Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter

This is the charming, well-written, painstakingly researched story of Ida Lewis, born in Newport, Rhode Island in 1842. After a stroke disabled her father, Captain Hosea Lewis (who in 1853 became the first keeper of Lime Rock Lighthouse), then fifteen-year-old  Ida and her mother took over tending the Lime Rock Light from 1857 until 1872, when her father died.  Ida is credited with saving 18 or more lives during her nearly 40 years on the tiny island in Newport Harbor. She became famous nationwide in the late 1860s after one of  her daring rescues, and the town of Newport celebrated her on Independence Day 1869.In 1879, Ida was officially appointed to the keeper's job and she remained in this job until her death. In 1924 the Rhode Island legislature officially changed the name of Lime Rock to Ida Lewis Rock--the only time this honor has ever been paid a keeper.

Praise for the previous edition (The Keeper of Lime Rock)

 

Filled with fascinating stories of Lewis’s rescues, [this] book . . . will appeal to readers who enjoy a good sea story as well as those who simply want to read about an unusual and brave woman.”

Publishers Weekly

 

This is the absorbing, painstakingly researched story of Ida Lewis, born in Newport, Rhode Island in 1842, and the fearless rescues she made at Lime Rock Lighthouse. Her father, Captain Hosea Lewis, became the first keeper of Lime Rock Lighthouse in 1853. But after he was disabled by stroke, then-fifteen-year-old Ida and her mother took over the tending of the Lime Rock Light from 1857 until 1872, when her father died. Her mother was appointed lighthouse keeper and remained in this position until she died in 1879, even though Ida continued to do the work. In 1879, Ida was officially appointed to the job, which she remained in until her death in 1911.

Ida is credited with saving at least eighteen lives during her nearly forty years on the tiny island in Newport Harbor. She became famous nationwide in the late 1860s after one of  her daring rescues, and the town of Newport celebrated her on Independence Day 1869. In 1924 the Rhode Island legislature officially changed the name of Lime Rock to Ida Lewis Rock. In 1995, a new class of Coast Guard buoy tenders was named for her.

Lenore Skomal is the author of fourteen books, including Lady Liberty: The History of the Statue of Liberty and a previous edition of Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter (under the title The Keeper of Lime Rock). Her weekly humor column and videocast (www.goerie.com) has won numerous Society of Professional Journalist awards. She lives in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Publisher: Globe Pequot
Distributor: The Globe Pequot Press
Publication Date: 06-15-2010
Pages: 160
Measurements: 8.50in X 5.50in