Lewes Sons of the American Revolution hold grave-marking ceremony
George Parker was a Lewes native who swore an oath of allegiance to the Patriot cause in 1778.
Parker’s grave lies in the cemetery at St. Peter’s Espiscopal Church. He was a member of the congregation there from 1783-1842.
After the war, Parker assisted Revolutionary War veterans in obtaining payments they were due for their service.
Members of the Sons of the American Revolution Lewestown Chapter held a grave-marking ceremony March 14, at Parker’s final resting place. Parker’s wife, Hannah Paynter Parker, is buried next to him.
“It is one of our patriotic duties as an organization to remember our patriot ancestors. These grave markings do that, and let others know in the future who these people were,” said Chuck Smolka, SAR Lewestown Chapter president.
Lewes Mayor Amy Marasco and Carolyn Foxwell, Daughters of the American Revolution state regent, were among the honored guests at the ceremony.
The Parker grave marking was SAR’s first of 2026. Smolka said they will do three to five more this year.
They are planning to hold a ceremony at the historic Wiltbank Cemetery on New Road, in collaboration with the Daughters of the American Revolution, Col. David Hall Chapter.
Smolka said the SAR will also collect tattered and unusable flags at the U.S. Army Band concert in Stango Park in Lewes Friday, June 26. He said the flags will then be disposed of properly.
The Sons of the American Revolution Lewestown Chapter currently has 36 members. They are expecting to have more than 40 members by the end of the year, according to Smolka.
For more information, contact Smolka at mbua84@yahoo.com.
Bill Shull has been covering Lewes for the Cape Gazette since 2023. He comes to the world of print journalism after 40 years in TV news. Bill has worked in his hometown of Philadelphia, as well as Atlanta and Washington, D.C. He came to Lewes in 2014 to help launch WRDE-TV. Bill served as WRDE’s news director for more than eight years, working in Lewes and Milton. He is a 1986 graduate of Penn State University. Bill is an avid aviation and wildlife photographer, and a big Penn State football, Eagles, Phillies and PGA Tour golf fan. Bill, his wife Jill and their rescue cat, Lucky, live in Rehoboth Beach.
