The Beacon Fall 2020

www.gllka.orgLighthouses of LakeSuperior’s NorthShoreA comprehensive guide to thelighthouses and navigationalbeacons from Duluth, MN toSault Ste. Marie, ON on LakeSuperior’s North Shore.Historian and author ElleAndra-Warner shares thefascinating stories of the NorthShore’s lighthouses and theirkeepers. $22.95Great LakesLighthouse CardiganGreat Lakes LighthouseCardigan, featuring a sixbutton closure and 70 silkscreened images oflighthouses from around theGreat Lakes. 80% cottonand 20% polyester.S-XL- $39.99 2X-$42.993X- $43.99GLLKA Men’s 1/4zip SweaterQuality 1/4 zip sweatermade of 100% polyester witha flannel lining featuring theGLLKA logo embroideredon the left chest. Heatherednavy blue in color. Onlyavailable in men’s XL and2XL. $43.00Supportlighthouses thisholiday season!

EXCURSION & EVENT PAYMENT AND REFUND POLICYGLLKA Membership required for all events.Deposit Requirement - 50% of the excursion fee per participant isrequired at registration to hold your place in each excursion or event.You may also make the payment in full.Final Payment - Due in full no later than sixty (60) days prior to thedate of the excursion or event. If at this time you do not wish toparticipate, please call the GLLKA office for a refund of your deposit.CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICY ON ALLEVENTSCancellation at Sixty (60) Days - If final payment is not received byat lease sixty (60) days prior to the date of the excursion or event, youwill be treated as a cancellation and your deposit refunded.Cancellation between Sixty (60) and Thirty (30) Days - If you cancelan excursion or event in less than sixty (60) days but prior to thirty(30) days of the excursion or event- you will receive a refund of yourpayment less an administrative fee of the smaller of 25% of the totalevent fee or $100 per participant.Cancellation between Thirty (30) Days and Start Date of Event - Ifyou cancel an excursion or event in less than thirty (30) days but priorto the start date of the event, you will not receive a refund unless aparticipant can be found to replace you on the excursion or event. Ifa replacement is found, you will receive a refund less anadministrative fee of the smaller of 25% of the total event fee or $100per participant.Official Publication of the Great LakesLighthouse Keepers AssociationVolume 36, Number 3Fall 2020 Beacon Deadline: December 11, 2020Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers AssociationP.O. Box 219707 N. Huron AveMackinaw City, Michigan 49701-0219Winter Hours - 9 AM to 4 PMSummer Hours - 9 AM to 5 PMPhone: (231) 436-5580 Fax: (231) 436-5466Email: [email protected] Website: www.gllka.orgOFFICERSPresidents………………Mark Siegman & Hallie WilsonVice President…………..Mike FinnSecretary………..………..Jennifer TregemboTreasurer…………………Dianne TaeckensBOARD MEMBERSWilliam Crane, Mike Finn, Robert Hazen, Ben Hale,MaryAnn Moore, Mark Siegman, Dianne Taeckens, JenniferTregembo, Hallie Wilson, Mark VanderVelde, & SherryNelsonOFFICE STAFFJim Tamlyn- Executive DirectorKatie Misic- Office ManagerSusan Brooks- Gift ShopPublic Notices_______________________________________________________On our front coverSand Point LighthouseEscanaba, MIPhoto Credit: Katie MisicThe BEACON is the official publication of the Great Lakes LighthouseKeepers Association (GLLKA), and is published quarterly.GLLKA is a non-profit 501(c) 3 and operated almost entirely byvolunteers. No portion of this publication may be reproduced withoutthe permission of the editor. Opinions within may not reflect the viewsof the organization.All GLLKA programs, services, and activities are performed withoutregard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex or handicap.* GLLKA MEMBER DISCOUNT:All current GLLKA members will be entitled to an in-store 10%discount on merchandise purchases by presenting a valid membershipcard at the time of purchase. Online and phone purchases areexcluded.* BEACON ARTICLES: If you would like to submit anlighthouse or maritime article to be published in theBEACON, please email to [email protected] via WordDocument or PDF. Submit photos via JPG.*2021 Cruises will be featured in the Winter 2020 Beacon.ContentsDirector’s Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4South Fox Island Lighthouse 2020 Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Lighthouses and Prohibition - Part 2 . . . . . . . 7Honoring White Shoal Light’s Longest Serving Lightkeeper . . . . . . . . . . . . 14The Keeper Series: Part 1 - Charles Marshall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Lighthouse Update: Round Island . . . . . . . . 24Lighthouse Update: Chicago Harbor . . . . . . 25

