When William Alvord Burke was born on 7 July 1811, in Windsor, Vermont, United States, his father, Benjamin Burke, was 36 and his mother, Roxana Alvord, was 35. He married Catherine French on 6 June 1837, in Bedford, Hillsborough, New Hampshire, United States. They were the parents of at least 2 sons and 3 daughters. He died on 28 May 1887, in Lowell, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States, at the age of 75, and was buried in Lowell Cemetery, Lowell, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States.
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War of 1812. U.S. declares war on Britain over British interference with American maritime shipping and westward expansion.
Because of the outbreak of war from Napoleonic France, Britain decided to blockade the trade between the United States and the French. The US then fought this action and said it was illegal under international law. Britain supplied Native Americans who raided settlers living on the frontier and halting expansion westward. In 1814, one of the British raids stormed into Washington D.C. burning down the capital. Neither the Americans or the British wanted to continue fighting, so negotiations of peace began. After Treaty of Ghent was signed, Unaware of the treaty, British forces invaded Louisiana but were defeated in January 1815.
Convinced that a group of Native American tribes were hostile, The United States formed a frontier militia to stop them in their tracks. Even though Black Hawk was hoping to avoid bloodshed while trying to resettle on tribal land, U.S. officials opened fire on the Native Americans. Black Hawk then responded to this confrontation by successfully attacking the militia at the Battle of Stillman's Run and then left northward. After a few months the militia caught up with Black Hawk and his men and defeated them at the Battle of Wisconsin Heights. While being weakened by hunger, injuries and desertion, Black Hawk and the rest of the many native survivors retreated towards the Mississippi. Unfortunately, Black Hawk and other leaders were later captured when they surrendered to the US forces and were then imprisoned for a year.
Some characteristic forenames: Irish Brendan, Kieran, Siobhan, Aileen, Brennan, Brigid, Donovan, Liam, Murphy, Ulick, Aidan, Dermot.
English and Irish (of Anglo-Norman origin): habitational name from Burgh (Castle) in Suffolk, England. Burk represents an Anglo-Norman pronunciation of Old English burg, Middle English burgh ‘fortification’ (see Burgh ).
German: variant of Burk .
Dictionary of American Family Names © Patrick Hanks 2003, 2006.
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