James Burke is mentioned for the first time in Augusta County, VA records in 1742, when he was a member of George Robinson’s Company. He was the discoverer of Burke’s Garden, and is frequently mentioned in local histories of that region (Tazewell County, VA). He was born in either Goochland or Orange County, Virginia. He was a member of the survey party of Colonel Thomas L. Preston in the fall of 1748, when heavy snow forced them to break camp and delay their work for a year. James was reportedly one of the cooks and prior to the move had buried some potato peelings. When the party returned the next spring, a potato patch was growing. (Thus Burke’s Garden had its name.) According to Volume one of “Adams Ancestors,” by Thomas Nathan Clark James’ father was John Burke, an immigrant from Ireland. He had a brother William who was born about 1715 and died 24 April 1754 in Augusta Co., VA. He married first, Mary “Polly” Bane in Chester County, Pennsylvania on July 11, 1730. He married secondly, prior to August 29, 1751, Lucretia, widow of Methuselah Griffith. She was evidently Lucretia (Rees) Griffith, as Pennsylvania Archives (Series II, vol. 8, p. 107 states; “Methusalem Griffith and Lyky Reec” were married in Christ Church, Philadelphia, February 2, 1730/31. James and Lucretia Burke were residents of Cumberland County, North Carolina, in 1760, and later moved to Surry County, North Carolina, where his will, dated November 4, 1782, was recorded February 1783. James had at least ten children, James Jr., Sarah, Benjamin, Joseph, Mary, Naomi, John, Edward, Thomas, and Rebecca. In Edward W. Phifer Jr.’s book, “Burke - The History of a North Carolina County 1777-1920” copywrite 1977, James Burkes is listed as a settler on 200 acres of land on the south side of the Catawba River on Drowning Creek in 1778-79 in Burke County, NC. (This is possibly a different James.) ==== BURK Mailing List ==== NOTICE !!!! RootsWeb prohibits posting test messages, virus warnings, chain letters, political announcements, current events, missing children reports, flames, etc. (in other words - SPAM) to the list. Such postings could result in your removal from the list for a period of time. For information on virus hoaxes see <http://www.kumite.com/myths/>. =======================================================