Digest>Archives> May/Jun 2015

Collecting Nautical Antiques

Lighthouse Keeper Andrew Zuius, Jr.

By Jim Claflin

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1st Assistant Keeper Andrew Zuius Jr at Sakonnet ...

We recently acquired a large lot of over 240 photographs and documents relating to Andrew Zuius Jr. I was not familiar with the name until I began to research his career. I found that he had a long and distinguished career at seven or more New England light stations in the 1920s until the mid-1940s. It appears too that he had quite a sense of humor.

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1st Assistant Keeper Andrew Zuius Jr at Sakonnet ...

Andrew Zuius Jr began his career in the Lighthouse Service as a young man, probably in the early 1920s. I have found mention of an Andrew Zuius Sr. in the Lighthouse Service as well, but have not been able to confirm the name. It may be that the name was transcribed incorrectly, or that Andrew Jr. may have had a father who preceded him in the Lighthouse Service. It would have been a common occurrence for a son to take up his father’s vocation.

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Another early photo of Keeper Zuius as the First ...

The first station at which I find Andrew Zuius Jr. mentioned is Sakonnet Point Lighthouse, Little Compton, Rhode Island. Sakonnet Point is at the southern tip of a peninsula composed of Tiverton and Little Compton. The need for a navigational light in the vicinity was noted as early as 1852, but it wasn’t until 1884 that a light was established. The light was located about 800 yards offshore and was a four-story cast-iron tower in the “spark plug” style, typical of many offshore lights in the area. The height of the caisson and tower was 66 feet, with a brick-lined water cistern and coal bin in the base. The keepers lived inside the tower, with the first floor serving as a kitchen and living area. The second and third floors were bedrooms, and the fourth level was a combined bedroom and tool storage area.

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The keepers in 1923 at Watch Hill Light Station, ...

The station typically had a principal keeper, an assistant, and in later years also a second assistant. Life was difficult in the sturdy but cramped quarters. Heavy seas often limited access to shore, and the structure was always damp. A privy, one of life’s necessities, was not installed until 1920. The keepers shared the duties, but as at many “stag” stations where the wives were not present, keepers with cooking skills would take on that responsibility and in return some of their duties or watches might be taken over by the remaining keepers.

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One of the keepers standing atop the vent ball on ...

At about 1923, Zuius was listed as first assistant at Sakonnet. While he was there in 1924, a severe storm struck the area. As the wind and sea rose, the station’s boats were swept away and the boat landing severely damaged. Robert G. Bachand, in his book Northeast Lights (Norwalk 1989), writes that the tower’s windows were shattered by spray that topped the lantern – seventy-five feet above the sea. The keepers reported that waves broke on the main gallery roof, shaking the structure to its foundation.

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Life at the lighthouses was varied and required ...

During this period too, Keeper Zuius is shown in the photos as being at the light station at Watch Hill, Rhode Island. Although I have not found Zuius’ name in the records as being assigned to this station, in the photo album from this lot there are numerous photos of keepers at Watch Hill and I believe that Zuius is among them.

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New Jersey’s Romer Shoal Light Station in New ...

A simple beacon was first established at Watch Hill by the Rhode Island colonial government around 1745, giving the area its name. By the 1790s discussion of a lighthouse to mark the eastern entrance to Fishers Island Sound, and to warn mariners of a dangerous reef southwest of Watch Hill, was begun and by 1808 a lighthouse was put into service.

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Keeper Andrew Zuius poses with the station boat ...

In 1907 one of the most famous of all New England shipping disasters occurred four miles southwest of Watch Hill Light when the steamer Larchmont collided with a schooner in a February blizzard. Close to 200 people died in the disaster.

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Fun-loving keepers at Old Orchard Shoal Light ...

Zuius’ photos in the album during his stay at Watch Hill show quite a surprising side to his personality, and indeed that of the other keepers as well. Quite a few photos show Zuius and other keepers atop the roofs, posing for the camera. In other photos he can be seen at the tip of a cantilevered ladder, atop the fog signal, waving from atop the fog signal building cupola, and there is even a view of Zuius and a second keeper standing atop the vent ball on the lantern room. This is highly unusual and is the first time that I have seen such antics by a lighthouse keeper. Later photos show similarly daring and “humorous” antics by him at other stations as well.

