In the spirit of the Seven Sentinels film, today we are revisiting a time in which all lighthouse keepers in the country were direct political appointments by the President of the United States. This form of political patronage was legally in place until the 1890s, and in the early days of lighthouses, meant that keepers were replaced at every election.

Although numerous Hudson River Lighthouse keepers were removed - for one reason or another - under this system, one of the most egregious examples was the removal of lighthouse keeper Dorcas Schoonmaker of the Saugerties Lighthouse. Dorcas became keeper after the death of her husband Abram Schoonmaker, who had replaced former keeper (and member of the opposite political party) Joseph Burhans in the last. In 1849, Dorcas, a widow with young children, was removed from her position and Joseph Burhans was put back in place. There were few options for widowed women to make a living for their families in the 1840s and '50s, especially if they did not own a home from which to operate a boarding house or similar business. We have found at least two newspaper articles eviscerating President Zachary Taylor for his decision to replace Dorcas (even though it is likely he had no hand in the decision-making at all, leaving it to local party bosses). But perhaps justice was ultimately served - Taylor became the shortest-serving president in U.S. history, dying suddenly just 16 months after taking office.

You can read transcriptions of the newspapers below, both of which quote the Saugerties Telegraph:

"Taylor Continues Proscribing Women." Monmouth Democrat, Freehold, NY, August 9, 1849.

The conduct of the heartless Administration is daily developing more and more of its enormous propensities for proscription. The removal of prominent office holders, of indomitable Democracy and enemies of every phase of whiggery, is a prerogative in the exercise of which we shall not complain. But when women, widows with families of children, are hunted and deposed, to gratify a vindicative [sic] political revenge, we think such outrages should call upon the head of Taylor the indignation of every honest man in the community. We have noticed previously, the removal of women from petty post-offices, the income barely being sufficient for their support.

The latest instance which has come to our knowledge, is as disgraceful as those which have preceeded [sic] it. It is the removal of Mrs. Dorcas Schoonmaker, a poor and highly respectable lady, from the office of keeper of the Saugerties light-house, in the Hudson River - The Telegraph, published in that village, thus alludes to the case.

Under President Tyler's Administration, in 1844, Abram E. Schoonmaker was appointed keeper of the light-house at this place [Saugerties]. He had been a boatman for years, and was at that time unable to perform hard labor. His appointment gave universal satisfaction to both parties. The salary supported him and his family. He was very attentive to his duties, and continued to hold office to the time of his death, in 1846. During the last year of his life, while he was confined to his room, and the greater part of the time to his bed, the duties were performed by his wife, and with such marked regularity and attention as to receive the universal commendation of the boatmen on the river. So interested were the masters of vessels on the Hudson on behalf of this lady, then as now a widow, with a family of children dependent on her for support, that a petition for her appointment to the office was at once drawn up, numerously signed, and forwarded to the proper department, and she was accordingly appointed. She has held the office from that time until this week, when she was removed to make room for Joseph H. Burhans, who was considered, it seems, entitled to receive it from the present administration - being a blue-light Federalist of the Hartford Convention school.

It further states a remonstrance had been forwarded to the proper authorities, protesting against her removal, signed by every steamboat captain and every sloop captain navigating the Hudson, to whom it was presented, Whigs as well as Democrats, being a large majority of the officers of boats on the river; all of whom bore testimony that never since the first establishment of the light-house, has the light been kept with that care at all times of night as during the time when Mrs. Schoonmaker had charge of it. But all to no purpose.

The voters of Ulster county will give Taylor such a demonstration at the next election, as will teach him a lesson which the Whigs of this State will be compelled to commit to memory.

On the same day, all the way down in Tennessee, Mrs. Dorcas Schoonmaker also made the news, in largely the same language:

"The Second Washington," The Daily Union (Nashville, Tennessee), August 9, 1849.

General Taylor has removed Mrs. DORCAS SCHOONMAKER, a poor and highly respected lady, from the office of keeper of the Saugerties light-house, in the Hudson River. The Telegraph, published at that place, thus alludes to this case:

Under President Tyler's Administration, in 1844, Abram E. Schoonmaker was appointed keeper of the light-house at this place [Saugerties]. He had been a boatman for years, and was at that time unable to perform hard labor. His appointment gave universal satisfaction to both parties. The salary supported him and his family. He was very attentive to his duties, and continued to hold office to the time of his death, in 1846. During the last year of his life, while he was confined to his room, and the greater part of the time to his bed, the duties were performed by his wife, and with such marked regularity and attention as to receive the universal commendation of the boatmen on the river. So interested were the masters of vessels on the Hudson on behalf of this lady, then as now a widow, with a family of children dependent on her for support, that a petition for her appointment to the office was at once drawn up, numerously signed, and forwarded to the proper department, and she was accordingly appointed. She has held the office from that time until this week, when she was removed to make room for Jos. H. Burhans, who was considered, it seems, entitled to receive it from the present administration - being a blue-light Federalist of the Hartford Convention school.

The Cincinnati Enquirer says that a remonstrance has been sent to Washington against her removal, signed by every steamboat Captain and sloop Captain navigating the Hudson, to whom it was presented - whigs as well as democrats - being a large majority of all the officers of boats on that river; all of whom bear testimony that never since the first establishment of the light-house, has the light been kept with that care at all times of night as during the time when Mrs. SCHOONMAKER had charge of it.

Is not that small business for the "Second Washington?"

With references to the Cincinnati Enquirer, it seems as though the plight of Mrs. Schoonmaker may have gone "viral" in 1849, with her story published in multiple newspapers throughout the country. 

