George Gibson, Jane Gibson, James Roberts and James Macintire, the 2004 recipients of the Dr. James E. Marvil Lifetime Service Award. © The Lewes Historical Society.

The Lewes Historical Society's Strawberry Festival on June 6, 2004 was a quite an afternoon. Not only did nearly 150 Society members enjoy delicious Sussex County strawberries, the beautiful grounds of the Historic Complex and the music of Bill Earl, they had a chance to witness history and thank several long-time volunteers for their dedication to the Society.

The Society honored four members of the Society for their contributions to the advancement of The Lewes Historical Society by presenting them with the Society's highest honor, the Dr. James E. Marvil Lifetime Service Awards. The award, named afetr the Society's first president, recognizes those Society members who haev dedicated over 20 years of unparalleled service to The Lewes Historical Society and its mission of preserving the heritage of Delaware's oldest town. The 2004 honorees were:

George Gibson: Mr. Gibson has served as Treasurer of the Society for many years and has helped successfully guide the Society’s finances. His dedication in managing and overseeing the Society’s resources over the years has been an incredibly important aspect of the extraordinary growth of the Society.

Jane D. Gibson: Mrs. Gibson has served as Corporate Secretary, Recording Secretary and currently serves as Secretary of the Society and Chair of the Membership Committee. She is responsible for all mailings, membership coordination, and recording the minutes of Board meetings. Mrs. Gibson also volunteers her time at bake sale tables at events, coordinating volunteers at Antiques Shows and helps on the Grounds Crew.

James Macintire: Captain James Macintire has served as Vice President of the Society and was the Society’s second President. Captain Macintire has been a long time docent at the Cannonball House and has been tremendous supporter of the Society through his many commitments, donations and dedication to our mission of preserving Lewes’ past.

James S. Roberts: Captain James S. Roberts has been a member of the Board of Directors and currently serves as Chair of the Cannonball House. Captain Roberts has donated several important pieces to the Society’s collections. He has worked on the Antiques Shows, Craft Fairs and at other Society events helping in the Food Booth and other capacities. He is always around to a lend a helping hand.

Lewes Councilman Ted Becker, Lewes Mayor Jim Ford, Lewes Councilwoman and LHS Board Member Barbara Vaughan, State Representative Joe Booth and Russ McCabe of the Delaware Public Archives after the unveiling of the historic marker honoring Hiram Rodney Burton. © The Lewes Historical Society.

In addition to the presentation of the Dr. James E. Marvil Life Service Awards, the State of Delaware also acknowledged the significance of the Hiram Rodney Burton House, one of the twelve historic Lewes properties that the Society has restored. The text of the marker reads:

The land upon which this house now stands was acquired in 1675 by Helmanus Wiltbank, a prominent early resident and property owner of Lewes. The oldest portion of the present structure is believed to have been constructed by Cornelius Wiltbank circa 1720. Ownership of the property was retained by the Wiltbank family until 1814, when the house and lot were conveyed to Thomas Rodney. In later years this became the residence of his grandson, Hiram Rodney Burton (1841-1927). An 1868 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Medicine, Doctor Burton served the medical needs of the residents of Lewes and surrounding area for over fifty years. Active in the civic affairs of his community and state, he served as Commissioner of Lewes and was appointed to the positions of Deputy Collector of Customs and Assistant Surgeon at the Delaware Breakwater Quarantine Station. An influential member of Delaware’s Republican Party for many years, he was twice elected to the United States House of Representatives, serving from 1905 until 1909. A major supporter of the development of our nation’s inland waterways, Doctor Burton was chiefly responsible for securing funding for the construction of the Lewes-Rehoboth and Assawoman Canals.

Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the Hiram Rodney Burton House was purchased by the Lewes Historical Society in 1989.

©2002-2005 The Lewes Historical Society