Genealogy Chat

Hi..looking for a link with the USA for William John Burk born 1886. Father John Charles Burk

Anyone have info?
Thanks

Chrissie

Welcome Christina
What are you hoping to find about William. Have you any idea where he was born, married etc.

Hi Sylvia
I only joined today so Im a novice!
We only know that he was born in 1886
On his marriage certificate he has that he was born in Boston USA
Father John Charles
BUT he never talked about his past
We think he may have run away at about 12 years of age

We know his history in Australia from 1916 up till his death in 1926
We know nothing of his heritage

Who did William marry please . Was it 1916 when he went to Australia.

Boston Massachusetts? There are other Boston's in the USA

?????
1900 US census

Name: William Burke
Age: 13
Birth Date: Sep 1886<<<<<< ??
Birthplace: Massachusetts
Home in 1900: Boston Ward 16, Suffolk, Massachusetts
Race: White
Gender: Male
Relation to Head of House: Son
Marital Status: Single
Father's name: John Burke
Father's Birthplace: Ireland
Mother's name: Margaret Burke
Mother's Birthplace: Ireland

Name Age
John Burke 65
Margaret Burke 68
Richard Burke 25 - Son b Oct 1874 Massachusetts
William Burke 13

Parents claim to have been married 38 years and both to have immigrated to the US in 1860. 6 children born to the marriage, of whom 3 are still living.
John & Richard both worked on the Rail Road

This looks like the marriage.
First name(s) William John
Last name Burk
Marital status Single/Spinster
Age 28
Birth year 1886
Marriage year 1914
Marriage date 08 Jun 1914
Place St Bartholomew Church Norwood
District Norwood
State South Australia
Country Australia
Father's first name(s) John Charles
Father's last name Burk
Spouse's first name(s) Gertrude York
Spouse's last name Edwards
Spouse's marital status Single/Spinster
Spouse's age 29
Spouse's birth year 1885
Spouse's father's first name(s) Edward
Spouse's father's last name Edwards
Registration number 259/963
Record set South Australia Marriages 1842-1937
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Subcategory Marriages & divorces
Collections from Australasia
© Genealogy SA, trading as the South Australian Genealogy .

O goodness..thankyou Detective! Thats the first names Ive found that sound hopeful!
All we have is Boston America on his Australian Marriage Certificate. Then on his Australian army records, he has England!

Death ?
First name(s) William John
Last name Burk
Gender Male
Status Married
Birth year 1886
Death year 1926
Death date 16 Oct 1926
Age at death 40y
Residence Renmark
Place Renmark
District Burra
State South Australia
Country Australia
Registration number 490/525
Informant Wife
Informant's first name(s) Gertrude Y
Informant's last name Burk
Notes An official correction was recorded, and the correction information is shown
Record set South Australia Deaths 1842-1972
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Subcategory Deaths & burials
Collections from Australasia
©

There are a number of William John Burk(e)s, so don't get too excited!.

If you have his dob rather than just the year it will help to identify the correct one.

We only have a date 1886. When he enlisted in the army he said he was born in Burton OnTrent. But on marriage certificate it says Boston America
So who knows?

Is the above marriage the correct one, married to gertrude york

Most odd! You'd have thought that the Recruiting officer would have been able to identify an accent.

Civil registration for births in England & Wales came enforcable in 1873. On that basis, if he was born in Stoke on Trent, he should have been registered. But he's not, at least not in that area. He could have made that up if he thought he'd be more likely to be accepted into the army.

Sylvia I sent you 2 messages? Maybe on the wrong board...
Im a learner here!
Yes the marriage is correct and also the death
We have certificates for both
Its just the pre Australia info we have nothing on

A tree on Ancestry has that death above in 1926- but has this birth:

Australia, Birth Index, 1788-1922
Name: William John Burk
Birth Date: 01 May 1886
Father's name: John Charles Burk
Mother's name: Elizabeth Arbery
Birth Place: Petersburg
Registration Place: Frome, South Australia
Page Number: 460
Volume Number: 371

Didn't know if this was connected- although Burke with an 'E'

Article in the Trove:

Transcontinental (Port Augusta, SA : 1914 - 1954)
Friday 19 November 1926

DEATH OF MR. W. J. BURKE.

