Category: Cobb Point Bar

Keeper Bio: Goeshy, William Marion

Date of Service: 1916 – 1955 1896:  Walerian Marion Gorsky (aka William Marion Goeshy) is born on April 22 in Wielke, Austria. 1909:   William (Walerian) (age 16) arrives at Ellis Island with his father Piotr Gorski on October 22 on the vessel President Lincoln. 1915:   William receives his “Certificate of Efficiency to Lifeboat Man” on …

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Keeper Bio: Wingate, Henry Clay

Date of Service: 1902 – 1927   1862:  Born May 19 to parents Thomas and Mary Wingate in Dorchester County, MD. 1880: Occupation is listed as Sailor in the U.S. Census 1889:  Henry is discharged from the Army on November 16 (Spanish American War) 1890: Marries Nettie J. Dodge. 1900: Occupation is listed as day …

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Keeper Bio: Brooks, William Thomas “Billy”

Date of Service: 1909 – 1923 1853: Born on September 3 in Mathews County, VA.                1878: Marries Lucy Jane Marchant on January 31.  The couple has six children ­- Egbert, James, William, Thomas, Golden, and Gladys.      1900: Works as an oysterman.                     1909-1911: Serves as Assistant Keeper at Cobb Point Bar Lighthouse, MD beginning November …

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Keeper Bio: Weems, Sr., James Locke

Date of Service: 1887 – 1918 1888: Born January 18 to parents James & Margaret Weems in Calvert, MD. 1878: Marries Mary Alice Ireland on February 21, 1878, in Calvert, MD. They had 5 children. 1887–1890: Served as First Assistant at Cove Point Lighthouse, MD. His salary was $420/year. 1890–1891: Served as Principal Keeper at …

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Keeper Bio: Slacum, William Kirwan

Keepers

Date of Service: 1892 – 1914 1833:  Born on November 8, 1833, in Church Creek, Dorchester County, MD. To Barzillai and Julia Ann Slacum 1862:  Marries Margaret Jane Christopher on February 4, 1862, in Dorchester County, MD. 1880: Occupation listed as a clerk in Baltimore, MD. in the U.S. Census. 1892: Serves as Assistant Keeper …

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Timeline: Cobb Point Bar Lighthouse

1885:   The U.S. Lighthouse Board requests $15,000 to build a lighthouse at Cobb Point Bar to guide vessels into the mouth of the Wicomico River and provide refuge for vessels from bad storms or drifting ice. 1887:   The U.S. Lighthouse board repeats the request to construct a lighthouse at Cobb Point Bar, this time for …

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Keeper Bio: Steinhise, Thomas Jefferson

Date of Service: 1918 – 1941 1879: Born on September 29 in Leonardtown, Maryland.Marries wife, Ada Viola Wible.  The couple raises sixteen children. Works as a waterman and blacksmith.1918: Joins U.S. Lighthouse Service. Serves as Assistant Keeper at Tangier Sound Lighthouse (Virginia) with brother-in-law.1919: Serves as Keeper at Lower Cedar Point Lighthouse (Maryland). Resigns for …

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Cobb Point Bar Lighthouse

  Cobb Point Bar Lighthouse, also known as Cobb Island Bar, was built to mark the entrance to the Wicomico River from the Potomac River. Prior to the construction, passenger vessels often traveled up the river, only to become grounded on a bar the extended five miles. The U.S. Lighthouse Board originally made the initial …

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