The Beacon ~ Fall 20204experiencing challenging times, with not only the pandemic, but also high water levels that are damaging the shoreline and dock at St. Helena. 2021 is looking to be a very busy year as we catch up from a year lost.We look forward to a healthy new year so we can see our members again on cruises and at our lighthouses. Until next time, we would like to wish you and your families, a happy and safe Thanksgiving.Directors Report:GLLKA’s 2020 season - a year in review . Jim Tamlyn, Executive DirectorWe did not open St. Helena or the Che-boygan Front Range Lighthouses this sum-mer for volunteers or tours. Our Board of Directors made a few stops to St. Helena over the summer to check the condition. Docking is becoming a greater issue with every storm. If you check the Angel Cam on our website and click “dock view”, you will see our dock is extremely damaged and may not be there in the spring. This will need to be addressed as soon as possible and any donation towards St. Helena is greatly needed and appreciated.The Cheboygan Front Range Light (CFRL) on the other hand was accessible and needs lots of tender love and care. The Cheboygan Lighthouse received all new electrical wiring, exit signs, and smoke alarms. We will continue the interior resto-ration work throughout the winter months.Our Mackinaw City gift shop had a great summer. It was difficult to determine what the summer was going to look like in terms of tourism, however, we experienced one of our busiest summers in Mackinaw.The hotels and restaurants canceled GLLKA’s Lake Michigan and Lake Huron Excursions, as they were unable to meet so-cial distancing requirements with our large groups. For next year, we are revisiting our 2020 events that never happened. We are planning to bring back the Lake Michigan cruise for June 8, 2021 and the Lake Huron cruise for September 7, 2021. We are offer-ing the same route, however we will be eliminating the ho-tel stay and banquet dinner. This will allow the cruises to be more affordable, while also not having to depend on COVID guidelines should they still exist next summer. Details and cost will be in the next Beacon, which we hope to have out by or near Christmas.Our revenue significantly decreased in 2020 with our fund-raisers canceled and lighthouses boarded up. Thank you for your donations and membership renewals this year, as we are St. Helena Lighthouse - Photo by Terry Pepper

The Beacon ~ Fall 20205South Fox Island Lighthouse 2020 UpdateBy Karen WellsAfter a delayed start to the season, the Fox Island Lighthouse Association (FILA) took eight work teams to the station this summer. While we had cancellations due to Covid-19, others delighted in the chance to spend a week on a remote island! High water is a significant issue for us, as it is for many light stations including GLLKA’s St. Helena Light. The historic boathouse is threatened by high waters. Team’s relocated materials stored in the boathouse to the Fog Signal Building, con-structed a small maintenance barn representative of the original to hold other items, and built a temporary barrier to protect the boathouse doors. While this fall’s slight drop in water levels is encouraging, we recall the high water of the mid 1980s tore off the boathouse doors, knocked the structure off its foundation and filled it with stone. We are still more reliant on prayers than plans.We have continued our partnership with YouthWork, a program of Child & Family Services of Northwestern Michigan. These young people do a lot of the “heavy lifting” that might otherwise be difficult for our most-ly older volunteers.Boathouse again battered by high waterBoathouse early 2000s, unknown photographerBoathouse after doors were installed in 2015 Note all the sidewalk and vegetation to the left.

The Beacon ~ Fall 20206Despite the challenges, we got a lot done:• The 1867 Lighthouse lantern room exterior was painted.• A combination of original and replica shutters now grace the lighthouse tower.• We continued stabilizing plaster in the Assistant Keep-er’s and the 1867 Lighthouse, necessary next steps for ongoing interior lead remediation.• Vents were added on basement window covers to improve air circulation.• An original screen door was restored and installed.In a fun note, Rob Sirrine, MSU Extension Hops expert, and his son, came out to collect samples of hops found at the station. Can his DNA analysis tell us where these strains origi-nate? Can we determine when they might have come to the station? On an island with limited refrigeration historically, and even more limited now, a cold beer sounds grand!Lighthouse ShuttersPlaster stabilizationRestored Screen Door

The Beacon ~ Fall 20207Lighthouses and Prohibition - Part 2By Larry WrightA Detroit River Light:A decommissioned light-house in the Detroit River was used as a transfer station and to hide small shipments of booze. It is said that the Canadian supplier would run out with a duffel bag of booze and hide it under a window in the wall by removing the windowsill board and stor-ing it in the hollow space. At a later time, an American bootlegger, probably a part of the Purple Gang, would sneak out at night and get the shipment and leave the cash for the next delivery. Details were vague because bootleg-gers were not big on keeping meticulous records or any records for that matter. The lighthouse is believed to have been either the Mam-ajuda or more likely the Ecorse light. Belle Isle Light: The abandoned light was also a landing spot for the bootleggers because it was less than ½ mile ( / km) 810from a boat dock on the Ca-nadian side. In the past, it had been shorter and easier for the keeper, when he need-ed supplies or a doctor to go across to Walkerville (Wind-sor). It has been noted that there was a speakeasy in the basement of the aquarium on the island. Mamajuda Lighthouse postcard, 1912Belle Isle Lighthouse, 1907

The Beacon ~ Fall 20208You hear stories of mackinaw boats manned by Ojibway Indians from around the Garden River dis-trict, which stop in at Upper Penin-sula ports after dark and are gone in the morning.You hear of cities like Grand Marais, which have been dead for twenty years, that are now coming back to vibrance and are bustling life since the passage of the Eigh-teenth Amendment.There is a long unguarded fron-tier between Canada and the States and as long as liquor is allowed to be shipped to border provinces that are supposed to be dry it will find its way into the States. What inter-ests the people of the States, both bootleggers and the people who voted the States dry, is how long is the liquor going to come in? They are watching for the result of On-tario’s referendum on prohibition.”Batchawana Lighthouse:The lighthouse on Batchawa-na Bay, Lake Superior is only 20 miles (32 km) from the White Fish Point lighthouse, in northern Mich-igan and so it became a vital route for bootlegger’s smuggling. Local legend has it that Al Capone main-tained a hideout among Batchawa-na’s islands.Victoria Island: From Victoria Island Light (out-side of Thunder Bay) to Grand Marias harbour is about 50 miles (81km). From the Toronto Star – June 5, 1920.“All the rum-running is not con-fined to the cities. You hear tales of lonely shacks along the rocky north shore of Lake Superior, where hundreds of cases of whiskey are stored. You hear of the trapper who invested the savings of a lifetime in liquor that he plans to smuggle into the States this summer. ….Corbiel Point Lighthouse - Batchawana Bay – Larry Wright’s CollectionVictoria Lighthouse, Knob Island, Lake Superior, 1911 – Larry Wright’s Collection

