Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1912-02-03
ChinCOteague Light Keeper
Found Dead at His Post.

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Last Friday, after The Messenger had
been printed. word reached here that
William Taylor, for twenty-six years
keeper of Chincoteague Light House,
had been found dead by his wife. She
had gone to Chincoteague for supplies
and when il came time for the light to
shine she noticed that il had failed. She
returned to the light house and found
her husband dead at his post. The story
is interestingly told by the Snow Hill
Baltimore American correspondent. as
follows:
At sunset yesterday the light from
Chineoteague Lighthouse did not shine
across the waters of Sinepuxent Bay nor
blink its salutation to its sister light at
Assateague. that guards the treacherous
channels and dangerous sandbars Of the
Atlantic eastward OF Chincoteague Is
land. The inhabitants of the island
looked and wondered. Never in the his
tory Of the lighthouse had such a thing
occurrd before. There was one woman on
the island who knew there was some
thing serious the matter. 1t was the
keepers wife, and she in her sturdy lit
tie gasoline launch. had battled with the
ice foes alone few hours before and
come to Chincoteague for much-needed
supplies. She and her husband had been
icebound since the extreme cold weather
of the last few weeks and when she left
he was seemingly in the best of health.
The ice foes had not torn the lighthouse
from its foundations, for at sunset its
white wall and red roof were plainly
visible. The apparatus must not be in
working order. But, in this event, the
keeper would have rugged a substitute
light. But there must be no delay. The
light must shine or lives may be lost.
Mrs. Taylor, who is assistant keeper,
readily found men to assist her in get
ting back to the lighthouse and the bat
tie with the ice began. For time the
lighthouse could not be discerned. but
at last it was sighted, but nowhere could
a light be seen in the house. This fore
bode evil and as the party drew near
and nearer and finally reached the little
iron ladder that runs up from the water
to the landing platform and were not
greeted by the cheerful voice of William
Taylor, the keeper. they were convinced
that in the few short hours since the de-
parture of the wife something serious
had happened.
In few moments their fears were
realized, for they found Taylor kneeling
at his bedside as il in the act of prayer
He was dead.
The light shone last night, guarded by
Taylor's wife, who knew that, as she
watched, the body of her husband was
being carried across the waters of the
Bay for burial by the friends who had
assisted her in reaching her home. and
they were being guided by the light
which for 26 years he had attended.
William Taylor and his wife had been
keeper and assistant keeper of Chinco-
league Light since it was established rs
years ago. Never had the government
received any complaint as to its manage
ment and the keeper and his wife, al
though negroes. were esteemed hy all
who knew them. William received his
training under Captain Anderson. keep
er of Assateague Light. and he was one
of the first to notice that Chincoteague
Light was not shining.