Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-10-25
Death Comes to Her,
Tuesday Night,
At Lime Rock Light, Which
Had Long Been Her Home.
Stricken Late Friday Night, hev-
er Regained Consciousness.
Was Known the World Over for
Her Many Acts Of Bravery.
Her Real Name Was Mrs. Ida Lewis
WiIson--Aer Age, TO Years.

Newport, r. l., Oct 24.-Death. to-
night. claimed Ida Lewis, keeper of
Lime Rock light for more than half
century. heroine OF numerous thrilling
rescues, and known the world over for
her bravery She vas frequently al
luded to as the Grace Darling" of
America.
Mrs. Wilson, for her real name was
Mrs. Ida Lewis Wilson. was stricken
with apoplexy while at her post of
duty, on Friday night and was found
unconscious by her brother. Who lived
with her, Saturday morning. From
that moment to the time of her death
She never regained consciousness, al
though physicians and nurses watched
over her and did all that human power
could do to save her life.
For some years Il had been the Gus
tom Of the woman to rise. before her
brother and awaken him. Saturday
morning, she failed to call him and
when he awoke Of his own accord he
| Immediately looked for his sister. He
found her stretched out on the floor Of
| her apartment
In order to get physician it WAS
necessary for Lewis to rev to the
mainland for Lime Rock light has no
telephone connection. When the ply
sician arrived he found the woman in
such a weakened condition that he
HELD out 10 hope fer her recovery.
| During the three days that the fam
Gus life saver has lain at the point of
death letters and kilograms of sym
pathy have poured in and So many
| flowers have been received that it was
not possible to transport all to the
! light
| Col. William II. Coffin, commandant of
| the Narragansett defence district, an
nouneed, tonight, that he had received
| instructions from the war department to
suspend target practice at Forts Adams
and Wetherell during the illness of Ida
| Lewis The instructions came too late,
however for the woman was dead when
| Col Coffin announced receipt. During
the past few days the continued booming
of the guns disturbed the patient consid-
erably and Jared the lighthouse, with
| the result that, last night the matter
was taken up with the Washington Off
cals.
| No woman in America ever equalled
| the heroic life-saving service of Ida Lew
is As the keeper of Lime Rock light
house in Newport harbor for more than
half a century, she rescued, under the
most rigorous conditions and several
times at great personal risk, a score
Of persons. The title "The Grace Darling
of America" was fondy bestowed upon
her by those who appreciated the extent
Of her life-saviug honors.
Mrs. Ida Lewis Wilson, name by
which she was little known, having di-
vorced Charles Wilson. whom she mar
ried some wears asn was the only woman
lto no officially appointed in charge of an
| American lighthouse. Her appointment
at tho hands of Congress following the
death of her father, in 1867, did not mark
tho boeiDniug Of her service, however,
As . child Ida Lewis became an expert
| rover and swimmer and mastered the
ldetails Of caring for the lighthouse when
a ,ear after her father was appointed
lkeener Ida was then IS years old. Capt.
! Lewis became i'll shortly after and the
unkeep Of the lighthouse devolved upon
Ida she tended it for weeks while her
father Law ill., In addition the girl kept
Ibouse for the family, assisted in bring
ing supplies from shore to the little light
Iho,se and rowed to and from the main
Hand daily her younger brothers and sis
ters who went to school
It was in 1850. when Ida was Il
wears old. that she accCm plished the
fret Of the many rescues which We're
TO bring her international fame and
numerous recosntions in the form Of
medals and money. Alone. in Septem-
her of that year, the girl saved during
a wind squat in Newport harbor,
| four students who had been thrown
irto the water when their pleasure
boat capsized. None could swim. In
1866 Miss Lewis rescued, again by
means Of her lifeboat, a man in 4
small boat who had become helpless
with cold.
In the winter of 1866 during fierce
northeast gale, which made difficult
the launching Of her boat, she put
forth from the little lighthouse to the
assistance Of two men in small
boat carrying seep, which was at the
mercy of the storm Miss Lewis not
only brought the men, almost exhaust
ed 10 the lighthouse in safety, but she
again faced the clements and succeed
cd in saving all their cargo of sheen.
The title of "The Grace Darling OF
America" was first accorded her. follow
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