The Beacon ~ Fall 20209Port Arthur to Copper County:Partially taken from a paper by Russel M. Magnaghi, PhD, Northern Michigan University.“Captain George Stitt of the Arbutus sailed from Port Ar-thur with a cargo of liquor consigned to a Houghton man. With all that fine liquid cargo the temptation for the crew became overwhelming and they just had to have a taste or two. During the evening, they must have lost track of their headings and for some reason they ended up heaving anchor in Copper Harbour some 110 miles (178 km) from the place of departure and some 45 miles (73 km) from their intend-ed destination. As the morning dawned the Copper Harbour Range lighthouse keeper, Charles Davis, noticed an unfamil-iar vessel in the bay and decided to be inquisitive and see if the Arbutus was in need of assistance. Davis was able to ascertain that the ship was not in need of assistance but was indeed a rum-runner. Davis managed to get to a phone in the next community where he contacted the Customs Officer in Hancock and informed him that there was a rum-runner shel-tered in the bay at Copper Harbor not far from the lighthouse. By midmorning the Arbutus had built up a head of steam so Captain Stitt gave the command to pull anchor and he set a heading for Houghton but when he got out of the bay into Superior he ran into building seas and he was low on coal to keep the boiler at maximum power. The wisdom was not to fill the coal bin up completely but to use the bunker to stow more cases of contraband. While in theory that may have been a good idea, it was also their downfall. With the heavy seas and the low fuel supply, they thought the best thing to do was to seek shelter at Eagle Harbour, which was about 14.5 miles (23.5 km) from where they got under way. Cap-tain Stitt did not dare to take a chance of going any farther because if he ran out of coal he would have been at the mercy of Superior and surely would have been hurled onto the rocky coastline of the Keweenaw Penin-sula. ….. As the story goes, the cargo was tossed over-board in hopes to avoid issues with the customs officers who were on their way. The customs officer hired a diver to find the sunken treasure but had no results because a local had already retrieved it and taken it to shore and sold it. The booze ship was seized and a big legal battle ensued with the tug eventually to be returned to its owners. However, the ship sank while it was being taken from Marquette to the Soo the next spring.” Note: The Arbutus was a sixty-three-foot, wooden hull, Canadian-owned tug, built in 1887. Rum-runners preferred older boats because if they were seized or had to be scuttled there was little loss involved. Rock Island Keeper Foils Rum Runners: It was sighted by the Rock Island light-keeperThis Ship was the Canadian Southeast Shoal LightshipStories taken from the Green Bay Press-Gazette – May 16, 1930. “Green Bay – deputy collector of customs. The commander and the collector drove to Gill’s Rock, where they were met by a coast guard boat and taken to the captured craft. Collec-tor Young seized the boat and cargo and arrested the crew in the name of the United States.Victoria Lighthouse, Knob Island – Larry Wright’s Collection

The Beacon ~ Fall 202010Violated Custom LawsThis was purely a customs case; it was pointed out, the prohibition service having no part of it. The men are charged with violation of customs laws, and with conspiracy to vio-late them. Belief was expressed that the unknown informant who “tipped off” the government told his story to the cus-toms men because of the large reward paid for seizures made on such information. Rewards are not paid in the prohibition service.However, a large number of other violations were involved. The boat had once been stolen from United States custody near Detroit, and all coast guard stations had orders to pick her up on sight. The name had been obliterat-ed, only “No 18” and Amher-stburg,” the port of registry re-maining. This is a serious viola-tion of the law. Furthermore, the certificates of master and engineer were not displayed, as required by the pilot rules.The No. 18so-called for the want of a better name – has had a varied career. Built in Norway in 1895, she was originally intended as a lightship, whether Canadian or American is not known. She is exceptionally deep for her size, drawing 11 feet (3.4 m) of water. Her length is 86.5 feet (26.6m), and her tonnage 93.96. She is fitted with a triple-expansion steam engine and her certificate of boiler inspection, dated last month, gives her owner as John S. McQueen, Amherstburg, Ont. She is a British registry and at one time - probably while a lightship – had the name Southeast Shoal. There is said to be a Southeast Shoal light station in Lake Erie, but whether in Canadian or American waters could not be learned.Cargo Valued at $28,000Coastguardsmen declared that the seized boat had visited these waters on prior occasions. They had seen it before, they said, but knew nothing amiss with it, and paid no further at-tention to it.Unless some liquor is concealed in the hold, the cargo con-sists of nothing but beer and ale. Members of the crew cor-roborated this view. The bottles were wrapped in paper and packed in barrels, 72 quarts to a barrel, and the barrels were stowed on deck. More bottles, in square cases, jammed every inch of hold space.Value of the cargo, estimated at 4,000 cases bringing about $7 a case, would be around $28,000. The boat itself is said to be worth from $5,000 to $10,000 principally because of the triple expansion engine. The hull is old and not in the best condition.Green Bay Press-Gazette – May 16, 1930.Will Arraign Crew of Rum Runner, HereBoat With its Valuable Liquor Cargo Taken to Milwau-kee – The crew of six arrested aboard the former light ship, converted into a rum runner, by the Plum Island Coast Guard crew at the tip of Door county peninsula Wednesday evening, will be arraigned before John F. Watremolen, U.S. court com-missioner here tomorrow.Warrants charging each member of the crew with importing a large quantity of intoxicating liquor into the United States from Canada and with conspiring to import and assisting in importing liquor, were signed this morning by F. H. Gardner, customs agent and will be served by the United States Mar-shal at the Door County jail in Sturgeon Bay, this afternoon.Copper Harbor Rear Range, ca 1932 MSA

