Category: Upper Cedar Point

Keeper Bio: Speake, Thomas E.

Keepers

Date of Service: 1887 – 1917 1846:  Thomas E. Speake is born in August to Thomas & Mary Speake in MD. 1876:   Thomas Speake marries Buena Clagett in MD. 1887-1917:     Thomas E. Speake is appointed Principal Keeper at Upper Cedar Point Lighthouse, MD. (His wife Buena Speake serves as First Assistant) His beginning salary is …

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Keeper Bio: Speake, Buena V.

Date of Service: 1895 – 1917 1847:   Buena Clagett is born in December in MD. 1876:  Thomas Speake marries Buena Clagett in MD. 1895-1917:     Buena Speake is appointed First Assistant at Upper Cedar Point Lighthouse, MD. (Her husband Thomas E. Speake is Principal Keeper) Her beginning salary is $360/year and ending salary $480/year. 1935:  …

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Keeper Bio: Smoot, Mary E

Date of Service: 1875 – 1882 1837:   Mary Brawner is born in 1837 in MD. 1858+/-:   Richard M. Smoot marries Mary Brawner in MD. 1875-1876:     Mary E. Smoot is appointed First Assistant at Upper Cedar Point Lighthouse, MD. Her salary is $400/year. (Her husband Richard M. Smoot serves as Principal Keeper). 1876-1882:     Mary E. …

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Keeper Bio: Smoot, Richard M

Richard M. Smoot-Courtesy USLHS

Date of Service: 1872 – 1886 1833:    Richard M. Smoot is born to parents William & Violetta in MD. 1858+/-:  Richard M. Smoot marries Mary Brawner in MD. 1872-1876:  Richard Smoot is appointed Principal Keeper at Upper Cedar Point Lighthouse, MD. His salary is $550/year. (His wife Mary Smoot serves as First Assistant). 1876-1886:     Richard …

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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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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 …

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Timeline: Upper Cedar Point Lighthouse

Timeline: A screwpile lighthouse located on the Potomac River in Maryland 2 miles west of Mathias Point. 1867: A white, square, screwpile lighthouse was constructed to replace lightships. It was equipped with a 5th order Franklin type Fresnel lens and hand operated fog bell. 1867: Keeper James Treakle complained that the boat was too large …

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Upper Cedar Point Lighthouse

  In 1821, a lightship was stationed at the location of the Upper Cedar Point Lighthouse.  For the next 46 years, a total of four lightships remained there until the Lighthouse Board began replacing lightships with permanent structures.  In 1867, a white, square screwpile light was built.  It was nearly identical in appearance to the …

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