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Honoring Michigan’s Iconic Female Lighthouse Keepers

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Click on image to see edited/printed version.
Click on image to see edited/printed version.

By Dianna Stampfler

It is fairly common knowledge that Michigan has more lighthouses than any other state (about 125). A lesser-known fact is that over the past two centuries, about 60 women have served as keepers of these historic beacons.

Tending light was a physically demanding profession with grueling hours and often treacherous conditions. Yet, throughout the 1800s and into the early 1900s, this was the only non-clerical government job that women could hold. Often, these women served as assistant keepers with their husbands, fathers or brothers—and in the case of tragedy, many were promoted to the role of head keeper.

Here are the stories of some of Michigan’s most noted female keepers.

ELIZABETH (WHITNEY) VANRIPER WILLIAMS
St. James Harbor Lighthouse – Beaver Island and Little Traverse Lighthouse – Harbor Springs

Born on Mackinac Island on June 24, 1844, Elizabeth Whitney was the only child of Elizabeth Cross Dousman Gebeau (1796-1896) and Walter Whitney (1809-1870). Her mother was the orphan child of Angelica (noted as a local Native American woman) and John Cross (French by some accounts and British by others), both of whom died when she was a child, at which time Elizabeth Cross was adopted by the notable Michael Dousman, and his wife, Catherine.

As an infant, the blended Gebeau-Whitney family moved to St. Helena Island where Walter was a shipbuilder for brothers Archibald “Archie” and Wilson Newton (no relation to Sir Isaac Newton, despite their rumored claims). From there, the family moved briefly to Manistique in the Upper Peninsula before settling on Beaver Island where self-proclaimed “King” James Strang reigned over his Mormon congregation. For a time, Elizabeth lived in Traverse City and was even sent to live with family friends in Ohio to protect her from the volatile life on Beaver Island.

When news came in June 1856 of Strang’s assassination, a 12-year-old Elizabeth returned to Beaver Island with her family. At age 16 (1860), Elizabeth married a local cooper (barrel maker) named Clement VanRiper, who was 12 years her senior. In 1869, after the resignation of lighthouse keeper Peter McKinley, Clement began his service at the St. James Harbor Light at Whiskey Point. Soon after his appointment, Clement became ill and Elizabeth stepped in to assist with the responsibilities. It was a job she quickly took to and found a deep passion for according to her 1905 autobiography, A Child of the Sea & Life Among Mormons.

“I took charge of the care of the lamps; and the beautiful lens in the tower was my especial care.
On stormy nights I watched the light that no accident might happen…From the firs the work had a fascination for me. I loved the water, having always been near it, and I loved to stand in the tower and watch the great rolling waves chasing and tumbling in upon the shore.”

In 1872, tragedy struck Elizabeth and the entire Beaver Island community when Clement died while trying to rescue the crew of the schooner the Thomas Howland, which had taken on water and eventually sank in the harbor. A distraught Elizabeth – who had lost other relatives on the deep Great Lakes waters – found solace in devoting her life to tending the light so that she might have some role in preventing future loss.

“Life to me then seemed darker than the midnight storm that raged for three days upon the deep, dark waters. I was weak from sorrow, but realized that though the life that was dearest to me had gone, yet there were others out on the dark and treacherous waters who needed to catch the rays of the shining light from my light-house tower. Nothing could rouse me but that though, then all my life and energy was given to the work which now seemed was given me to do. The light-house was the only home I had and I was glad and willing to do my best in the service…At first I felt almost afraid to assume so great a responsibility, knowing it all required watchful care and strength, with many sleepless nights. I now felt a deeper interest in our sailors’ lives than ever before, and I longed to do something for humanity’s sake, as well as earn my own living.”

Elizabeth took great pride in her job as lighthouse keeper and was known throughout the service as having one of the greatest records of service and was even awarded a prize for the best kept light. She remarried in 1875 to a man named Daniel Williams, retaining her position as lighthouse keeper on Beaver Island until 1884. At that time, at the age of 40, she requested a transfer to a mainland station in Harbor Springs – at the newly built Little Traverse Lighthouse. In September of that year, Elizabeth walked the staircase to the tower to light the beacon for the first time.

“We were soon at work putting our house in order, and the beautiful lens in the tower seemed to be appealing to me for care and polishing, which I could not resist, and since that time I have given my best efforts to keep my light shining form the light-house tower.”

She was nearly 70 years old when she retired from the lighthouse service in 1913 (some research, including her obituary, indicate that she retired in 1906). She and Daniel moved south to Charlevoix and became active members of that community until they died within 28 hours apart from each other in January 1938.