The Beacon ~ Fall 202011to deliver the boat to a Milwaukee crew at Two Rivers. The Milwaukee crew will deliver the boat to the U. S. Customs bureau at Milwaukee. Evan A. Evans district deputy of the customs bureau was in charge of the movement of the boat.Stolen at DetroitThe vessel was tied up in Detroit, Mich. by the customs bureau, two years ago and was stolen and operated as a rum runner. Since the theft of the vessel it has been the object of a continuous search by the customs department. Last winter, it is stated that the vessel was used as an ice breaker for the rum fleet on the Detroit river to the chagrin of the customs officials who were continually trying to get it back. In connection with the theft of the boat and its return to the trade, H. L. Wyant, special agent, from the department of justice, will question the prisoners. The men held, so far, have refused to talk at all about the rum running business. Their conduct aboard the vessel since its capture led Capt. M. A. Jacobson of the Plum Island station, to describe them as “A darn nice bunch of fellows.”The names given by the six members of the crew are: Al Gorman, Frank Clark, Harry Slater, George Wilson, Ed Ben-son and Albert Jackson. All are from “No Address”.Vessel Taken to MilwaukeeIt was generally believed that the names given were ficti-tious. The man giving the name Al Gorman was apparently in charge of the boat and crew, and his identification will proba-bly be investigated. Albert Jackson claimed to be a Canadian.The captured vessel, known as No. 18 or Amherstburg was formerly light ship at Southeast Shoal, Amherstburg, Ontar-io and later was known as Geronimo, left Sturgeon Bay this morning for Milwaukee where it will be turned over to the U. S. Customs bureau. It will probably arrive in Milwaukee about 1 a.m. tomorrow. The boat was built in Norway in 1895 and originally christened the Menanshe. It was registered in British trade by John S. McQueen a Canadian owner, in De-cember 1929, and assigned the number 211,459.The Amherstburg left Sturgeon Bay at 10:30 this morning convoyed by a crew in a coast guard cutter, but operated by a hired crew of sailors from Sturgeon Bay. At Kewaunee the Sturgeon Bay crew will return leaving the Kewaunee crew LH Arbutus, Rum Runner

The Beacon ~ Fall 202012Had No Steam EngineerThis opinion of the men is carried also by Carl F. Young, deputy customs collector, who told about his experience with the men this morning.After capturing the boat, the coast guards had no steam en-gineers and were forced to rely upon the prisoners for the op-eration of the vessel. They willingly brought it into Washing-ton Harbor and later to Sturgeon Bay under guard, of course. While Gorman appeared to be the navigating officer, the crew proved very versatile. Apparently, anyone could take his turn at the wheel, or operate the engine.While the boat was tied up overnight in Washington Is-land, the men were kept aboard the boat under guard, as there was no prison on the island. As a consequence of the all-day search for the vessel and the all-night watch, the coast guard crew was becoming worn out as they sailed for Sturgeon Bay. The excellent conduct of the prisoners was therefore appre-ciated.Cargo Destined for Chicago? One of the mysteries of the capture is how the boat suc-ceeded in getting through the straits at Mackinac. A lookout at that point was being kept, but evidently the watchers failed to recognize the boat. She carried a tin name plate which could be removed and another name substituted in a few min-utes. This it is believed may have accounted for her success at the straits.If the boat had gone a few miles farther west of the islands, or had waited for darkness, it is doubtful if the coast guard could have seen it at all. As it was, she was sighted about eight miles off shore. Two miles farther would have hidden her completely, it is believed.Officers of coastguard stations all along the bay are con-vinced that the boatload of ale was intended for the Chicago trade. They believe that the Amherstburg was making its sec-ond trip into the Bay for 1930 when captured and that its des-tination was Green Bay, from where the ale was to be taken to Chicago by motor truck. She carried no clearance papers. Green Bay Press-Gazette – May 17, 1930.Rum Craft Operated ‘Under Noses’ of U. S. OfficialsIf the federal authorities from the eastern district of Michigan have anything to say about it, the Canadian beer runner No. 18 now at Milwaukee after its seizure off Plum Island Wednes-day, will be brought back to Detroit, where it was stolen from government custody two years ago, and if the present crew had any part in the theft, they will go back too, to stand trial.Eagle Harbor Main Light 2 - 1933

