There were over 400 women who were light keepers. By the 1800s, almost all of the United States' lighthouses had female assistant light keepers or head light keepers at one time or another.
J. Candace Clifford championed female light keepers in the book, "Women Who Kept the Light.” J. Candace Clifford used her expertise to help advance the cause of lighthouses and women during brief life. She coauthored the book, "Women Who Kept the Light" which sheds light on the dynamic impact of female lighthouse keepers. Candace served as a maritime historian for the National Park Service and the United States Lighthouse Society. The United States Lighthouse Society has launched a new online catalog in her name. I met J. Candace Clifford at the reopening of the Anclote Key Lighthouse in Florida. She took photos of the event and did a television interview. I was sketching when our paths crossed. Candace paused to photograph me. We exchanged business cards and talked briefly. After the publication of the article she encouraged me to write, I was contacted about an art exhibit. My exhibit “Shattering the Lens” at the National Lighthouse Museum in New York paid homage to Candace Clifford and female light keepers.
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Lighthouse keeping was a family affair. Wives, daughters and sons sometimes fulfilled the duties of a light keeper without pay. Wives and daughters filled in when the light keeper was absent or died. Both of St. Augustine’s female light keepers fulfilled the role of light keeper after the death of their spouses.
Not every act at St. Augustine Lighthouse was so heroic. Cardell “Cracker” Daniels, the son of the St. Augustine Lighthouse Keeper, was a prankster. He once parachuted his sister's cat from the top of the tower. The cat survived and went into hiding for months. His father Cardell D. Daniels served 1935-1943. In 1986, a 14 year old was responsible for the lens being out of commission. He used a rifle to shatter 19 prisms of the Fresnel lens. Don’t dwell on what went wrong, focus on what to do next. Denis WaitleyDon’t dwell on what went wrong, focus on what to do next. Denis Waitley
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Amelia Island Lighthouse is Florida's oldest lighthouse. Originally built to guide vessels entering the St. Mary’s River and the Atlantic Ocean, the former Cumberland Lighthouse was moved due to changes in the channel that made it obsolete. It was dismantled brick by brick and transported by ship to Amelia Island. After being reconstructed, the lighthouse was lit in 1839 as Amelia Island Lighthouse. Two female assistant light keepers served at Amelia Island Lighthouse: Mrs. Winfield Woodland (1860-) Jane M Donnelly 1868-1871 Life can truly be hard on dreams. I often find encouragement in the lives of female light keepers. They never gave up when life was hard on their dreams.
Despite suffering substantial loss, they served valiantly as light keepers. When Joseph Andreu fell 60 feet to his death white washing the St. Augustine Lighthouse, his wife Maria Andreu became the light keeper. Maria Andreu is the first Hispanic-American woman to serve in the Coast Guard and the first to command a federal installation. St. Augustine’s other female light keeper was Kate Harn. Beginning in 1889 Harn served as the 2nd Assistant light keeper for six months after the death of her husband. My painting, “Field of Dreams” is a tribute to St. Augustine’s two female light keepers. The clouds in my painting symbolize their dreams and the bright yellow daisies represent the perseverance of these women. (staugustinelighthouse.org) Voted one of the world's most beautiful lighthouses, Fanad Lighthouse is one of 12 the Great Lighthouses of Ireland. It is located on Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way. The Fanad Lighthouse was first exhibited on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 181.
Fanad Lighthouse was built after the shipwreck of the Royal Navy Frigate, Saldanha, where 250 people died. The only survivor was the Captain’s parrot. A helipad was added in 1921 for emergency services for Tory Island and Inishtrshull. In 2012, the Commissioner of Irish Lights approached the community for their input on the idea of refurbishing the Fanad Lighthouse and opening it for tourism. The community group established Forbairt Fhanada Teoranta to manage Fanad Lighthouse. They administer accommodations, guided tours and the Visitors Center. With so much talk about the gender wage gap today, it's hard to imagine that back in the 1800's there wasn't a wage gap for women lighthouse keepers.
In fact, at one time Ida Lewis was the highest paid lighthouse keeper. She even became the first woman to receive a gold Congressional Medal for lifesaving. Despite this, Lewis received the criticism that it was unladylike for women to row boats. Lewis replied, "None-but a donkey would consider it 'unfeminine' to save lives." With five female keepers, New Canal may hold record for the most female light keepers. Elizabeth Beale 1847-49, Jane Discoll 1850-53, Mary Campbell 1869-93, Caroline Riddle 1893-1924. Margaret Norvell 1924-1932 Countless widows served briefly as light keepers without recognition and perhaps compensation.
Women served heroically alongside their husbands and others served immediately after the deaths of their husbands. Some declined an appointment as light keeper after the death of their spouses. Ann Taylor whose husband, William Taylor, died requested to be relieved as light keeper of Cape St. George. Anne’s spouse was the official light keeper July 11, 1849-November 1850. A letter dated July 27, 1850 forwarded to me by Author and Historian, James Hargrove describes her plight. It was written from the HW Taylor, Customs House of Apalachicola: “Sir Mrs Ann H. Taylor widow of the late WJ Taylor keeper of Cape St. George Light and who since the death of her husband has retained the situation as keeper has dignified her wish to be relieved by appointment of other person. At the suggestion of W Hawkey who is now absent and whose return is uncertain… I have sent down Edmond Austin to take charge and it is Mr. Hawkey request that he be accepted as keeper from 1st August when Mrs. Taylor proposes to leave.” It took a lot of courage to work a desolate lighthouse. Families were responsible for growing their own food. Both men and women keepers ensured the light burned at night, rescued shipwreck sailors while keeping the lighthouse in tip top shape.
Maria Andreu is the first Hispanic-American woman to serve in the Coast Guard and the first to command a federal shore installation. She was a light keeper for St. Augustine Lighthouse, 1859-1861. Kate Harn served 1889-90. Armed with this new knowledge I painted the strength and softness of the lighthouse. Clouds lingered above and bright yellow flowers blossomed below. They both symbolized the tenderness of these women who cared for their families and schooled their children. |
AuthorWhen I am not traveling to or painting lighthouses, I am writing or researching lighthouses. Archives
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