"I departed the train at the end of the track in Salina, Kansas and with my knap sack and a suitcase started walking south toward the Santa Fe Trail. I was looking for unclaimed land suitable for farming. My savings were about gone and time was running out to find a suitable claim. I followed the Santa Fe Trail and joined a wagon train of merchants headed for Santa Fe. There was a spirit of good will between us that will never be forgotten. The fact that I was without funds never came up. I could earn my board by simply working my way helping others." In December 1933, an obituary was published in the Hutchinson, Kansas newspaper announcing the death of Laurence Burke. Laurence had died on December 18th, 1933 at age 84 years and 11 months. He died in his home on 6th Street, one block north of St. Teresa's Catholic Church. Laurence was survived by his wife, Kate, and three sons William, Edward and George. Laurence was to be buried in the Bean Cemetery, Little River, Kansas. George's wife, Mary Donnelly Burke, my grandmother, wrote Laurence's obituary and ended the obituary with a statement from her heart: "Laurence Burke leaves many virtuous and good works faithfully performed and the ones who have been privileged to live near him for so many years are indeed the richer for the experience." There is ample documented evidence of Laurence's character and published events to write a Biography of his life. This book however is a Historic Novel with Laurence Burke telling his own story.