Biographical History of Clark and Jackson Counties, WI, by The Lewis Publishing Co, 1891 pages 253 - 254:

GEORGE BURKE, Justice of the Peace, Town Clark, and proprietor of the Douglas House, of Thorp, Clark County, was born in Green Lake County, Wisconsin, October 16, 1854, the son of John and Ellen (McCarty) Burke, the former a native of County Cork, Ireland, and the latter of Kingston, Canada. The father came to the United States when a young man, and to Wisconsin about 1840. The parents had seven children, six of whom survive, namely: George, our subject Mary, now Mrs. Murphy Lizzie, Mrs. Roth Ella, Mrs. Poppe Lulu, Mrs. Snyder and Pearl, who is unmarried. One son, Edmund, was killed on the railroad March 21, 1888, at the age of thirty-two years.

George, the subject of this sketch, was reared to farm life and educated in the common schools of his native county, where he was also engaged in farming. In 1882 he came to Thorp, and the following fall began the hotel business, which he has since followed. He has been Town Clerk for the past four years, also Justice of the peace and Clerk of the School Board. In 1890 he was the Democratic nominee for County Clerk, and came within thirty-six votes of being elected, running several hundred ahead of his ticket. He was married November 21, 1888, to Altie Craig, who was born in Portage County, Wisconsin, December 25, 1869, the daughter of George W. Craig, of Thorp. They have two children: Gertrude, born September 4, 1889, and John, September 18, 1890. Mr. Burke owns his hotel building, and also a farm of eighty acres one and a half miles east of Thorp.