The Beacon ~ Fall 202013The Michigan officials feel very keenly in the matter, not only through ambition to save Uncle Sam a craft valued at $5,000 to $10,000 but because during the intervening two years the rum runners have been “rubbing it in.” The officials have been forced to watch the stolen craft operating under their very noses, so to speak, and yet have been powerless to seize it because it has kept to the Canadian side of the Detroit River and the lower lakes. The present trip, accord-ing to George F. Fitzgerald, Detroit, assistant district attor-ney, is its first excursion into American waters since the theft.Seized Two Years AgoTwo years ago, this summer, the No. 18 – then the Geronimo was seized and fortified for rum running. It was moored at Fort Wayne, an army post near De-troit, in the custody of the United States marshals. One night the hawsers were found cut, and next morning the Geronimo was riding at anchor on the Canadian side.American authorities, in two tugs, started across the river for the purpose of towing back. “They’re casing us with gun-boats” protested the rum runners to the Canadian authorities. Investigation showed that there was a Canadian admiralty lien on the boat, formerly a Canadian lightship at Southeast Shoal, in the Canadian portion of Lake Erie, and that, un-der the present treaty between the United States and Canada, nothing could be done about it. In the interim, the tug had served as icebreaker for the rum fleet in the Detroit river – al-ways on the Canadian side – and has made many trips along the Canadian shore of the lakes. The American authorities have known its every move, but have been powerless to act.Loaded at GoderichThen came the “tip” that the boat was loading at Goderich, Ont. on Lake Huron, for a bootlegging trip. Word was flashed to all coast guard stations on Lake Michigan to be on the lookout for it, and two coast guard boats patrolled the Straits of Mackinac. When the Geronimo was two days overdue, the boats were withdrawn, and - whether by blind luck or stealth is not known - the beer runner slipped through the next night. The rest is known; how it was sighted by the Rock Island light-keeper and reported by him to the Plum Island coast guard, which made the capture.The fact that the boat was forfeited to the United States before its present trip brings up a rather unique situation of a government boat being used for beer-running, Mr. Fitzgerald pointed out. In Summary of Rum-runner: It was fascinating researching the stories of the rum-run-ners but very difficult to verify some of the stories because the culprits did not document their activities. There was also a lot of material left on the cutting room floor. With everyone being isolated you might consider taking some time to goo-gle Rum-runners, Bootleggers, Prohibition and see where it takes you and who was involved.Southeast Shoal (image #3) Falken 1910

The Beacon ~ Fall 202014Honoring White Shoal Light’s Longest Serving LightkeeperBy Jill OreOn Saturday, October 24, 2020 three generations of the Keller family gathered in the Harbor Springs Lakeview Cemetery along with White Shoal Light Historical Preserva-tion Society (WSLHPS) Board members Mike Lynch, Brent Tompkins, Norm Tompkins, and Jill Ore as well as a gallery of guests from WSLHPS and invited community members to honor the life and lightkeeper service of George Keller with the unveiling and dedication of a USLHS Keeper’s grave-marker. A chilly day with mixed precipitation did not damp-en the ceremony that began with a welcome by Jill Ore, an opening prayer offered by Norm Tompkins and guest Beth Wemigwase of the Harbor Springs Area Historical Society sharing a little about the history of the Lakeview Cemetery where we were gathered. The ceremony continued with a short reading of author Christine Valders Paintner’s words that describe why gatherings like this are important. Chris-tine wrote, “Our western culture doesn’t make much room for the hon-oring of ancestors or valuing what a connection to the stories of our past might bring to us. When we uncover the layers of the stories those who have come before us have lived for gen-erations, we begin to understand ourselves better. Some of these stories we may know the details of, and some we may have to access and experience in an embodied and intuitive way. These memories live inside of us, waiting for us to give them room in our lives.Making space in our lives to learn our family history, to know some of the struggles and joys of our ancestors, to ex-perience the land they walked on, all gives us a sense of time as generational, and how things in our lives are planted for generations to come.” There is a line in the poem, Pass Safely Sailor, when speak-ing of a lonely lighthouse that reads: The deeds you do each night are known by few. This was a fitting introduction as the ceremony next moved to describing the often unknown lives, duties, and deeds of lighthouse keepers in the reading of a selection of lighthouse poetry as well as these words appear-ing at the White Shoal Light Fresnel lens display at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point: Keeper of the LightEnduring Tedium, Danger, and DeprivationIt is tempting to romanticize the tranquility and isolation of the lighthouse keeper’s life, but sometimes it was true hardship duty.Many keepers and their families fought a constant battle with loneliness, boredom and bad weather.At the same time, most took fierce pride in their indepen-dence and considered it a sign of weakness to ask for help from the mainland.The keeper was responsible for maintenance and repair work. They saw to the cleaning and polishing of their brass work and lanterns all trimmed – burning bright and clear – with a zeal that was nothing less than astonishing.Dennis HansonSmithsonian – August 1987

The Beacon ~ Fall 202015The ceremony continued with a sharing of the Keeper bi-ography of George Keller read by Jill Ore with the assistance of Jeffrey Nunes, grandson of George Keller, who would speak his grandfather’s own words from an interview he gave in December 1983 just weeks before his passing. Keeper Biography – George Keller4/16/1898: George Keller was born in Cross Village, MI.6/20/1918-5/1/1920: At 20 years old, George Keller began his career of lighthouse duty as Second Assistant Keeper in Racine, WI at Racine Reef Light.“It was a pier light that was moored in 21 feet of water, two miles from the beach. I lived there two years and it ran year around. And that was a rascal!” he recalls.Was it lonely duty?“It was. Very lonely. Well, you lock up four fellas in a place like this, what would you expect?”Lighthouse duty then was punctuated oc-casionally by runs to the land for supplies and “emergency relief,” he says. “If you didn’t get any relief from a place like that, they’d be putting you in the funny house.”5/1/1920-6/3/1922: After Racine Reef, Mr. Keller was assigned as Second Assistant Keeper on Squaw Island a 69-acre patch of land 6 miles north of Beaver Island. With little but poison ivy and snakes to keep him company, he was more than happy to be transferred to White Shoal Lighthouse not far from Cross Village. 6/3/1922-6/1/1930: Upon transfer from Squaw Island Light, George Keller served as Second Assistant Keeper at White Shoal Light.4/7/1928: George Keller mar-ried Gladys Whitmarsh in Sault Ste. Marie, MI. The family shares that Gladys came from a Baptist Missionary Training school in the Detroit or possibly Chicago area to be the schoolteacher at one of the one-room schoolhouses between Harbor Springs and Cross Village.6/1/1930-1/31/1946:GeorgeKeller was promoted to and served as First Assistant Keeper at White Shoal Light. The routine on lighthouse duty was ‘two weeks on, two weeks off,’ and Mr. Keller spent his ‘off’ time with his family on the farm in Cross Village. The grand-children share that Grandma Keller (Gladys) was the glue that held the family together during these long stretches of Grandpa Keller’s absence.“It wasn’t much,” he says, but they had a productive gar-den that supplied much of the needs of the six-member family.“I didn’t make much money, but by golly, we didn’t starve anyway. So it wasn’t such a bad life.”1/31/1946-8/31/1946: George Keller was promoted to and served as Head Lighthouse Keeper at White Shoal Light un-til his retirement on 8/31/1946. George Keller’s wage as a

