Patrick Burke was born in Fogo in 1859 to Myles and Margaret Burke. He traveled to Little Bay with his widowed mother and was present in the town by 1888. I have reference to a Margaret Burke in Little Bay in 1883 which could place the family there earlier. According to a student interview with Leo Hayse in the 1980s the Burkes and Hearns were the first two families to operate stores in Little Bay. If accurate that would put Patrick Burke in Little Bay almost immediately. I can confirm that he is listed as a Trader there by 1889. According to a My Heritage page he had a schooner that he operated his coastal trading business from. Patrick Burke was an active community member in Little Bay; speaking at political rallies, participating in the town’s billiard’s club, and donating money for both the Harbour Grace Cathedral Fund and the Parnell Defence Fund. A motor boat could be rented off of him by 1918. He died in Little Bay in 1927 but was oddly still listed in the Mercantile Agency Reference Book in 1938. I remember my mother talking about there being a Burke’s store in Little Bay and the house she grew up in had previously been owned by the Burkes so the family must have maintained a presence in town at least into the 1950s. If you have any memories of that store or other material on the Burke family please pass them along. Below I’ve listed my Little Bay references for the family.

• 1883 – Birth of Michael James Curran to Patrick and Margaret Burke (BC Marriage Registrations, 1859-1932; 1937-1938)
• 1886 – Mr. Bourke runs a business in the Bight (Sept 13, DC)
• 1888 – Patrick Burke married Miss Hayse by Rev. Stephen O’Flynn (HGS, June 20 / TS, June 9)
• 1889 – P. Burke donated to the Parnell defence fund (SJC, Jan 10)
• 1889 – P. Burke traveled from Little Bay to Twillingate on the S.S. Conscript (TS, July 13)
• 1889 – Mrs. P. Burke, , Widow Burke, Miss Burke, Thomas Burke, and Harold Burke donated to the Harbour Grace Cathedral fund (SJC, Oct 11)
• 1889 – “Goodridge and Knight held their first meeting here on Monday night, and the boys had a great time. Mr. Burke occupied the humiliating position of chairman, and I am glad to be in a position to say that he is now attending to his work as usual” (ET, Nov 6)
• 1889 – “I allude to a communication signed “Truth” which appeared on Nov. 6th. “Truth” alludes sarcastically to Mr. P. Burke as chairman of a political meeting. St. John’s people, no doubt, take little interest in our doings ; but, in justice to Mr. Burke, allow me to say that he is quite competent to act as chairman of any meeting, and also that “he always attends to his own business;” and that if Mr. “Truth” will call on Mr. Burke and make an explanation he will have ocular proof of that fact. I am glad to be able to say that Mr. Burgess deplores the rashness of “Truth.” Yours, R.” (ET, Nov 19)
• 1889 – P. Burke traveled from Little Bay to Twillingate on the S.S. Conscript (TS, Dec 7)
• 1889 – Patrick Burke, Trader is listed as a surety of Michael Green of Tilting Harbour. It should be noted that Patrick Burke’s wife Mary Ellen Hayse was born in Tilting (Newfoundland wills)
• 1889 – Patrick and Harold Burke are listed as living at Indian Bight, Little Bay. They are the sons of Myles F. Burke (Voter’s list)
• 1890 – Pat Burke of Little Bay opens a small mine in Fortune which ran until 1910 (E of NL Vol 2,  P. 345. 1984). This may refer to another P. Burke as there is another town named Little Bay closer to Fortune.
• 1890 – Patrick Burke was brought before the court for accepting stolen goods (Supreme Court docs)
• 1891 – William Hayes Burke born to Patrick and Mary Ellen. Patrick is listed as a merchant (Civ births)
• 1891 – “Margaret relict of the late Myles Burke and daughter of the late Patrick Ryan, Logy Bay” died in Little Bay on June 28 (TS, July 11)
• 1891 – “Mrs. Burke, for some time past an old and respected resident of Little Bay and mother of Mr. P. J. Burke died at Little Bay on Sunday last after a few weeks of illness. Her remains were conveyed to Fogo per “Conscript” for interment having spend the greatest part of her life in that locality” (TS, July 4)
• 1891 – “An interesting billiard tournament has just been finished in the Little Bay billiard club room for a handsome billiard cue, presented by our esteemed friend Mr. Patrick J. Burke, who is always foremost in anything like amusement” (TS, July 4)
• 1891 – Miss Annie Burke arrived in Harbour Grace from Little Bay aboard the S.S. Conscript (HGS, May 22)
• 1892 – P. Burke signed with others in a public letter to Rev. S. O’Flynn (SJC, Jan 13)
• 1892 – Birth of William Burke to Patrick and Mary (1911 census)
• 1893 – Birth of Michael Burke to Patrick and Mary (1911 census)
• 1896 – Birth of Margaret Burke to Patrick and Mary (1911 census)
• 1897 – Patrick Burke listed as a General Dealer in Little Bay (Devine and O’Mara’s City Directory)
• 1898 – Birth of John Francis Burke to Patrick and Mary Ellen (Civ births)
• 1898 – Patrick Burke listed as a General Dealer at Indian Bight, Little Bay (McAlpine’s)
• 1898 – Death of James Patrick Burke, son of Patrick (RC graves)
• 1900 – Birth of Thomas Burke to Patrick and Mary (1911 census)
• 1903 – Death of Augustine Burke, son of Patrick from croup, age 13 months (Register of deaths)
• 1904 – Patrick Burke listed as a General Dealer at Indian Bight, Little Bay (McAlpine’s)
• 1911 – Patrick and Mary Burke listed as living in Little Bay with their children (1911 census)
• 1916 – Schoolteacher John Francis Burke, son of Patrick, enlists for military service in WWI (John Burke military records)
• 1918 – John Burke was discharged as medically unfit after taking a wound to the neck while fighting in France (John Burke military records)
• 1918 – P. Burke rented John Dillon a motor boat to carry Dr. Lidstone to Tilt Cove to tend to his son Thomas (Thomas Dillon military records)
• 1921 – Patrick and Mary E. Burke living in Little Bay. No children listed (1921 census)
• 1921 – John Burke listed as living in Little Bay when he received the Victory Medal and British War Medal (John Burke military records)
• 1927 – Death of Patrick Burke (RC graves)
• 1928 – Will of Patrick Burke (Newfoundland wills)
• 1938 – P. Burke listed (The Mercantile Agency Reference Book)