Category: Choptank River

Keeper Bio: Messick, Harold McKnett

Date of Service: 1939 – 1960 1900: Born January 3 to parents William and Elizabeth Messick in Wicomico County, MD. 1918: Per the 1917-1918 U.S. Draft Card, Harold is 18 years old, single, and his occupation is listed as a streetcar conductor. 1930: In the U.S. Census, Harold lives with his wife, Alice, and their …

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Choptank River Station

There are no photos of LV-25 marked as Choptank known to exist. If one is found, please contact the Chapter Historian. (See contact information at the bottom of this page) Choptank River Station, 1870-1871 LV-25 was placed at the entrance to the Choptank River at the junction with the Tred-Avon River in January 1870 to …

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Keeper Bio: Somers, James T.

Date of Service: 1919 – 1958 1892:  Born on November 18 to parents Tobey & Matilda, Somerset County, MD. 1919:  Served as First Assistant at Cove Point Lighthouse in MD.  His annual salary was $1,115/year. 1919-1920:  Served as First Assistant at Point No Point Lighthouse in MD.  His salary was $1,182/year. 1923:  Served as First …

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Keeper Bio: Austin, Julian Haywood

Date of Service: 1921 – 1948 1898:   Born on February 20 to John Lotson Austin & Markey Poyner Austin, in Frisco, NC 1916-1917:   Joins the U.S. Lighthouse Service and was stationed on three lightships, including LV71. 1918-1921:   Worked on multiple “oilers” for the U.S. Army. 1921:   Returned to the U.S. Lighthouse …

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Permanent link to this article: https://cheslights.org/keeper-bio-julian-haywood-austin/

Timeline: Choptank River Lighthouse

Choptank Replica

Choptank River Lighthouse (Replica) Timeline (Located at the end of Pier A – Long Wharf Park – Water and High Streets, Cambridge, MD) (08/03/13) 1870 Lightship Choptank River – 41-ton wooden schooner stationed at site while screwpile under construction. 1871 Hexagonal screwpile lighthouse built at Lazaretto Depot, Baltimore, MD , moved by barge and stationed …

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Choptank River Lighthouse

Choptank Replica

The Choptank River Light was constructed in 1870 and was a hexagonal cottage style screw pile lighthouse built by Francis A. Gibbons. The lighthouse sat offshore of Benoni Point in Oxford  out in the Choptank River and replaced the Lightship Hooper Strait/Relief (LV 25) that was anchored there from 1870-1871. It was known to locals …

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