Rev. Edmund Burke, Ph.D.
rector, St. Paul's-by-the-Sea, Ocean City · active 1920–1923
Rector of St. Paul's-by-the-Sea, Ocean City, in 1920, and the first rector of that church the campaign has by name. He appears on the Diocese of Delaware's 1920 Lenten preaching list among the rectors of St. Stephen's and Holy Trinity, Philadelphia, and the Epiphany, Washington, and preached at St. Andrew's, Wilmington, on 2 March 1920. In May the diocese sent its own St. Andrew's rector down to Ocean City to preach the convocation sermon at St. Paul's — the parish was on the Delaware-and-Easton circuit, not an isolated seaside chapel. He was still rector in 1923, preaching the Ocean City High School baccalaureate in St. Paul's-by-the-Sea in May and reading a series of book reviews of the latest publications. His tenure extends to 1921 on two independent sightings: in March "the Rev. Edmund Burke, Ph. D., rector of Ocean City" preached at the reopening of St. Andrew's, Princess Anne, and on 26 January he travelled to Washington to marry John Dale Showell of Ocean City to Clara Stone Hickling.
In the record (4)
1921
Rev. Edmund Burke is still rector at Ocean City in 1921, and the Bishop sends a whole Snow Hill parish to St. Paul's for a Sunday.
Four notices place the church at Ocean City in 1921. In March the Messenger reports that "the Rev. Edmund Burke, Ph. D., rector of Ocean City, will preach at the evening service" at the reopening of St. Andrew's, Princess Anne, after extensive repairs. In June, All Hallows Parish, Snow Hill, printed: "There will be no services or school. The Bishop has requested that as many as can attend service at St. Paul's, Ocean City" - and gave its full schedule: Holy Communion 7.30, Church School 9.30, Matins 10.30, Evensong 8.00. In February "Mr. Oliver D. Collins has tendered his cottage at Ocean City to Bishop Davenport, of the Diocese of Easton, for use for a few weeks after Easter. The Bishop has accepted the offer and he and his family will enjoy a few weeks at our popular resort before the summer season begins." And the Board of Religious Education of the Province of Washington held a summer school at Ocean City, Md., opening the evening of 20 June 1921 - one of six in the province that year, alongside Princeton and Charlottesville.
St. Paul's by-the-Sea Episcopal Church
Source · checked 2026-08-10
1921
John Dale Showell of Ocean City marries Clara Stone Hickling in Washington, 26 January 1921, with the rector of Ocean City officiating.
"The Church of the Ascension was the scene last night of an interesting wedding when Miss Clara Stone Hickling, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Daniel Percy Hickling, and John Dale Showell, of Ocean City, Md., were married. The ceremony was performed at 8 o'clock by Rev. Dr. Burke of Ocean City in the presence of a large company of friends and relatives... After the reception Mr. Showell and his bride left for a wedding trip to Florida, and they will later make their home in Ocean City." The bride wore ivory crepe meteor with an overdress of Brussels lace hanging almost to the end of the skirt, and a tulle veil falling to the end of a divided train. The officiant is Rev. Edmund Burke, Ph.D., rector of St. Paul's-by-the-Sea, travelling to Washington to marry an Ocean City man in a Washington church. Showell filed as a Democratic candidate for the House of Delegates that September and withdrew before the primary, leaving four candidates for three seats.
St. Paul's by-the-Sea Episcopal ChurchJohn D. Showell
Source · checked 2026-08-10
1923
Ocean City's three churches hold a union service in July, and the rector of St. Paul's is appointed principal of a summer high school.
Worcester Democrat, 28 July 1923: "The three churches of the City joined in a Union Service last Sunday night, at which Mr. Welts, of New York, presented the cause of the Near East." The same column: "The Children's Guild of St. Paul's-by-the-Sea gave a bazaar last Thursday at the Maryland Inn, at which they sold useful and ornamental articles they had made during the last winter." Earlier, on 7 July: "Dr. Edmund Burk has been appointed Principal of the Queen Anne Summer High School, and will take charge of it in connection with his Sunday services during July and August." Rev. Edmund Burk, rector of St. Paul's-by-the-Sea, also preached the Ocean City High School baccalaureate in May and read book reviews before the Easton Clericus in January. The Methodist charge remained with Rev. W. T. McGuire, who took it at the Wilmington Conference of 1922 and was still officiating at Ocean City weddings and funerals through 1923.
St. Paul's by-the-Sea Episcopal Church
Source · checked 2026-08-06
1923 · 1923-05-29
Ocean City High School holds commencement in the State school house on 29 May, with a baccalaureate at St. Paul's-by-the-Sea.
Worcester Democrat, 26 May 1923: "Speakers for the High School Commencement have been appointed as follows: Miss Elizabeth Laws, historian; Miss Videtta Dennis, essayist; Mr. Ainslee Quillen, class will; and Mr. Alan Quillen, prophecy… The Commencement exercises of the Ocean City High School will be held in the State school house on Tuesday, May 29, at 7.45. The Baccalaureate sermon will be preached to the Graduating class in St. Paul's-by-the-Sea by the Rev. Edmund Burk on Sunday evening, May 27, at 7.30." Videtta Dennis had been the essayist on the 1922 county championship debating team.
St. Paul's by-the-Sea Episcopal Church
Source · checked 2026-08-06