Born on a farm near Duxbury, Vermont, Burke and his family moved to Franklin, New Hampshire when he was twelve years old.
[1][2] In 1905, Burke joined the International Brotherhood of Paper Makers, then the following year, his local was part of the split which formed the International Brotherhood of Pulp, Sulphite, and Paper Mill Workers.
He also joined the Socialist Party of America, and was its candidate in the 1914 New Hampshire gubernatorial election.
[3] In 1914, Burke was elected as vice-president of the Pulp, Sulphite and Paper Mill Workers.
In 1917, he became president-secretary of his union, and in order to take up the post, he moved to Fort Edward, New York.