My Genealogy Hound

S. W. BURKE, retired farmer and loan agent, Sec. 6; P. O. Bloomington. The subject of this sketch was born in St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., May 20, 1824. He was brought up to farm labor until he attained his majority; he then worked at the ship-carpenter’s trade four years, and afterward followed the life of a sailor four years, most of the time upon the lakes. In the spring of 1850, he went to California, and followed mining one year, when he engaged in dealing in provisions and mining supplies four years, meeting with fair success. In the spring of 1855, he returned to Jefferson Co., N. Y., and purchased a farm, and engaged in farming for fifteen years, a portion of which time he resided in Watertown, N. Y. In the spring of 1865, he emigrated to Illinois, and purchased 500 acres of Section 3, Old Town Township, McLean Co., upon which he located, and engaged in farming and stock-raising for four years, when he disposed of his farm for $25,500 cash, and, with his family removed to Bloomington, and purchased a residence on East Washington street, where he engaged in loaning money, and, in the spring of 1871, he purchased his present place of 300 acres, upon Sec. 6, where he has since lived and followed the business of farming, stock-raising and loaning money. His marriage with Hulda E. Burke was celebrated in New York March 13, 1856. She was born in Allen Co., Ind., April 6, 1834. They were the parents of seven children, of whom six are now living — Byron R., May E., Charles O., Sada I., Reed and Clara A.; the deceased died at three years of age. The children all make their home with their parents.