in Hillsboro', and beat him severely. To escape their anger, he accompanied Governor Tryon to New York,*
* Drake in his "Dictionary of
Am. Biography," says that Col. F. married a daughter of Governor Tryon. Sabine
makes the same statement.
as secretary, in 1771. He raised a
regiment and became its commander. Active and vindictive he served in several
battles and was twice wounded. In 1775 he was driven from his house in New York
by the people and his effects seized, and he retreated on board of the "Asia," a
man-of-war, for safety.
In 1794 he was appointed Governor of Prince Edward's Island, and in 1808 was commissioned as General. He took up his residence in England in 1815 where in 1818 he died, leaving a son Fredrick and two daughters. The celebrated lawyer, John Wickham, of Richmond, was his nephew, and who under the advice of Genl. Fanning accepted a Commission for a time in the British Army. The late Col. Alex. Fanning, of the U. S. A., Capt. Edw. Fanning and Nathaniel Fanning, late of the U. S. Navy, were nephews of Genl. Fanning.
Thomas Burke, born 1747, died 1783, lived and died in this County and had an eventful and romantic career.
"He was a native of Ireland and a man of letters". Son of Ulrick Burke, of Galway. He was highly educated, and studied medicine; emigrated from Ireland in 1764, and came to Accomac County, Virginia, where he engaged in the practice of his profession. He became dissatisfied with medicine and studied Law; removed to Norfolk and in 1774 finally settled in Hillsboro'. The next year, being a ready and enthusiastic speaker, he became prominent in politics, and his generous temper made him popular with the people. He represented the County with Thomas Hart in the Provincial Congress at New Berne, the 4th of April 1775, and at Halifax in November 1776. He took an active part in framing the State Constitution. In December he was, with William Hooper and Joseph Hewes, appointed delegate to the Continental Congress at Philadelphia where he served until July 1781, when he was elected by the Legislature Governor of the State, by acclamation. He was very popular with the Whigs on account of his patriotism, and consequently as odious to the Tories. On the 13th of September, 1781, a band of Tories led by David Fanning, before day-break seized Governor Burke, tied him on a horse, and carried him to the British head-quarters at Wilmington; from thence he was taken to Charleston, where he was placed on James' Island, as a prisoner on parole. John Huske, of Fayetteville, his private secretary, was also captured and imprisoned with Govenor Burke and was placed with many desperate characters. Fearing for his life, as he was very obnoxious to them, he escaped after an imprisonment of four months. In April 1782, he resumed his place as Governor at Salem In December he was defeated by Alexander Martin for Governor.
This was the severest blow of misfortune--after all his trials, sacrifices and sufferings, to be discarded by those for whom he had done so much and suffered so much, was more than his nature could bear. Borne down by such feelings of sorrow he died at Hillsboro' a few days before Christmas, beloved and mourned by a large number of admiring friends. His patriotic services and his undeserved misfortunes should have condoned far greater faults.
There is but little doubt, says Moore I., (page 358,) "that disappointment and mental anguish caused his premature death."
He married Mary Freeman, of Norfolk, Virgina and left one daughter surviving, who moved to Alabama, where she resides. In a letter she states of her father's personal appearance, that he was "of middle stature, well formed, much marked by the small pox, which caused the loss
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