In 2024, Elizabeth was inducted into the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame.

EMILY WARD
Bois Blanc Island Lighthouse

The oldest of four children of Eber and Sally (Potter) Ward, Emily Ward was born March 16, 1809, near Syracuse, New York. Emily was just nine years old when her mother passed away, and the girl stepped in to help raise her two younger sisters (Sallie and Abby) and brother (Eber).

When she was about 22, Aunt Emily – as she was then known – joined her father on Bois Blanc Island in northern Lake Huron, tending the lighthouse there. Built in 1829, the original light was just the second constructed on Lake Huron (the first being Fort Gratiot in Port Huron).

An autobiography of Emily Ward called The Way Things Were, published in 1976, includes a chapter titled “When the Lighthouse Fell” about the December 1837 storm that toppled the brick beacon.

“It was a wild night when the lighthouse fell,” the chapter begins. “The lighthouse had originally been placed too near the water. The encroachment made by the winds and the waves since it was built had washed away the bank of the lake to within five feet of the tower. Now, every heavy storm was full of peril for the old lighthouse. My father had long anticipated that day when some extra heavy storm would sweep the waters around its foundation, loosen it and beat its staunch tower until it should fall. Now that day had come.”

An always maternal and caring Emily was increasingly worried about those out on the waters who needed to catch the rays from her lighthouse – including her father, should he be trying to return from nearby Mackinaw where he had been on business. Yet, she also felt compelled to protect the valuable government property inside the tower and so she set out to retrieve it before the tower collapsed.

“It took all my strength to carry those great lamps and reflectors down the winding stairs. Sometimes, when I would stop to take a breath and would hear the beat of the waters and feel the show it gave the tower, it would give me a momentary spasm of terror. It would be but momentary, for my work must be done and I had no time for fear. I think I climbed those stairs five times before I got everything movable down.”

Not long after she completed the daunting task, the storm’s violent attacks became the tower’s demise.

“The night had come; the rain ceased and the moon gave such light as scurrying and wildly driven clouds would permit. Suddenly, we saw a long zigzag line run from the tower’s base to its top…another line shot up and around and the tower tottered…with one mighty crash, down went the huge pile of masonry and the waves washed over the place where the lighthouse once stood.”

It was noted that the storm was one of the most awful every known on the Great Lakes and that many ships went down, with many lives lost, but none near Bois Blanc Island.

Emily spent her final years in Marine City (then known as Newport), Michigan where she ran the Newport Academy. She passed away in August 1891 at the age of 82 and is buried in Detroit’s Elmwood Cemetery with other members of the Ward family.

MARY GARRITY & ANNA GARRITY
Presque Isle Lighthouses – Presque Isle Township

The Garritty family is synonymous with lighthouse keeping throughout Presque Isle Township in Alpena County, along the shores of Lake Huron, with seventy-five years of combined service. Guard records show that the Garritys were the second longest-running lighthouse keeper family in U.S. history.

Patrick Garrity was appointed as keeper of the Old Presque Isle Lighthouse by President Abraham Lincoln in 1861 and he put in forty-one years between the old, new and range lights until he retired in 1902. His wife, Mary, was an assistant keeper from 1872-1882 at the New Presque Isle Lighthouse.

Of their seven children (three boys and four girls), five went on to serve at lighthouses in some capacity. Kathryn (Kate) was an assistant keeper and housekeeper at the Range Lights (1887-1891) and New Presque Isle Lighthouse (1891-1935) while Anna, the youngest of the Garrity siblings, assisted her father and brother at the New Presque Isle Light and was the head keeper of the Range Lights from 1903 until 1926.

According to VisitAlpena.com, “Anna and her family survived one of the largest fires in Michigan history. The intense flames from the famous Metz fire of 1908 separated the Garrity family. Anna and her mother were stationed at the range lights, and Anna’s brothers and sister were stationed at the New Presque Isle Lighthouse. Luckily, neither of the lighthouses were affected, but sadly 2.5 million acres of forest and land had been destroyed. Excerpts from Anna’s logbook state that she had hired a crew of firefighters to help her protect the range lights. She ordered the men to cut down trees near the property to keep the fire at bay and create more visibility for ships to see the lights. Anna and her crew worked day and night for weeks. Even after the fire was out, the team continued to remove ashes and soot from the range towers. Throughout the years, Anna and her family faced several more wildfires.”

