The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1952-10-08
HISTORY OF lO4 YEAR
OLD ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE
CONTINUED From Page y

III lie WOAA0s my 0AQtAkCA I'LL
A. Bethel became her assistant. He
was married to Mary Lowe while
living there. In fact, our family
life centered around the lighthouse.
/ was married there in 1911. We
had q big home wedding there.
Ny first child, Ann Elizabeth de
Boer was born there. Ny sister Lo-
rena married Stephen Whalton in
the church, but we had the wedding
reception at the old home on the
grounds. That's where 1t. Glenn
Pearson of the Coast Guard lives
now. Both my sisters babies were
born in that same place. They're
grown up now. One is Stephen
Floyd Whalton and the others Is
Mrs. G. w. Holbr0ok."
IN TIMES GONE ~
Miss Jennie laughed when told
that her slim silhouette must be
due to early days of climbing the
coil of the stairs to the light. ~
used to take visitors to the top. !
remember that we used to 60 out
on patrol in a dog-cart, that's a
sort of buggy with two sides, and
it was pulled by a black goat that
my brother kept for q pet. He
trained it and drove the cart. Four
of us used to ride along, Merrill
and myself and two playmates.
Angelique and Mary Louise o'Far-
rel. They moved to Havana from
Key West and their father became
Mayor of Havana. Their brother
was prominent In Cuban politics
too"
Miss Jennie remembered how
she used to play in adjacent yards
with one eye on the big lamp. "My
father gave strict orders that had
to be home by shutdown and when
the yellow curtains were drawn
back, that was the signal for me to
get home as fast as ] could scam
sper. The curtains protected the
lens and were put up at sunrise"
TRAGEDY AND TRIBUTE
The happy days were darkened
by storm and tragedy in 1909, the
year Of one of Key Vests most
savage hurricanes. During heavy
rains, Mr.. Bethel, who was 81
years old, climbed up to clear the
roof cutters of the house 50 that
the water for the cistern would be
clean. He fell and injured his back
so that he never fully recovered.
He was still confined to bed most
of the time when the big blow of
1910 came. Despite the fact that
his son assured him the beacon
light on the water front down by
the Navy Yard was burning he got
up and went out into the storm to
supervise it. Some one found him
and brought him home. Six months
later, he died.
The incident Is told In the book
loaned by Cmdr. Haskins with fit
ting tribute paid to the loyalty Of
the man who braved the blasting
elements to see that his trust was
kept.
There's a sequel which isn't In
the volume. II happened the follow
ing year, 1910, when again hur-
ricane whirled in over Key West.
Miss Jennie said, IAN the neigh
bors took refuge at our house since
it was the safest and strongest
building. The wind rose and il was
so strong II threatened the light.
My mother headed for those steep
winding stairs. She thought she
could saves the light. / pied with
her not to 90, and finally had to
drag her back with force when she
started up the steps. Just then. up
above Us, we heard thhe glass
break and the pieces Of II came
crashing down inside the tofer.
That was the first time the light
ever failed"
There IL the final dab Of mortar,
the intangible factor, the unfalter-
ing faithfulness Of q keeper and his
wife to a trust and a service which
seals the story Of the Key West
Light.