The Beacon ~ Fall 202016lighthouse keeper started at $640/yr at Racine Reef Light and was increased to $840/yr after 5 months. He actually took a pay cut to $600/yr upon transfer to Squaw Island but was in-creased back to $840/yr when appointed to White Shoal. His final pay as Head Keeper at White Shoal was $2232/yr and his retirement pay was $1310.02/yr. “Work, work, work. That was the workhouse of the Great Lakes”, he recalls. “You were like a prisoner. You didn’t feel like a free man. You don’t go home until the old man tells you.”Yet, he concedes his years tending the lighthouses were fairly good to him, all things consid-ered.“It was a really thrilling life. We were always on guard for wrecks, people adrift and people disabled on a rock, a reef or a shoal.”1/3/1984: Keeper George Keller passed away at age 85.***************During Keeper George Keller’s time at White Shoal Light he would have been present to witness the following events:1927-1937: Keeper Keller was pres-ent at White Shoal during the years when the daymark color changed from white to black and back to white again. 1930: Keeper Keller was present when elec-tricity was introduced to illuminate the lighthouse and the intensity of White Shoal Light was increased from 360,000 to 3,000,000 candlepower. Fire and ex-plosion danger prompted the switch to electricity. “We had a lot of comfort with those electric lights. All we had to do was turn a switch and the lights would come on, and the motors would start up. It was really a change.”5/28/1938: Keeper Keller was present when the station’s fog signal was changed from an air whistle to a diaphragm horn that sounded two blasts every forty-five seconds. There were no fatalities or shipwrecks nearby while Mr. Keller manned the lighthouse, a record he is justly proud of.“It would have been a bad mark on us to have a shipwreck. It sure would. It’s a very dangerous place to navigate in a storm, especially if the weather is hazy, or fog or snow or rain. You’ve got to be on your toes all the time, you know. Keep that horn a’goin’, keep that light a-flashin’.”

The Beacon ~ Fall 2020177/1/1939: Keeper Keller was present at White Shoal when the Lighthouse Service was absorbed into the Unit-ed States Coast Guard. Keepers were given the option to retire, to remain as civilians attached to the Coast Guard, or to become part of the Coast Guard, usually at the rank of Chief Petty Offi-cer. Keeper Keller chose to remain and serve as a civilian lightkeeper attached to the Coast Guard.11/11/1940: Thrilling would be a mild word for some of the weather he saw at White Shoal. There was the ‘big one,’ for example, the Armistice Day storm of November 11, 1940.“The seas were 25, maybe 35 feet high, 70 feet wide. When the waves hit the deck over the crib, the structure would shake, utensils would fall off of the stove and water would leak all over.” After the three-day-blow, I figured we must have had 500 ton of ice on that structure.It took a few days for Mr. Keller and the only other crew-man there to chip off enough ice to be able to launch a boat and get back to civilization. “I never figured on being back to shore. No, it didn’t scare me. I don’t know why it was.”When they could free up a boat, they made a run to a barge that was beached on St. Helena Island. Needing no sup-plies of mail to be delivered, the bargepatientlylay there, ‘like a duck on the water, and we went on to Mackinaw.“I tell you that nothinglookedbetter than when I got away from that light, and could look back and see that light flashin’ andeverythingwas all right. And there was not that much damage to the station. We didn’t lose a thing.”It wasn’t until the next August that the lake allowed all the stirred up mud and silt to settle again. Until then, the lake was dirty, he remembers. The silt clogged the gills of a great many fish during and after the storm, and they washed up on the north shore, smelt so thick “you could pick them up with a hay loader.”

The Beacon ~ Fall 202018Some additional details about George Keller’s history: Keeper Keller would have been serving at Racine Reef Light during the last months of World War I and served at White Shoal Light during the entirety of World War II.George Keller came from a family of lighthouse keepers. His older brother, William Keller, served as 3rd assistant keeper at Chicago Harbor Breakwater Light, 3rd assistant, 1st assistant, and head lighthouse keeper at Lansing Shoal Light and head lighthouse keeper at Manistique East Break-water Light. George Keller’s father, August Keller, served as 2nd assistant keeper at Beaver Island Lighthouse, 2nd as-sistant keeper and later as 1st assistant keeper at Skillagalee Lighthouse. Following the biography reading, great-grandchildren Mandy Schropp and Conner Phillips assisted with the unveil-ing of the grave marker and placement of the American flag. The marker was dedicated with the following words:“Today we honor the commitment and devotion of George Keller in his service as lighthouse keeper to Racine Reef Light, Squaw Island Light, and White Shoal Light encompass-ing the years from 1918-1946. As we unveil the United States Lighthouse Service Keeper’s marker and place the American flag, we dedicate the marker to George Keller’s memory and as a reminder of his story for generations to come. May this marker remind all who pass by of the devotion and dedica-tion of George Keller to his duties as Lighthouse Keeper and indeed also be a reminder of all who served our lighthouses with equal devotion and dedication so that our history is not forgotten.” The ceremony concluded with the song Legend of the Lighthouse/America the Beautiful, followed by picture tak-ing and signing of the White Shoal Guestbook so we could commemorate this event in the annals of White Shoal Light’s history. It was an honor to meet and serve the Keller family by honoring this important historical legacy in their family.

