He was orphaned in infancy after his parents died and was taken in by relatives in Maryland.

[1] In 1866, he made his way west to Montana Territory where he first met William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody, who was Chief of Scouts for the Third Cavalry.

He would travel ahead of the company meeting with reporters and employed innovating techniques at the time, such as celebrity endorsements, press kits, publicity stunts, op-ed articles, billboards and product licensing, that contributed to the success and popularity of the show.

[4] Despite being called "Major", Burke never served in the military; similarly, aside from his name, he was not associated with Arizona.

[3][5] Burke died in Washington, D.C., on April 12, 1917, and was buried in an unmarked grave in Mount Olivet Cemetery.