{"id":100859,"date":"2024-10-24T11:30:26","date_gmt":"2024-10-24T15:30:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=100859"},"modified":"2024-10-31T10:14:22","modified_gmt":"2024-10-31T14:14:22","slug":"george-worthylake-still-making-waves-with-boston-lighthouse-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/george-worthylake-still-making-waves-with-boston-lighthouse-part-1.html","title":{"rendered":"George Worthylake Still Making Waves with Boston Lighthouse (part 1)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction:<\/em><\/strong> In this article, with Halloween approaching, Melissa Davenport Berry writes about a haunted lighthouse in Boston Harbor and a family tragedy that befell its first keeper. Melissa is a genealogist who has a website, americana-archives.com<\/a>, and a Facebook group, New England Family Genealogy and History<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Recently I assisted Elizabeth \u201cBeth\u201d Anne (Annis) Coughlin with proving her lineage for membership into the General Society of Mayflower Descendants. Elizabeth is a direct descendant of Mayflower<\/em> passenger Elder William Brewster<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Her connection comes through her 2nd great grandmother Sarah Jane Worthylake (1860-1940), born in Nova Scotia, who married Arthur H. Annis. They have a Worthylake ancestor who flooded the early annuals: Captain George Worthylake, the first lighthouse keeper of Boston and Elizabeth\u2019s 8th great grandfather. This prolific seafaring fellow is still making waves today \u2013 both in the antiquarian world and the paranormal.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:
Photo: Boston Light on Little Brewster Island in Boston Harbor, Massachusetts, first lighthouse in what is now the U.S. Credit: Jwgetchell; Wikimedia Commons.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

History of the Boston Light and Worthylake<\/strong><\/p>\n

In 1716 Captain Worthylake was appointed Keeper of the Light on Little Brewster Island in Boston Harbor, named after William Brewster, the first preacher for the Plymouth Colony and Elizabeth\u2019s 11th great grandfather. An interesting tap from the ethereal world: Elizabeth utilizes the symbol of the lighthouse and the mantra \u201cBe the Lighthouse\u201d in her holistic practice<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:
Photo: aerial view of Boston Light on Little Brewster Island, Boston Harbor, Massachusetts. Credit: Doc Searls; Wikimedia Commons.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The British built the first lighthouse in America on Little Brewster Island, also known as Beacon Island, in 1716 to safeguard ships coming in and out of Boston Harbor. The lighthouse, called Boston Light, was first lit on 14 September 1716, as covered by the following newsclip.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Boston News-Letter (Boston, Massachusetts), 17 September 1716, page 2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This article reports:<\/p>\n

By virtue of an act of Assembly made in the first year of His Majesty\u2019s reign, for building & maintaining a lighthouse upon the [Little] Brewster (called Beacon Island) at the entrance of the harbor of Boston, in order to prevent the loss of the lives & estates of His Majesty\u2019s subjects, the said lighthouse has been built. And on Friday last, the 14th current, the light was kindled, which will be very useful for all vessels going out and coming into the harbor of Boston, or any other harbors in the Massachusetts Bay, for which all masters [captains] shall pay to the Receiver of Impost, one penny per ton inwards, and another penny outwards, except Coasters, who are to pay two shillings each, at their clearing out. And all fishing vessels, wood sloops, etc., five shillings each by the year.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Illustration:
Illustration: the Boston Light, by William Burgis, 1729. Credit: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division; from the \u201cAnnual Report of the U.S. Light-House Board,\u201d 1884, frontispiece.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The caption to this drawing reads:<\/p>\n

\u201cTo the Merchants of Boston this View of the Light House is most humbly presented by their Humble Servt. Wm. Burgis.\u201d Another caption on page (not shown): \u201cThe first light-house built within the limits of the United States.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

