Date of Service: 1879 – 1915
1846: John Peterson is born in Germany.
1879-1881: John Peterson is appointed First Assistant at Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse, MD. His salary is $420/year.
1881-1886: John Peterson is appointed Principal Keeper at Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse, MD. His salary is $540/year.
1886-1892: John Peterson is appointed the first Principal Keeper at the new Craighill Channel Upper Rear Lighthouse, MD. His beginning salary is $520/year, and his ending salary is $560/year.
1892-1896: John Peterson is appointed Principal Keeper at Maryland Point Lighthouse, MD. His salary is $560/year.
1896-1915: John Peterson is appointed Principal Keeper at Hawkins Point Lighthouse, MD. His salary is $575/year.
1915: John Peterson dies on duty at Hawkins Point Lighthouse on February 17th at age 75. He is buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery, Baltimore, MD.
1915: John Peterson’s wife, Sarah E. Peterson is appointed Principal Keeper at Hawkins Point Lighthouse, MD., following the death of her husband, John Peterson. She served at this position for approximately 30 days.
Keeper John Peterson Anecdotes:
John Peterson served a total of 36 years in the U.S. Lighthouse Service. Prior to his lighthouse service, he was a veteran of the Civil War. He served on eight different gun boats until 1870. Peterson died because of injuries from an accident in June 1914. Peterson was knocked down by a streetcar while in the city collecting supplies. He went to the hospital for his injuries, but evidently left too soon because of his obligation at the lighthouse.
Sources: Chesapeake Chapter Keeper’s Database; familysearch.org; uslhs.org;The Evening Sun, February 18, 1915