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Fun-loving keepers at Old Orchard Shoal Light ...

Next Zuius transferred to Romer Shoal Light Station, where he is first listed as an “Additional Keeper” at a pay of $720 yearly. Zuius was promoted quickly at Romer Shoal. By February 1st he is listed as 2nd. assistant keeper; by June 1, first. assistant keeper, and on July 23, 1924 he is listed as Principal Keeper.

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During slow times, daring and adventure still ...

There is some mention of Keeper Zuius being at Brandywine Light Station as well in 1924, but I have not been able to confirm that. The next station that we see Zuius at is Old Orchard Shoal Light Station.

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The lighthouse keepers spent many off hours ...

Old Orchard Shoal Light Station was at Great Kills, Staten Island, NY. Keeper Zuius was assigned there from about 1925 until 1928. Here we see other sides of Zuius’ personality. Old Orchard Shoal lies roughly two miles southeast of Crooke’s Point, the tip of the hook that forms Great Kills Harbor on the eastern shore of Staten Island. When winter ice closed down Staten Island Sound, shipping was forced to use the channel close to Old Orchard Shoal.

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Station maintenance was a constant chore and ...

In 1892-93, the fifty-one-foot, cast-iron “spark plug” style tower was built, a style typical for offshore lights in the area. The light was a fourth order and included an air siren fog signal powered by a Hornsby-Akroyd oil engine. The top of the caisson foundation flared out like a trumpet, while the lower portion of the foundation was filled with concrete. Water cisterns and a basement were located in the top portion. The three-story, brick-lined tower provided housing for the keepers and necessary storage. A metal staircase, located behind a metal partition wall, wound up the interior wall of the tower in a counterclockwise direction. A canopy encircled the first floor of the tower, which, from the photos, seemed to be an attractive lounging area. A circular watchroom surrounded by an open gallery sat atop the tower, and provided access to the octagonal lantern room and its gallery.

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Keeper Zuius posing at Old Orchard Shoal ...

Keepers at Old Orchard Shoal frequently had to assist vacationers or inexperienced sport fishermen in small boats, who often got caught in the sudden squalls characteristic of Lower New York Bay. Typical of keepers throughout the Lighthouse Service, the keepers here kept a sharp watch and performed many rescues during their careers. Keeper Zuius appears in the records numerous times for saving boaters from danger, and the written commendations included with this photo lot relate just a few.

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Life at the lighthouse was not all work. In their ...

Zuius received a commendation from the Acting Commissioner of Lighthouses for Sept. 7, 1925, when he rescued three men whose boat had capsized near the station.

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Keeper Andrew Zuius received numerous ...

Again on July 28, 1926, he received commendation from George Putnam, Commissioner of Lighthouses, for “…assistance rendered to two men who were caught in a gale while out in a small rowboat on the evening of July 18th. It is particularly noted that they had lost their oars and were drifting when rescued, and that you provided for their stay at the station overnight. The Bureau is pleased to commend you…”

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Keeper Zuius with his young wife and newborn ...

The following year he received another commendation for assistance rendered on June 25, 1927. That day, four men were caught in the heavy seas of a severe storm. The Acting Commissioner of Lighthouses noted that Zuius rendered “assistance to four men whose boat had sprung a leak in a heavy sea near the station. It is noted that you brought the men to the station in the lifeboat and provided for their stay overnight and also that you later towed their boat ashore. The Bureau takes pleasure in commending you…”

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Rhode Island’s Bullock Point Lighthouse where ...

On numerous occasions we see where keepers would offer food and shelter for the night to unexpected guests that might be rescued or stranded by tides in the area. In 1927 on the night of August 8, “…Keeper Zuius and the other keepers in your station, rendered assistance when a man and his son were drifting in a half sunken row boat in the vicinity of the station. It is noted that you put out in a life boat and brought them to the station and made provision for them over the night. The Bureau takes pleasure in commending you…”

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Bullock Point Lighthouse after the hurricane that ...

