DISCOVERY - The Secret Life of Annie Agnes Burke (1889-1901)

"Who? - No!" was my mother’s response to the question "Did  you know that your mother had an older sister named Annie?" 

She and I were given the same middle name "Anne", now we knew why. Then her questions began and I told her what I had learned. Assuming the information may be emotional to grasp, I warned her this may be intitally upsetting.

My discovery of Annie Agnes, born on February 23, 1889, was a result of a detailed pursuit within the Census records of my grandmother's Burke family in Natick, Massachusetts.  

After the 1889 record of her birth and baptism, Annie is ennumerated twice in the Census of 1900. 

    Two plus weeks later, on the June 20^th her parents, Edward H. Burke (1858-1928) and      Annie E. Kearns (1861-1940) stated she lived at home with the family on Farwell              Street in Natick. [Guilt, shame, saddness …?]

The Hospital Cottages for Children in Templeton, Massachusetts

She moved to The Hospital Cottages for Children in Templeton, Massachusetts created in 1882, considered state of the art “home style/cottage” institutional care. Home style fully staffed home atmospheres were established for those under fourteen years, specializing in epilepsy, and those suffering from nervous order and deformities.

                                            

We never knew of Annie's existence until my family research. It is an honor to carry her name. 

My Grandmother, my Gigi - Marguerite Elizabeth Burke Lee (1896-1979) was just four years old when her big sister Annie went away and died. She may not have remembered her, but she was very close to her other older sisters and can imagine they spoke of our Annie.

 Yes, that is us above in 1975, we were Best Freinds.