The Beacon ~ Fall 202019The Keeper Series: Part 1Charles MarshallBy Jim TamlynThe Marshall family is well known in the lighthouse community, as six brothers had all served as Lighthouse Keepers in the upper Great Lakes. Em-igrating from England and settling on Mackinac Island, the father William Marshall, was Fort Mackinac’s old-est and longest serving soldier, serv-ing from 1848 until his death in 1884. Everyone on the Island knew him as “the Old Sergeant.” William and Fan-ny Marshall had 10 children, 6 boys and 4 girls. All six boys (William D., Thomas, George, Samuel, Walter and Charlie) became Lighthouse Keepers on the upper Great Lakes. Charles was the youngest of the 10 children and was born on March 18, 1858 on Mackinac Island.Lighthouse duty was tough and came with difficult times. William D. Marshall’s son, James Marshall, tragically drowned in 1883 after helping his father close up Spectacle Reef Lighthouse for the winter. Three years later on May 28, William D.’s brother Thomas Marshall also drowned while serving as a Lighthouse Keeper at Waugoshance Light.Charles Marshall started his Lighthouse career at Waugoshance Light on September 22, 1884 two years prior to the drowning of his brother Thomas Marshall. After serving four years at Waugoshance, he transferred to St. Helena Island Light Station on July 6, 1888. In No-vember of 1893, while on duty at St. Helena, Charles’ young child died at the age of two and is buried in St. Ignace. There are several letters where Charles describes his wife, Rose, as being very sick and wish-ing to get off the island. Sometime around 1895 Charles built a home in Mackinaw City for his wife and he commuted to their home by sailboat several times per week to check on her.In late July 1895, Charles is whitewashing the St. Helena Lighthouse tower. He was about 45 feet off the ground and 15 feet from the top. The rope used to raise and lower himself fell out of his reach. The late July sun beat down on him as he tried to flag down passing boats by waving his arms. The boats waved back not realizing his predicament. All day the sun beat on him and reflected off the now hot walls of the tower. As daylight turned to dusk, he started to shiver and was afraid he would fall from the scaffold and tied himself to it. During the night, a passing tug noticed the lighthouse was Waugoshance Lighthouse, ca. 1900 - NARA St. Helena Lighthouse, ca. 1900 - NARA

The Beacon ~ Fall 202020not lit and sent a crew to investigate. The tug crew found him and took him to St. Ignace:1895, August 3Mackinaw Witness“Charles Marshall, keeper of the St. Helena light, received a sun stroke last week, and was taken to Saint Ignace and treated by Dr. Young, who injected morphine. He began to get worse, and was brought here for his brother George to take care of. Dr. Brown was called, and pulled him through all right. Mr. Marshall went back to his lighthouse entirely recovered.”George Marshall, Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse Keeper and Charles Marshall’s brother, wrote this letter to the Inspec-tor 9th Light House District in regards to Charles wellbeing:Mackinaw City Mich July 24th 1895Inspector 9th Light House dist.Chicago, Ill“Sir,The keeper of St. Helena is out of his head since the 22nd of this month. I have been to St Helena and had him sent to St. Ignace for medical treatment his wife with him. I left Mr. Geo. Randolph to take care of the Light until the keepers wife goes back I could not stay myself any longer his wife can take care of the station until the inspector finds if Chars. Marshall is or will be capable to go back. I did not want to came away with out making some arrangements to Rud the going hop-ing I have done write in this matter.”Very RespectfullyGeo. W. Marshall keeperOld Mackinac Point Lt StationCharles later returned to his duties at St. Helena Lighthouse and his letters indicate no problems for the next several years. George Marshall Young George Marshall

The Beacon ~ Fall 202021Mackinaw City Mich July 30th 1895Inspector 9th Light House DistChicago, Ill“ Sir,The keeper of St. Helena is ready to go back to his light it is now blowing a heavy gale NW as soon as this wind goes down he will start for his station the doctor tells him that he is out of all danger now and can go he had been absent from July 24 will get back about the first of Aug weather permit-ting the smoke at this end of the lake has nearly all gone what little there is now dose not require the fog signal nearly all burned out”Very Respectfully George W. MarshallKeeper Mackinaw PointThen on November 23, 1900, Charles takes a demotion and goes to work as an Assistant Lighthouse keeper at Old Mack-inac Point working under his brother, George Marshall. The Assistant Lighthouse Keeper at Old Mackinac Point, George E Leggatt, took the promotion to be Keeper at St. Helena. The following year as George Leggatt returned from St. Hel-ena to Mackinaw City, a storm rolled in quickly and capsized his boat less then 100 yards from the dock in Mackinaw City. Neither Mr. Leggett’s body nor the boat were ever recovered.Charles Marshall’s health continued to deteriorate and in April 1902, George Marshall writes in the Old Mackinac Point Logbook about his brother Charles, “adjudged insane and taken away to Traverse City,” where he was confined to the State Mental Hospital for the rest of his life. Charles died in the State Hospital on August 12, 1926.Charles’ wife Rose, died in 1907, their children, Chester, Ethel and Nora went to live at Old Mackinac Point with their Uncle George and Aunt Maggie.Series of events as laid out in Charles Marshall’s letters and Newspaper articles:1892 September 19Letter from Keeper Marshall to District Inspector Licking, Chicago“Sir, Twenty five -25- pounds of white lead. I need for making lead colored paint for painting lantern stairs.”1892 December 16Letter from Keeper Marshall to District Inspector Licking, Chicago“Sir, I write for permission to leave the station after the close of navigation. My wife is sick. I got to take her to main land until she gets better. Respectfully, Charles Marshall, St. Ignace, Mich Old Mackinac Point, Undated Postcard