Apparently Keeper Zuius performed his daily duties as well as he performed the many rescues, for on June 2, 1926 the Superintendent, Third District, forwarded a commendation to the young keeper. The Superintendent wrote that the station was “…found to be in exceptionally good condition as to cleanliness, orderliness and operation. Such conditions are commendable and reflect credit upon yourself as well as the Service.”

Life at the station was not all work though. In the photo lot are numerous images of Keeper Zuius and the other keepers lounging around the light in their swimming wear but still with their keeper’s hat. More often than not they were accompanied by lovely young women, sometimes many. In addition, we see the keepers clowning for the camera, sometimes with alcoholic beverages or at least simulating them. This again is something that we have never seen before by a lighthouse keeper. I suspect that the keepers were clowning rather than actually drinking, as there was never a hint of anything but the highest level of behavior and dedication in Zuius’ background.

During slow times, daring and adventure still drew the keepers. Another interesting photo shows one of the keepers sitting atop a spar buoy while waving his Lighthouse Service hat. Notes on the back indicate that many tries were needed before he could establish his perch atop the buoy.

As a relatively young man, Andrew Zuius obviously loved his job and enjoyed the area and recreational opportunities that the location afforded. He spent much time in the station boat, and surely many of the station meals were the results of his fishing in his off time.

By April, 1928 Keeper Zuius was transferred to Huntington Harbor (Lloyd Harbor) Light station. In 1857, a lighthouse was built on the tip of Lloyd’s Neck to assist ships in finding shelter in Lloyd Harbor from the wind and waves that often hinder navigation on the Long Island Sound. This first lighthouse, called the Lloyd Harbor Light, was of little help to ships entering the adjoining Huntington Harbor. In 1912, a new lighthouse was built to better serve the area and Huntington Harbor. Keeper Zuius remained at Huntington Harbor until about March 14, 1929. It would be his next assignment that would remain etched in his mind and become a permanent chapter of Lighthouse Service History.

Bullock’s Point, Rhode Island, juts southward toward the mouth of the Providence River. The point was surrounded by shoals that proved treacherous for shipping traffic heading to and from Providence. In the mid-1800’s an unlighted day beacon was placed offshore from the point, and in 1872 a small lighted beacon was placed on a granite pier. A fixed red light, shown from a sixth order Fresnel lens, went into service on November 4, 1872, maintained by the keeper at Sabin Point Light to the north. By 1874 a new combined lighthouse and dwelling was built and went into service in the spring of 1876. The light was an attractive Victorian dwelling sitting on a rectangular granite pier, with a lantern on its roof. A sixth order Fresnel lens exhibited a fixed red light, and a fog bell was added in 1907. The outhouse hung over the river outside the lighthouse.

Capt. William Thomas Tengren was keeper from 1901 to 1909 and again from 1918 to 1926. Keeper Tengren lived at the six-room lighthouse with his wife, Charlotta, and their three children: Anton, Agnes, and Mary. According to Jeremy D’Entremont the Tengrens added a deck to the lighthouse to serve as a “yard” so that the children could play outside. The Tengrens recorded that in the winter of 1918-19 the river froze over and it was possible to walk to shore. Keeper Tengren left the light in 1930 and Andrew Zuius became keeper. He and the Tengrens had become good friends, and the Tengrens sometimes returned to spend time at their old home.

As at Old Orchard Shoal, the keeper at Bullock’s Point had many visitors, usually fishermen and their families who would dock at the lighthouse, or tourists who would bring lunch and spend the day on the rocks surrounding the lighthouse. Once again, rescues and assistance to the public occurred with fair regularity. On May 27, 1930, a sailboat was capsized in a squall near Bullock’s Point. Keeper Zuius launched the station boat and was able to rescue the two persons on board. Once, during a cold winter in the 1930s when the river froze over, Keeper Zuius’s daughter, Elizabeth Winterbottom, was pulling her son, Warren Winterbottom, across the ice on a sled. Elizabeth fell through the ice but was helped to safety by other family members. She apparently fully recovered from her brief dip in the frigid water.

Like the Tengrens before them, “…living at the lighthouse was hard work for everyone in the family. Supplies were bought a month in advance in case of bad weather. The family rowed to and from the lighthouse for school, church and medical attention. Rainwater was boiled for drinking.” The light was fueled by kerosene as there was no electricity.

