Successful grave marking ceremony for Charles and Elizabeth “Betty” Lewis Carter

On October 31, 2020, the Colonel James Wood II Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) participated with the Ketoctin Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) in a grave marking ceremony for Charles and Elizabeth “Betty” Lewis Carter.

The ceremony was held at the Carter Family Cemetery, North Hill Farm in Clarke County. Kecia Brown, Regent of the Ketoctin Chapter presided over the ceremony with the SAR presenting the colors, firing a musket salute and playing taps to commemorate Charles and Betty as a son and daughter of American Revolutionary War Patriots. Participating in the ceremony from the DAR were LeAnn Turbyfill, Virginia DAR State Regent, Margaret Stromberg, Virginia DAR District VIII Director, Sherryl Belinsky, Stonebridge Chapter Regent, Shawn Beyer, Cameron Parish Chapter and Sara Boppe, Fort Loudoun Chapter.

Flag bearers: Paul Christensen, Dale Corey, Leamon Duncan, Bill Schwetke, Charles Jameson, Mike Weyler and Nathan Poe / Photo courtesy of Linda Christensen

Betty Lewis Carter was the daughter of Fielding Lewis and Elizabeth “Betty” Washington. Her mother was the only sister of George Washington who lived to adulthood and married Fielding Lewis, a successful Fredericksburg merchant. He owned and leased ships that traded with British Caribbean colonies and operated a family store. Fielding and Betty Washington were successful merchants who provided material support to the colonists, including funding a gun manufactory in 1775.

Betty Lewis was born in 1765 and married Charles Carter in 1781. Charles descended from a long line of Virginia gentry with roots back to the earliest settlements. He died and was buried at Deerwood Plantation in Culpeper in 1827. She died at her brother’s home, Audley Farm, just to the west of North Hill on April 9, 1830, and was interred at the North Hill Family Cemetery. Charles remains were moved to North Hill in the 1960s and is now buried next to his wife.

Musket squad marching to fire a salute: Doug Hall, Chip Daniel, Clay Robinson, Barry Schwoerer, Paul Christensen, Mike Dennis, Sean Carrigan, Allen Phillips, Art LaFlam, Ken Bonner and Brett Osborn / Photo courtesy of Cat Schwetke

The SAR color guard was led by Chapter President and Commander Marc Robinson. Participating were Virginia State SAR President William “Bill” Schwetke, Colonel William Grayson Chapter President Mike Weyler, and Culpeper Minutemen Chapter President Charles James. Other compatriots included Virginia State Color Guard Commander Ken Bonner, Sean Carrigan, Paul Christensen, Dale Corey, Chip Daniel, Mike Dennis, Leamon Duncan, Art LaFlam, Brett Osborn, Nathan Poe, Will Reynolds, Clay Robinson and Jim Simmons. There were six DAR and six SAR wreaths presented to commemorate the Carter’s descendancy from Revolutionary War Patriots.

A composite of the CJWII Color Guard / Photo courtesy of Cat Schwetke