Anna, who began her service at the age of 31, was the first and only female head keeper for Presque Isle and she is also the longest serving keeper for the township’s Range Lights. When the lighthouse was decommissioned on August 31, 1926, Anna retired after 23 years of service. She passed away 11 years later at the age of 65.

JULIA (TOBY) BRAWN WAY
Saginaw River Rear Range Light

Julia was the wife of Peter Brawn, who served from 1866 to 1873 as keeper of the Saginaw River Rear Light Station in Bay City. During much of his tenure, Peter was bedridden with an undisclosed illness leaving Julia to tend to the light with their teenage son, DeWitt. When George passed away on March 18, 1873, Julia was officially appointed to the head keeper position.

In 1875, Julia married George Nelson Way (13 years her junior) and within two years, she was demoted to assistant keeper, with George being promoted. The assistant position was ultimately abolished in 1882, at which time Julia discontinued all official service. Whether the District office undertook this change in an attempt to pressure George and Julia into resigning, or as an underhanded attempt to reduce costs, is undocumented. However, it is likely that some plan was afoot, since on George’s death on February 10, 1883, Julia disappeared from lighthouse service and the keeper roster at the station was again increased to include both a keeper and assistant.

Julia herself died in 1889 and is buried beside both of her husbands in Oak Ridge Cemetery in Bay City. Her obituary noted “Mrs. Way was a lady who possessed noble traits of character, being ever ready to aid the distressed and care for the needy. As she lived, so she died, a living wife, a kind mother and a Christian woman. She will be remembered long by a wide acquaintance of dear friends as one of the noblest of earth.” It is said that Julia’s every present spirit remains at the Saginaw River Rear Light Station, maintained by the Saginaw River Marine Historical Society. Read more about her life, and afterlife, in the 2019 book Michigan’s Haunted Lighthouses.

Dianna Stampfler has been researching Michigan’s historic lighthouses for nearly three decades and is the author of Michigan’s Haunted Lighthouses and Death and Lighthouses on the Great Lakes, both which can be ordered at PromoteMichigan.com.

SIDEBAR:

  • Caroline Litigot Autaya was appointed keeper of the no-longer-standing Mamajuda Light on January 8, 1874, following death of husband, Barney. Caroline served until May 28, 1885 (having remarried in 1876) and is noted as being the aunt of auto legend, Henry Ford.
  • Jennie Beamer was named acting first assistant of the Big Bay Point Lighthouse near Marquette during the summer of 1898 while husband, George, served in Spanish/American war. On August 26, the log stated that George returned from Navy service, releasing his wife from duty as acting assistant.
  • Mary Beedon was acting first assistant keeper form July to October 1876 under husband, Napoleon. The “acting” was then dropped and she served until 1879 when they both resigned.
  • Henrietta Bergh was an unofficial keeper near Mendota on the Keweenaw Peninsula on Lake Superior. Stories say that Henrietta would put a lantern in the upper window of her home on the nights when her husband was out late fishing and that before long, other fishermen in town asked her to do the same for them.
  • Rene Bouchard as noted as assistant keeper of the Manitou Island light from April 1856 until February 1859.
  • Nellie Buzzard worked at the Saginaw River Light from 1883 until 1886 with her husband, Edward. The couple was evidently ill-suited to the rigors of lighthouse keeping, as they both simultaneously resigned their respective positions after only three years of service at the station. They were the last husband/wife team to serve at this lighthouse.
  • Anna Maria Carlson was the wife of Robert Carlson, and the couple served at various lights between 1891 and 1931 including Outer Island (1891-1893), Michigan Island (1893-1898), Marquette (1898-1903) and Whitefish Point (1903-1931). One harrowing story was recounted by Anna herself in the May 17, 1931 issue of the Detroit News.
  • Annie M. Carlson was acting assistant at Granite Island light for nine days in 1905, following the tragic death of assistant keeper, John McMartin.
  • Slatira Carlton was named keeper of the St. Joseph lighthouse from November to December 1861, following death of husband Monroe.
  • Sarah Caswell was acting first assistant of the Big Sable Point Lighthouse from May 16, 1874 to September 29, 1875 under husband Burr, before being appointed first assistant until December 4, 1882.
  • Mary Cocking was first assistant under her husband, Stephen, at both the Gull Rock and Manitou lights between September 12, 1872 and July 27, 1877.
  • Mary (Raher) Corgan was an assistant keeper from 1873 and 1875 with her husband, James. They served at both Manitou Island Gull Island, where they were transferred to in 1877.
  • Anne Crebassa was appointed acting keeper of the Sand Point Lighthouse between March 29 and May 12, 1908 after death of husband, John.
  • Jane Enos was appointed acting keeper of the St. Joseph lighthouse from 1876-1878 (and primary keeper until 1881) following the death of her husband, John. For nearly three years, she had a male assistant keeper—which was virtually unheard of in that era.
  • Mary Gigandet was acting first assistant in 1892 and 1983 at the Au Sable Point Lighthouse under husband, Gus. The “acting” was then dropped and she served until 1897, one year after his death.
  • Mary Granger served head keeper at the Bois Blanc lighthouse from February 25 to July 16, 1857 following death of husband, Henry. She found the job to be too difficult and resigned after just five months.
  • Julia Ann Griswold served as acting keeper of the Eagle River lighthouse from 1861 to 1865 following death of husband, John.
  • Mrs. Donald Harrison served one month as a keeper of the St. Mary’s River light in 1902.
  • Harriet Howard was acting first assistant at Charity Island light in 1877 and 1878 under husband, Charles. Son, George, was acting fist assistant prior. The “acting” was removed in 1878 and she served until 1879 when both she and Charles resigned.
  • Nancy Hume was first assistant at the Skillagalee Light in northern Lake Michigan from November 8-20, 1869 under husband, Robert. They both resigned at that time.
  • HG Hunter was acting keeper at Little Sable Point Lighthouse in Mears from February 15 to March 11, 1910 while husband, J. Arthur Hunter, was on undisclosed temporary leave.
  • Elsea Hyde served as first assistant at the Big Sable Point Lighthouse in Ludington from January 29, 1869 until March 22, 1871 under husband, Alonzo W. Hyde – son of first keeper, Alonzo Hyde Sr.
  • Frances Wuori Johnson was a civilian keeper of the White River Light Station in Whitehall during the 1940s, with husband Leo Wuori. He left to return to the Upper Peninsula, but she stayed on until 1954. She was also featured on the television show “What’s My Line?” in 1953, where she stumped the panel and received a prize of $50 (plus the trip to New York City).
  • Emma Kahn served for two months as first assistant at the Sand Point light in 1907 under Emmanuel Luick, although there is no record of a Mr. Kahn serving there. This was after Emmanuel’s wife, Ella, had left the island permanently (see below).
  • Sarah (Noys) Lane served as an assistant keeper with her husband, John, at St. Clair Flats South Channel Range Lights in southwest Michigan, before moving to the Old Mission Point Lighthouse in 1878 as that light’s first keepers. Sarah assisted with duties during John’s poor health and following his death on December 12, 1906. She left the post in early 1907.
  • Anna Larsen was assistant keeper to her husband, Lewis, at the Raspberry Island light between 1868 and 1880.
  • Ivory Littlefield served one month (August 31-October 1, 1894) at the Cheboygan Range Light following death of her husband.
  • Mrs. H. Lubuck was first assistant of record at the Grand Island East Channel light from May 12, 1862 until May 22, 1865 under keeper George Wagner. No record of where Mr. Lubuck was, as is doesn’t show up on the lighthouse records.
  • Ella Luick served as an acting keeper of the Sand Island Lighthouse on Lake Superior between 1901 and 1904, with her husband Emmanuel. She lasted 10 years on the island, but on May 19, 1905, she left the island, never to return.