Sadly, Dorcas, who had lost several children in addition to her husband, moved in with one of her adult daughters and died just a few years later, in 1851, at the age of 49. She is buried with Abram in Mountain View Cemetery in Saugerties, NY.

​If you enjoyed this post and would like to support more history blog content, please make a donation to the Hudson River Maritime Museum or become a member today!​ You can also donate to support the museum's upcoming documentary film, "Seven Sentinels: Lighthouses of the Hudson River," which will include this story and many more.

We've written about the 1845 wreck of the steamboat Swallow before, but for those of  you who'd rather watch and listen than read, this video offers a great, minute-by-minute overview of what happened that fateful night.

The catastrophe just south of the Middle Ground Flats between Hudson and Athens, NY led to calls for a lighthouse. In 1873, the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse was finally installed, able to warn mariners away from the flats and prevent future shipwrecks.

HFX Studios (Historical Film Experiences) has produced a number of great videos on a maritime history theme (including some which credit HRMM!), so be sure to check out their YouTube channel. 

​If you enjoyed this post and would like to support more history blog content, please make a donation to the Hudson River Maritime Museum or become a member today!​

Today's Featured Artifact is actually from our research library, although it is old enough to be its own artifact. It is the leather-bound book, Instructions and Directions to Light-House and Light-Vessel Keepers in the United States. This third edition was published in 1858 by the United States Light-House Establishment (later the United States Lighthouse Service) and this particular copy is embossed on the leather front cover that it is the property of the United States Light-House Establishment and that this particular copy belongs to the Van Wie's Point Light.

Van Wie's Point Light was a white stone beacon light located off of Van Wie's Point, which is on the West side of the Hudson River, half way between Castleton-on-Hudson and Glenmont, NY, across from Papscanee Island. It was installed in 1854 and the tower did not include keeper's quarters.

Henry Van Wie hired as keeper in 1853, presumably while the beacon was being constructed, but he was dismissed before the year was out and replaced with Herman Wendell, who served from 1853 to 1858, when he was also dismissed. 

Finally, in 1858, a suitable keeper was found - William Welch (husband of Catherine Van Wie). Welch was keeper when this instruction manual arrived, writing in large, loopy script, "Rec'd August, 1860." 

William Welch remained on as lighthouse keeper until his death on September 7, 1910 at age 93 - the oldest and longest-serving light keeper in Hudson River history, serving 52 years (beating Catherine Murdock by at least one, if not two years).

​He was succeeded by his son, Warren Welch (who was 66 years old at the time), who served as keeper until at least 1915. Before his death in 1930, Warren Welch also served as chief engineer aboard the steamboat "Hendrick Hudson." 

Van Wies Point Light was replaced with a black skeleton tower sometime in the 1930s. 

Although this particular version of the lighthouse keepers instructions has not been digitized, you can read the 1881 Instructions to Light Keepers by clicking the button below.

Editor’s Note: The following text is a verbatim transcription of an article featuring stories by Captain William O. Benson (1911-1986). Beginning in 1971, Benson, a retired tugboat captain, reminisced about his 40 years on the Hudson River in a regular column for the Kingston (NY) Freeman’s Sunday Tempo magazine. Captain Benson's articles were compiled and transcribed by HRMM volunteer Carl Mayer. See more of Captain Benson’s articles here. This article was originally published December 12, 1971.

Back in the days before boatmen were unionized, steamboatmen would go to work as soon as the ice broke up in the spring and work continuously until their boat was layed up when the river froze over in December.

In those days of long ago, almost all of the steamboats had wooden hulls and as soon as the river would freeze, all navigation would cease. The ice would raise havoc with those wooden hulls. New ice in particular was dangerous. It would be as sharp as a knife and as a steamboat went through the new ice, the ice would take the caulking right out of the seams and cause the hull to leak.

When I was a deckhand on the tugboat “S. L. Crosby” of the Cornell Steamboat Company in 1930, I recall Harry Conley, the pilot, telling me about the time in the 1890’s when he was quartermaster on the “City of Troy,” one of the steamboats between New York and Troy.
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When the first snow of the season would come, the crew would be happy because they knew then that it wouldn’t be long before the ice would be forming and the “City of Troy” would be laying up for the winter. After the men had been working since early spring, with no time off, they would welcome their winter time vacation.

He would tell me how with the first real cold snap, they would leave Troy and the crew would listen for the first sounds of fine ice forming. On a still, bitter cold, clear December night you can hear the snap and crackle of the new ice. It is a sound a boatman never forgets. Generally, the new ice would begin to first form in the river around Esopus Meadows Lighthouse.

Then, the crew would be all smiles, knowing in a few days orders would come for the last trip of the season and the “City of Troy” and the crew would have a two or three months rest. The would go home, Harry to Schodack with about one hundred dollars saved from his wages and live real good. During the winter, most of them would work at one of the ice houses, harvesting the winter’s crop of ice.

I still look forward to the first snow of the season, despite the fact today the tugboats all have steel hulls and many work all winter long.

How different the river shores look all covered with the first snowfall. It seems like only yesterday the wild flowers and purple loose leaf were blooming all along the up river shore line. Now everything looks cold and bleak.

With snow on the shores and hills, one can see paths going up from the river that you cannot see in the summer when the foliage is thick on the trees. Also houses and stone walls stand out in startling clarity. How a snow storm changes the landscape into a wonderland when the river becomes locked in winter’s cold embrace!
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The first snow storm also changes other things. A few years ago I remember leaving Coeymans right after the first snow. As we were leaving, my deckhand said, “Bill, this sure makes us think what we did with our summer earnings, doesn’t it?”

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