James & Sally Burke
From North Carolina to Texas

By Shirley D. Webb © 2002

James Madison BURKE married Sarah "Sallie" Merrick DEMING in Chatham County, North Carolina, when she was just 15 years old. They raised a large family of 14 children.

Sallie lived to be 91 years old. Her father, Fisher DEMING, came to North Carolina in the early 19th century from his birth state of Connecticut where his ancestor, John DEMING, was an early settler and prominent citizen of Wethersfield. John DEMING, the Settler, first arrived in this country about 1635.

Fisher DEMING married Elizabeth Alston JONES. She descends from the ALSTON family of North Carolina and the JONES family who came from Virginia to settle Granville Co, NC.

Sarah DEMING and James M. BURKE were married August 3, 1834, an event which was recorded in the Fisher Deming Family Bible. Their first two children were born in North Carolina. Then they went to Hardeman Co, Tennessee, where 4 more children were born. About 1848, they moved to Jefferson Co, Arkansas, and stayed until their final westward move which was to Collin Co, Texas, in 1858. Six children were born in Arkansas and two more were born in Texas.

Their children were:

William W. BURKE b. 15 May 1835 NC. He married Melinda Ann MUNCY in 1857
Solomon G. BURKE b. 5 May 1838 NC. He married Malisa E. ALEXANDER 17 Feb 1870

James F. BURKE b. 25 Dec 1839 TN. He married Artitia Dowell DONNELL 10 Nov 1881

Joseph Calvin BURKE b. 29 Nov 1841 TN d. 11 May 1923.

He married Anna Elizabeth ELLIOTT 21 Jan 1869

Margaret Emily BURKE b. 29 Nov 1843 TN d. 23 Oct 1886 TX.

She married William W. WATSON 25 Feb 1861
Thomas P. BURKE b. 28 Dec 1845 TN d. 12 Dec 1935 TX.

He married Melinda Evaline CHASTAIN 19 Feb 1872

Levinia Elizabeth BURKE b. 14 Nov 1847 AR d. 21 Jun 1936 TX.

She married Isaac FRANKLIN 18 Sep 1867

Eliza Jane BURKE b. 30 Jun 1849 AR d. 13 Apr 1877.

She married Samuel S. WATSON 7 Oct 1872

John H. BURKE b. 22 Mar 1851 AR. He married Margaret E. MUNCY 22 Jan 1880

Sarah Anne BURKE b. 28 Nov 1852 AR d. 3 Mar 1943 TX.

She married George Marion KERBY 2 Sep 1869

Marion Monroe BURKE b. 8 Jun 1854 AR d. 5 Jun 1920 AZ
He married Eleanor Caledonia MUNCY 3 Aug 1882

George W. BURKE b. 5 Jul 1856 AR d. 5 Apr 1893 TX. He married Josephine FORBIS 22 Dec 1881

Charles W. BURKE b. 26 Nov 1858 TX. d. 30 Apr 1937 CA.
He married Maggie Enfield SMITH 1 Dec 1897

Mary Caroline BURKE b. 27 Jul 1862 TX. d. 22 Feb 1937 TX

She married Charles Andrew GIFFORD 14 Dec 1880.

Sallie and James BURKE owned property along the banks of Honey Creek in Collin County. He raised cattle and swine, had horses, milk cows and oxen, according to the 1870 Agriculture Census. His crops were wheat, corn, sweet potatoes and a little cotton.

These early frontier people are buried at Mugg Cemetery near Weston, Collin Co, TX, where their pioneering spirit lives on.

Sources: Fisher Deming Family Bible; "Cemetery inscriptions for Collin Co, TX" by Alice Pitts; Cemetery Records of Denton Co, TX; Census for 1850 (AR), 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900 & 1910 (TX); Agricultural Census for Collin Co, TX, 1860 & 1870; Marriage records for Collin, Grayson & Swisher Counties, Texas; Deed Records for Collin County; Death Records, States of Arizona, Texas & California; Social Security Death Index; SS-5 application for Ray Gifford; Obituary from Van Alstyne "Leader" for Joe Burke.

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