PATRICK BURKE, farmer, Sec. 9; P.O. Oregon; born in County, Leitrim, Ireland, in 1820; he attended the once forbidden and sequestered “Hedge” schools of old Ireland; came to America in June, 1842; settled and remained in Vermont until November, 1848 when he came to Dane Co., and at the first sale bought the first 40 acres of school land ever sold in Wisconsin; Cassius Fairchild did him a good turn, and, by interceding with Levies, the Land Agent, secured it to Mr. Burke at $160. Mr. and Mrs. Burke began in a log house or claim-shanty, and a couple of years later built on of their own; the boards and shingles were hauled from Milwaukee; ten years later he bought another 40 acres, on which was a part of his present and pleasant farmhouse; he now has 240 acres, 180 of which are cultivated. He married in his and her native county, in 1842, Miss Margaret Cowan, born in 1822; they have four children – William, Francis E., John D., and George C. The oldest is a grain and stock dealer in Fried, Neb.; R.E. studied at the State University; graduated at the Northwestern University, Watertown, and is now teaching in Clyde, Kan; John D. took an academic and partial business course at the Northwestern Business College, Madison; the two younger sons are on the old homestead and all are attendants of the Catholic Church.
1880 History of Dane County, Wisconsin, p. 1235.