accompanied them, and who were also seeking
"the land of the free and home of the brave," made their first landing
at Quebec, Canada.  They subsequently removed to New Jersey.

Hearing of great inducements offered to emigrants to go to Texas, they
got their little crowd together and started for the promised land.  It
was about the year 1834 that the small band landed at Corpus Christi. 
They were soon enlisted in the Texas militia and given a league of land
each, which was selected in Refugio county, where they built their homes
and surrounded themselves with such comforts as the wilds of Texas could
then afford.  But they were not to enjoy it long, as they were
ruthlessly driven from their homes at night by Indian hostilities.  It
was not on the order of going, but go at once.  They only escaped and
saved their lives by the skin of their teeth.  Their Texas home they saw
no more.

On their march through Texas and into Louisiana their first stop was at
the town of Opelousas, St. Landry parish, where they remained a short
while doing a few odd jobs.  Next they turned their faces toward the
land of Evangeline the country of the Teche.  They first located in the
town of St. Martinsville, and from thence they drifted down to the town
of New Iberia, where, in the year 1836, they permanently located, and
where the remainder of their lives was spent.  William Burke died of
yellow fever in October, 1839, at the age of thirty-two.  His wife
survived him until 1865, when she died in the city or Orleans, on the
21st of May, where she had gone to settle losses she had sustained by
the ravages of war, claiming rights as an English subject.

William R. Burke began business as a liveryman, in association with his
mother and two brothers.  Having learned the carpenter's trade, he also
gave some attention in his early years to this business.  He received a
primary education at the public schools' of New Iberia.  At the
beginning of the war, in 1861, he enlisted as a sergeant in Company D,
Eighteenth Louisiana Infantry, General Mouton's regiment, and served
during the war.  He was first-lieutenant when the war closed.  His field
of operations was chiefly in Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana.  He
participated in the battles of Pittsburg, Shiloh, Bisland and Texana. 
At the last named place he was taken prisoner, with his whole company,
by General Weitzel's brigade, and was paroled the next day.  Three
months later he was exchanged and reassigned to his command.  He was at
Natchitoches at the tune of the surrender.  After the war Mr. Burke
resumed charge of the livery stable business, in which he continued
until November, 1886.  He has always been an active participant in the
local affairs of the town and parish.  From 1879 to 1887 he was
treasurer and collector of New Iberia, and was President of the Police
Jury from 1877 to 1879.  In 1877 he was elected secretary and parish
superintendent of the public schools.  Mr. Burke's untiring efforts for
the improvement of the public school system of Iberia parish will long
be remembered.  When he took possession of the office the schools were
in a most deplorable condition, and under his supervision they have
attained their present standard.

Mr. Burke was united in marriage with Miss Elise Bonin, of New Iberia,
on the 28th of October, 1867.  Both he and his wife are Catholics.

Southwest Louisiana Biographical and Historical, Biographical Section,
pp. 96-97.  Edited by William Henry Perrin.  Published in 1891, by The
Gulf Publishing Company.