The Beacon ~ Fall 2020221895 August 3Mackinaw Witness“Charles Marshall, keeper of the St. Helena Island light, received a sun stroke last week, and was taken to Saint Ignace and treated by Dr. Young, who inject-ed morphine. He began to get worse, and was brought here for his brother George to take care of. Dr. Brown was called and pulled him through all right. Mr. Mar-shall went back to his light-house entirely recovered.”1895 November 1Letter from keeper Marshall to District Inspector Licking, Chicago“Sir, I write for permission to leave St. Helena light for the winter after the close of navigation. My wife and little girl is ailing and I would like to move to Mackinaw City where they can get medical aid. Very respectfully, Charles Marshall Keeper, St. Ignace, Mich”1895 December 11Letter from keeper Marshall to District Inspector Licking, Chicago“Sir, my wife is sick at Mackinaw city. I left a man in charge of my light. I left the light on the 9 day of December. Very respectfully, Charles Marshall Keeper, St. Ignace, Mich”1901 June 26Letter from Mrs. George Leggatt to District Inspector Symonds“Sir, From all accounts Mr. Leggatt was capsized in a squall, within 200 feet of the citizens dock at Mackinaw City yesterday noon June the 25th while going for supplies, hav-ing the Engineer’s men here building the boat house. I will continue the light until Mr. Fountain relieves me, Mr. Brust kindly offering to assist me. As Mr. Leggatt had his triplicates and books almost ready to turn over to the new keeper, I will have no difficulty with that. If in case Mr. Leggatt’s body George Marshall George Marshall

The Beacon ~ Fall 202023in Chicago, which I will do as soon as I receive it and Mr. Fountain arrives. Will you please give me permission to leave household goods with Mr. Fountain until the Dahlia comes up here again as freight is so high from here to Chicago, it would help me very much of the Dahlia could move it for me. This seems a heartless letter but I have got to be brave for the sake of my children. Hoping to hear from you soon, I remain, respectfully, Mrs. George Leggatt.**Unfortunately we were unable to find any photographs of Charles Marshall .should be found, they are grappling for it today, will I have to stand the expense of the funeral? Mackinaw City is good enough till such tine as I can make letter better preparations in case the Government stands the funeral expenses. Will you please ask Mr. Geo Marshall to take charge? I am unable to as I expect to be confined in about six weeks and I am afraid the shock would prostrate me entirely. Would you please send check as usual to Gros Cap, that will be the only money I will have in the world as Mr. Leggatt took what cash we had along, it will enable me to settle up and go to my parents

The Beacon ~ Fall 202024 Photo: Robert McGreevy of Mackinac IslandLighthouse UpdateIn October after an anonymous donor came forward with $250,000.00 to push the Round Island Fundraising effort to their goal of setting stone around the endangered lighthouse, chal-lenges still lay in the way. They needed to get the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) to speed up the 20-day public input period to allow the state permit to be issued. With the November Gales, looming on the horizon, time was of the essence. The State has been expediting these permits where pub-lic health or private property are in jeopardy. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had already green lighted the project.On October 23, EGLE announced they had approved the work permits. North Shore Marine Terminal out of Escanaba, Michigan immediate-ly went to work getting a barge loaded with the large stone needed for the project. November winds now dictated when the move to Round Island would take place. On the morning of No-vember 18, Mackinac Islanders awoke to the tug Erika Kobasic and her barge with crane and stone starting to work on placing stone around Round Island Lighthouse and accessory buildings. After sunset, the scene was ablaze with lights as they continued to finish the job.Round Island Lighthouse Photo: Robert McGreevy of Mackinac Island Photo: Robert McGreevy of Mackinac Island

The Beacon ~ Fall 202025Lighthouse UpdateAn article in the Chicago Sun Times of November 2, 2020 says the Chicago Harbor Lighthouse may be going back to the Federal Govern-ment. The Lighthouse was conveyed to the City of Chicago in 2009, but since that time no work has been started on it nor have any plans been approved to start work on it.The National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000 allows for the disposal of federally owned historic light stations that have been declared excess to the needs of the responsible agency. They may be conveyed at no cost to Federal agencies, State and local gov-ernments, nonprofit corporations, educational agencies, and commu-Chicago Harbor Lighthousenity development organizations. These entities must agree to com-ply with conditions set forth in the NHLPA and be financially able to maintain the historic light station.Since Chicago has received the lighthouse, it has continued to weather and deteriorate and no action has been planned to restore it. If returned to the National Park Service, a new suitor would be sought. If one was not found, it might be put out to the highest bidder. Being one mile from downtown Chicago should make it attractive for some group interested in historical preservation to make a go of it. We will watch with interest to see what happens next. Photo: Halllie Wilson

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