(16 June 1743 – 30 March 1802) Congressman, soldier, and judge.
Burke reached the rank of lieutenant in the South Carolina Continental Line before resigning to accept a position as a judge in the state's court of common pleas. He then reentered military service and was held as a prisoner of war. He retained his judgeship while in the military and held a seat in the South Carolina House of Representatives. Burke attended the state convention to ratify the federal Constitution, which he opposed. He was elected to the First House of Representatives but did not run for a second term. He returned, instead, to the common law bench in South Carolina. He was an active defender of slavery, considering it beneficial both for slaves and public interest.