According to many historians, including the beloved Flying Santa Edward Rowe Snow, Captain Worthylake was brought up on George\u2019s Island (previously known as Pemberton Island) in Boston Harbor, and moved to the light station on Little Brewster Island when he became the light keeper with his wife, Ann, and their five children. Two years after beginning his service as Keeper of the Light, Captain Worthylake and his family encountered a tragedy which still haunts the harbor and the hearts of those who visit there.<\/p>\n

The Lighthouse Tragedy<\/strong><\/p>\n

Edward Rowe Snow wrote about the tragedy in his column \u201cSea and Shore Gleanings.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Patriot Ledger (Quincy, Massachusetts), 1 October 1969, page 41<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/doc\/newspapers\/image\/v2%3A13D0955A0C88E671%40GB3NEWS-16A2DE791D3B3444%402440496-16A2D295A4053C8D%4040-16A2D295A4053C8D<\/p>\n

Snow reports:<\/p>\n

Then came the cold winter of 1718. It was customary for Keeper Worthylake to journey to Boston early every November to collect his pay. On Nov. 3, 1718, taking his wife Ann and daughter Ruth with him aboard his sloop, he reached Long Wharf in Boston very early in the morning of Nov. 3. Also aboard the sloop was John Edge, a friend of the Worthylakes.<\/p>\n

The keeper soon collected his pay and started back to the lighthouse. As is often the case, by the time Worthylake\u2019s sloop reached Lovell\u2019s Island, the last outpost before Boston Light itself, a westerly gale had increased to serious proportions.<\/p>\n

Deciding to wait for a partial let-up, Worthylake tied up at another sloop anchored off Lovell\u2019s Island.<\/p>\n

Going aboard, Worthylake drank liquor in \u201cvery friendly\u201d fashion, \u201cthough not to excess.\u201d Then he started for Boston Light.<\/p>\n

Across at the lighthouse Ruth\u2019s sister Ann watched the approach of the sloop through the rough water. She told Shadwell, the servant, to take the small lapstreak boarding boat and bring everyone ashore.<\/p>\n

Ann watched anxiously as Shadwell made his way to the sloop which by this time Worthylake had secured at his regular lighthouse mooring.<\/p>\n

With Ann on shore was a friend, Mary Thompson, then living on the island. It was now between noon and 1 p.m. As far as we can tell, all clambered into the small craft and then they started to shore. Suddenly Ann and Mary saw the boat go over and all five occupants were seen \u201cswimming or floating in the water.\u201d They all drowned.<\/p>\n

\u2026George Worthylake, the first keeper of Boston Light, his wife, and daughter are all buried under a triple headstone at the Copp\u2019s Hill Burial Ground in Boston.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Photo:
Photo: family gravestone for George, Ann, and Ruth Worthylake, Copp\u2019s Hill Burying Ground, Boston, Massachusetts. Credit: Howland Shaw Chandler.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In his article Snow also informs his readers of a document recently discovered from the records of the Supreme Judicial Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It was the handwritten deposition of William Cooke and John Ousley [Woosley], part of the coroner\u2019s report. These two men were on board the sloop anchored off Lovell\u2019s Island that George Worthylake tied up to while they waited for the storm to lessen.<\/p>\n

Below is a copy of the handwritten document and Snow\u2019s transcription of it. [Note: in the document, the second man is identified as John Ousley in the beginning, but named John Woosley at the end.]<\/p>\n

\"Photo:
Photo: deposition of William Cooke and John Ousley [Woosley]. Credit: U.S. Lighthouse Society.<\/figcaption><\/figure>There were other documents that resurfaced on the Boston Light tragedy. Stay tuned for a sermon by Cotton Mather and a ballad written by Ben Franklin \u2013 plus the many recorded hauntings!<\/p>\n

Explore over 330 years of newspapers and historical records in GenealogyBank. Discover your family story! Start a 7-Day Free Trial<\/a><\/p>\n

Note on the header image:<\/em><\/strong> Boston Light, Little Brewster Island, Boston Harbor, Massachusetts. Credit: Melissa Davenport Berry.<\/p>\n

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