Old residents of Port Augusta will j regret to learn of the death of Mr. J William John ('Curlie') Burke, at Renmark on 12th October last. .Mr. Burke was born in Port Augusta 39 years ago, and was the second son of Mrs. Mealley, of this town. He received his education at the local school and resided in the Port until a few
years before the war, when he went to Port Pirie and entered the baking business there. While in Port Augusta Mr. Burke was popular, and well known to nearly every one as "Curlie.' : From Port Pirie he went to the war ; and served there for three,and a half years. He was wounded in the leg and had half of his foot amputated. He also received wounds which were ultimately the cause of death. Mr. Burke, since the war, had resided in Renmark and was connected with .the Masonic Lodge in that place. He leaves a widow - and two children to mourn his loss.

Word is also to hand that Mr. G. Burke, an older brother of the late Mr. W. J. Burke, a T.B. soldier, has had another attack and was taken to the Institution in Adelaide last week for treatment.

Is there anything on Trove about him?
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper

There must have been something in his background to want to create a fictitious 'history'.

Ha, ha. AustinQ has just thought of that :-D

Another article stating born in Burton on Trent:


Murray Pioneer and Australian River Record (Renmark, SA : 1913 - 1942) (about)
Friday 22 October 1926

MR. W. J. BURK

VETERAN SOLDIER AND SAILOR PASSES

At midnight on Saturday, October 16 there died in the Renmark Hospital, a veteran soldier and a good citizen in the person of "William John Burk", who for nearly two years had been Renmark's watermaster. As a sailor he had an adventurous career taking part in the Boxer rising of 1900, for which he was granted a medal by the Imperial authorities. He was one of the naval brigade picked by the late Admiral Sir Percy Scott and hurried up from the port of Durban to Ladysmith, arriving there only a few hours before General Louis Botha completely invested the town. In the beleagured city he served under Commanders Lampton and Ogilvy, R.N., and he held the Queen's South African medal with a bar for the relief of Ladysmith. While taking part in the defence of the town Mr. Burk fought at Wagon Hill when that important tactical position was rush ed by Botha's troops. He was for 36 hours without food during the combat. which for hours hung in the balance. He was brought to notice by that gallant soldier the late Sir George White for good work with guns.

During the Great War Mr. Burk

served with the A.I.F. in France and gained three decorations, including the 1914 star. He rose to the rank of corporal and his discharge papers denote the good soldier he was. As a citizen he had many friends, and he was a good neighbour, always ready to do a good turn. He was born at Burton-On-Trent in England 40 years ago. He had been under Dr. Dunstan's care only a week before he died. His brother-in-law, Mr. L. T. Edwards, was with him when the end came. Mr. Burk has left a widow and two little children Joan (10) and Bettie (8), for whom much sympathy is felt. He was a mason and a member of the R.S.A. The funeral took place at Renmark on Sun day, the Rev. C. A. Hawke officiating.
-----------------------------------

So is this the same man as above?? :-S

I think both articles are for the same man- the article from the Transcontinental mentions he went into the baking business and according to the attestation papers of the William born in Burton upon Trent, his occupation was a baker.

According to a letter in the military file from his wife, he died 16th Oct 1926 from ruptured gastric ulcers.

Australia, WWI Service Records, 1914-1920
Name: William John Burk
Birth Place: BurtonOnTrent, England
Dossier Year Range: 1914-1920
Enlistment Place: Sydney, New South Wales
Service number: 11448
Next of Kin: Gertrude York Burk
Relationship to Soldier: Wife

Another tree on Ancestry has Elizabeth Arbery (married name Burk) with partner Peter Sarfini Mealy- which fits with the Mrs Meally reference from the Transcontinental article.

Therefore I would be inclined to think that William was actually born in SA

Do we know if or where Boer War records are on-line? Although I’ve looked on the Australian NA, there doesn’t seem to be a relevant record.

The closest on the UK National Archives is
Name Burke, William
Register Number: 3359
Division: Royal Marine Light Infantry: Chatham Division
When Enlisted/Date of Enlistment: 30 October 1884
Date of Birth: 30 June 1867

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7763387
……………

If the Australian birth turns out to be more likely, then this might be his parents’ marriage
Name: Charles Burk
Father's name: Joseph Burk
Spouse Name: Elizabeth Arbery
Spouse's Father's Name: Joseph Arbery
Marriage Date: 31 Dec 1881
Marriage Place: Res Of Joseph Arbery (Quorn)
Registration Place: Flinders, South Australia
Page Number: 1311
Volume Number: 129

Can anyone find a birth for a G Burk with the same parents?