In September of 1938, Keeper Zuius had been Keeper at Bullock’s Point for eight years and had maintained a fine record for efficiency and attention to his duties. By September 21st, as one of the most powerful hurricanes in history began to hit Rhode Island, Keeper Andrew Zuius continued to live up to the best traditions of the Lighthouse Service.

The forecast for New England that hot day was for continued warm weather, and residents of the area had no concerns. Although more than ten inches of rain had fallen in the previous five days, residents continued about their work. But, farther south, the approaching hurricane had covered 600 miles in 12 hours, one of the fastest moving hurricanes ever reported. There was no warning of the on-rushing storm until the New Jersey coast was struck near Atlantic City. The storm would later travel up the Connecticut valley, and through the heart of Vermont.

As the rain persisted that day, rivers in New England overflowed their banks, compounding an unusually high tide. Huge wind-driven waves of saltwater slammed into coastal towns. While residents began to take shelter wherever they could, lighthouse keepers in the area held their ground, determined to keep their stations operating.

As the day wore on, grim scenes repeated themselves all along the coast. At Westerly and Watch Hill, the sea claimed entire settlements. On Prudence Island, the water ate away the banking up to the lighthouse. Despite the keeper’s best efforts, his wife and son were carried away by the seas as their house was swept away. The keeper only narrowly escaped the same fate by securing himself within the iron lighthouse tower.

R. Holmes notes that: “…Hurricane driven wind and waves battered Keeper Zuius at Bullock Point for hours. Suddenly a huge wave tore away part of one wall. Water poured into the lighthouse. Keeper Zuius tried to put a mattress in the hole, but it was no use. Another wave hit and took out the wall on the other side of the lighthouse. Water kept pouring into the lighthouse. Zuius climbed to the light’s second floor, so that he would not be washed out of the light, as he redoubled his efforts to keep the light shining. He climbed again and again to the lantern room and worked to keep the burner lit.

Just minutes after he had climbed the stairs to the second floor, a huge wave tore the stairway away. Soon, as the boiling green seas tore against the structure, and the granite foundation under the dwelling began to crumble. But Keeper Zuius persisted. He continued his efforts in the lantern room and was able to keep the light burning through the night. As the sun rose on the following day, Keeper Zuius found that all of his supplies and belongings, and the station boat had been washed away. The end walls of the house had been breached by the sea but the structure was still standing.”

At nearby Whale Rock Light, the cast-iron tower, its iron base bolted into sub-surface rock, had stood since 1882. By the morning, this too would be thrown into the raging sea along with its keeper, 40-year-old Walter Eberle, alone in the tower tending his light.

On the morning following the storm, the seas began to subside. Keeper Zuius was removed by boat, but he would return each day and evening to tend the damaged light while he lived on shore with his family. Bullock’s Point Light was discontinued shortly after the great storm and the structure was torn down a few years later.

When Bullock Point Lighthouse was closed in 1939, Keeper Zuius was transferred, possibly to Palmer Island Lighthouse, although we have not been able to confirm that. There is also some mention that he may also have been at Faulkner’s Island in about 1941. Keeper Zuius retired from the Lighthouse Service in 1944. Pension records that are included with our lot of photos indicate that Andres Zuius Jr. was living in New York City in 1957 and collecting Social Security.

Like our column? Have suggestions for future subjects?

Please send in your suggestions and questions, or a photograph of an object that you need help dating or identifying. We will include the answer to a selected inquiry as a regular feature each month in our column.

Jim Claflin is a recognized authority on antiques of the U.S. Lighthouse Service, Life-Saving Service, Revenue Cutter Service and early Coast Guard. In addition to authoring and publishing a number of books on the subject, Jim is the owner of Kenrick A Claflin & Son Nautical Antiques. In business since 1956, he has specialized in antiques of this type since the early 1990s. He may be contacted by writing to him at 1227 Pleasant Street, Worcester, MA 01602, or by calling 508-792-6627. You may also contact him by email: jclaflin@LighthouseAntiques.net or visit his web site at: www.LighthouseAntiques.net

This story appeared in the May/Jun 2015 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. The print edition contains more stories than our internet edition, and each story generally contains more photographs - often many more - in the print edition. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.

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