Omaha daily bee., 1911-12-10
STORY OF IDA LEWIS
Famous Lighthouse keeper, Life
saver, aud Daring child
Of the sea.


with the death Of Ida Lewis there per-
ishes character. romantic in the eyes
Of the young American. and extraordina-
fily fearless and strong II Is not 20 be
supposed. remarks the Springfield Re
publican. that Ida Lewis ever posed as a
hero In her own eyes, for she Is said to
have been "A very modest retiring woman.
She simply lived up 10 her opportunities.
When ghe saw people perishing in the
sea her immediate impulse was 10 save
them. Very likely she did not stop TO
think Her story Is this: Her father,
captain Hosea Lewis, was the first
keeper OF the Lime Rock lighthouse m
Narragansett bay. The mother OF the
family died when Ida was a child, and
the daughter became housekeeper, mother
to her iittle< brothers and sisters. and
her fathers assistant. as rheumatism
more aud more incapacitated him from
active duties. She began her lifesaving
career at Is, when she rescued four young
men who had capsized their boat. From
that time, during her whole life, she
was to be relied on TO save drowning
persons. She saved the lives Of IS per-
sons In ALL and each one at the peril Of
her own.
She had been the real keeper OF the
lighthouse from 1860 to 1879. but was not
recognized officially by the United States
government until the latter date In
1881, the government for the first time
made a formal acknowledgment OF her
deserts presenting her with gold medal.
She was introduced TO a big audience by
an officer named French Ensor Chad
wick. afterward to become famous as
Sampsons chief OF staff and the com
mander Of the New York in the Santiago
campaign and now rear admiral. In
his speech he said that he was present
ing TO Miss Lewis the highest token OF
merit Of the kind which can be given in
this country. the Iive-savlng medal of
the first class conferred by the govern
ment FOR extreme heroic daring involv-
ing imminent personal danger" lie con
cluded by reading letter from will
lam Window, who served as secretary Of
the treasury under Garfield and Harrl-
son, indorsing the award. This medal
bore a relief Of Ida Lewis in her boat
saving men from the waves, and the
inscription; I'm testimony OF heroic
deeds in saving life from the peril OF the
seas"
Among the testimonials she received
were q subscription from the soldiers of
Fort Adams. a silk pennant from the
Fall River line, silver rudder yoke and
boat hook from the Narragansett boat
club OF Providence, a boathouse from
Colonel James Fisk OF the Fall River
line. n silver medal from the life-saving
benefit association, an honorary member
ship and gold pin of the Sorosis society
OF New York, complimentary resolutions
OF the Genepal Assembly of Rhode Island,
a silver medal from the Massachusetts,
humane society, congressional gold
medal the cross OF honor of the American
cross of honor society, a gold medal
from the state of Rhode Island. and
silver medal of the American live-savlng
society Jim" Fisk, with all his faults,
was one OF the readiest men In the world
to recognize and admire such traits as
Ida Lewis displayed. His Gift TO her OF
the pretty boathouse was made out of
sheer admiration, and accepted in the
thankful and grateful spirit in which the
greatest American live-saveF always re-
ceived tributes of that kind.