  • Katherine “Kate” Marvin was named keeper of the Squaw Point Lighthouse in northern Lake Michigan in from 1897 until 1904 following the death of husband, Lemuel. The injured Civil War soldier and former Baptist minister had only been in the position for six months. Kate was the mother of 10 children, with four left at home during her six years of service to the light.
  • Karen McDonnell was the last female keeper at White River Light Station in Whitehall, coming in in 1983 and serving into the 2000s.
  • Annie McGuire was appointed keeper of the Pentwater lighthouse from 1877 until 1885, following the death of her husband, Francis. Rumor has it she was removed from her post for “drunkenness and irregular habits.”
  • Catherine McGuire was acting keeper at the Thunder Bay Lighthouse with her husband, Peter, in 1874 and 1875 at which time the “acting” was dropped and she was an official assistant. They transferred to Marquette in March 1882. Catherine was removed from her post in July 1891, at the request of her husband, although he served two more years until 1893.
  • Effie & Mary McKinley, sisters assisted in tending the St. James Harbor Light on Beaver Island during their father Peter McKinley’s poor health and subsequent paralyzation. For nine years, the girls effectively ran the light until the VanRiper’s took over in 1869.
  • Mrs. Harry Miller was assistant keeper at the Grand Haven light from 1872 until 1875 under husband.
  • Mrs. William Monroe was keeper of the Muskegon lighthouse from 1862-1871 following death of husband.
  • Alice Nolan assisted her husband, John, at the Gull Rock lighthouse from March 1892 until November 1903.
  • Mrs. Charles O’Malley was head keeper for eight months between 1854 and 1855 at the Bois Blanc Island light. There is no record of Charles serving at this light.
  • Pricilla Parker served for a few weeks in 1873 at the Grand Traverse Lighthouse in Northport. According to a letter to the Superintendent of Lights, head keeper Henry Schetterly claimed she kept the lighthouse from September 11-30, 1873 inclusive and requested authority to pay her as a laborer.
  • Mrs. Roswell Pendergast was first assistant under her husband at the Gull Island light, from 1872 until 1874.
  • Mrs. Peter Peterson was acting keeper of the Sant Point Lighthouse from April 30 to June 16, 1913 following death of husband.
  • Sarah Robinson was the wife of William Robinson at White River Light Station in Whitehall, having moved to area in 1860s with seven of eventually 13 children (three of whom died in childhood). Bill was first keeper, serving from 1875 to 1919 and Sarah assisted with duties until she passed away in 1891.
  • Matilda Rumrill was acting first assistant keeper at Gull Island light in 1874 and 1875, under her husband, Pliny. The “acting” was dropped at that time, and she continued to serve until 1882. They stayed until 1883. Keepers of Gull Island were stationed on Michigan Island, and manned both.
  • Julia (Moore) Sheridan was the wife of Aaron Sheridan, who was injured during his service in the Civil War when the bones in his lower left arm shattered during the Battle of Ringgold. Aaron was appointed as the lighthouse keeper at South Manitou Island on July 21, 1866, with Julian being officially hired as his assistant on September 30, 1872. Together they tended the light until they died in a shipwreck on March 15, 1878.
  • Catherine (Doyle) Shook was appointed acting keeper at the Point Aux Barques lighthouse from 1849 until 1860 following the death of her husband, Peter (who was the station’s first keeper, appointed in 1848). In addition to tending to the light, she raised her eight children at the light.
  • Lydia Smith was an assistant keeper at the Manitou Island in 1855 and 1856.
  • Mary Snow was assistant keeper at Raspberry Island light from 1880 to 1882 under husband Seth, who kept the light until 1885.
  • Mrs. M. Stevens was acting first assistant t the Menagerie Island light from October 26, 1875 until November 18, 1876) under husband, William, before being promoted to actual assistant keeper until August 9, 1878.
  • Mary L. Terry was appointed the first keeper of the Sand Point Lighthouse in Escanaba, when it was first opened in 1868. Her husband, John, was supposed to be the first keeper but he died before it was complete. Mary served 18 years before dying in a mysterious fire at the light in 1886.
  • Mary Thomson, wife of keeper Thomas, served for three months as an acting keeper of the Eagle Harbor Range light following the departure of Mary Wheatley in 1905 (see below). Thomas then took over the position, until 1908.
  • Anastasia “Eliza” Truckey was the acting keeper at the Marquette lighthouse between December 12, 1861 and October 26, 1865 while husband, Nelson, went to fight in the Civil War. A friend of the Native American’s in the area, Eliza was known as “Mother of the Light” and rumor has it that her mediation skills resulted in several “locals” being allowed to keep their scalps after disagreements with the Natives.
  • Mary H. Vreeland was head keeper of the Gilbraltar light from 1876 until 1879 following death of husband, Michael. The station closed in 1879.
  • Mary A. Wheatley was appointed keeper of the Eagle Harbor Range Light from 1898 until 1905, when she resigned. Her son, William, was keeper at Granite Island (1885-1893), with his father, James, shown as an assistant and later keeper. William drowned in a squall in 1898 on his way back to the island in a small sailboat to visit his father, who was keeper at the light until 1915. No explanation as to why Mary and James were tending different lights. Mary appears to have taken over following her son’s death.

For more, check out these books on female lighthouse keepers in Michigan:

  • Ladies of the Lights by Patricia Majher
  • Women Who Kept the Lights by Mary Louise Clifford and J. Candace Clifford
  • Woman & The Lakes by Fred Stonehouse
  • Woman & The Lakes II by Fred Stonehouse

Other Great Lakes lighthouse resources:

Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association (www.GLLKA.org)
TerryPepper.com