Date of Service: 1873 – 1879
1824: Phoebe is born in Pennsylvania.
1879-1879: Phoebe D. Richards is appointed First Assistant at Craney Island Lighthouse, VA. (Her husband Elisha Richards is Principal Keeper). Her salary is $420/year.
1879: Phoebe D. Richards writes a letter to the Secretary of the Navy pleading her case to remain as First Assistant and appointing her son as Principal Keeper after her husband’s death in July. Instead, another person is named Acting Keeper and Phoebe retires in October.
1900: Phoebe D. Richards, age 76, lives in Norfolk, VA. with her son-in-law.
1910: Phoebe D. Richards dies in Norfolk, VA.
Sources: Chesapeake Chapter Keeper’s Database; familysearch.org; uslhs.org
