Author's posts
Keeper Bio: Kelly, William James
Date of Service: 1918 – 1945 1900: Born on January 29 to William S. Kelly and Bertha Wallace Kelly.1918 – 1920: Begins Lighthouse Service. Serves as Assistant Keeper at Old Plantation Flats Lighthouse (VA) – an off-shore screwpile lighthouse on the Eastern Shore of the Bay, southwest of Cape Charles City, VA. His salary was …
Permanent link to this article: https://cheslights.org/keeper-bio-william-james-kelly/
Keeper Bio: Hudgins, John Filmore
Date of Service: 1895 – 1923 1856: Born on January 17 in Mathews County, VA1879 or 1880: Married Ellen Gertrude “Mittie” Thomas and raised eleven children.1895: Serves at the Smith Point Lighthouse. The Chesapeake Bay freezes. Ice strikes lighthouse – carries it six miles away from the foundation. Lantern, fog-bell apparatus, oil and some supply …
Permanent link to this article: https://cheslights.org/keeper-bio-john-filmore-hudgins/
Keeper Bio: Foster, Isaac
Date of Service: 1846 – 1854 1789: Born in Mathews, Virginia.1812: Serves as a Private and Sergeant in the 61st Regiment, Virginia Militia during the War of 1812.1814: Marries Mary “Polly” F. Miller. The couple raises seven children: Baldwin, John, Elizabeth, Seth, Isaac, William Shepard, and Julia Ann. Sons – John, Seth, and William Shepard …
Permanent link to this article: https://cheslights.org/keeper-bio-isaac-foster/
Keeper Bio: Diggs, William James
Date of Service: 1916 – 1943 1882: Born January 5 in Mathews County, VA1908: Married Edna Grey Brooks on November 18 at Bethel United Methodist Church in Laban (now Onemo), Virginia. The couple raises three children, daughters Edna Virginia, Alice Jeanette and a son, James Carlton.1916 to 1917: Serves as Second Assistant Keeper at Wolf …
Permanent link to this article: https://cheslights.org/keeper-bio-william-james-diggs/
Keeper Bio: Crewe, Floyd Earl
Date of Service: 1930-1968 1908: Born on November 16 in Mathews County, VA.1930: Marries Melva Sadler on June 21. The couple raises three children.1930: Joins the U.S. Lighthouse Service. Serves as a seaman on Diamond Shoals Lightship #105.1933: Survives 150 mph winds of Chesapeake-Potomac hurricane. The Lightship is swept off course 5 miles.1937: Transferred to …
Permanent link to this article: https://cheslights.org/keeper-bio-crewe-floyd-earl/
Keeper Bio: Nelson Stanley Atherton
Date of Service: 1937-1965 1903: Born March 30 in Hallieford, Mathews County, VA.1920: Begins service in the Merchant Marine and as a crew member on the Steamer Pennsylvania. The vessel stopped at Old Point Comfort Lighthouse in route between Cape Charles and Norfolk, VA.1929: Married Arlys Hurst on August 26. The couple raises one daughter, …
Permanent link to this article: https://cheslights.org/keeper-bio-nelson-stanley-atherton/
Timeline: Hawkins Point Lighthouse
1866: Congress appropriates $30,000 on July 28, 1866, to construct two lights to mark Brewerton Channel, on the Patapsco River, Maryland. The front light is to be built on a shoal at Hawkins Point and the rear light is to be built on Leading Point, a total of 1-1/8 mile apart. 1867: Construction begins on …
Permanent link to this article: https://cheslights.org/template-timeline-hawkins-point-lighthouse/
Hawkins Point Lighthouse
On July 28, 1866, Congress appropriated $30,000 to construct two lights that would mark the Brewerton Channel on the south shore of the Patapsco River approaching Baltimore Harbor. The rear light, Leading Point, was built on a high bluff of land approximately one mile from the front light, Hawkins Point, built on a shoal in …
Permanent link to this article: https://cheslights.org/hawkins-point-lighthouse/
Timeline: Jordan Point Lighthouse
1852: Congress appropriates $15,000 for lighthouses to be built at Days Point, Point of Shoals, Deep Water Shoals and Jordan Point along the James River on August 31, 1852. 1853: The site for Jordan Point Lighthouse is selected and estimates and plans are made by Major Bache, which are approved. 1854: Construction begins on Jordan …
Permanent link to this article: https://cheslights.org/template-timeline-jordan-point/
Timeline: Deep Water Shoal Lighthouse
1837: A request is made by Beverly Kennon, Captain of the United States Navy, to construct a lighthouse at three locations along the James River in Virginia; Day’s Point, Point of Shoals and Deep Water & Lyon’s Creek Shoals. 1850: The U. S. Lighthouse Board authorizes $3,500 for preliminary work in the engineering & design …
Permanent link to this article: https://cheslights.org/template-timeline-deep-water-shoal-lighthouse/
Timeline: Craney Island Lighthouse
1857: The Lighthouse Board recommends building a small screwpile lighthouse for a price of $10,000-$12,000 to replace the lightship that had served the station since 1820. 1859: The lightship is replaced by a square wooden structure on a screwpile foundation. 1861: The Confederates remove the lens & destroy the lighthouse. 1862: On June 23, 1862, …
Permanent link to this article: https://cheslights.org/template-timeline-craney-island-lighthouse/
Timeline: Cherrystone Bar Lighthouse
1853: It is recommended by the Lighthouse Board to construct a small screwpile lighthouse on the shoals or Sandy Point to mark the entrance to Cherrystone Harbor for a price of $10,000. 1854: $10,000 is appropriated by Congress on August 3rd to construct the lighthouse. 1855: An additional request is made by the Lighthouse Board …
Permanent link to this article: https://cheslights.org/template-timeline-cherrystone-bar-lighthouse/
