They feather their oars and make regular strokes, independent of the wind or tide.” Again, this was a remarkable accomplishment in the 19th century at a time when few women worked with boats.Ī river pilot called the Crowley sisters “two gals as has-got-grit-enough.” He saw them rescue a pair of sailors from a sloop capsized in a sudden squall. One Saugerties resident was quoted, “As for rowing, no boatmen on the river can equal them. For Kate and Ellen, it was part of daily life to row ashore for provisions. Like the famous Ida Lewis, Kate Crowley and her sister were skilled at the oars and could handle a boat quite well. This was not quite as much as Ida Lewis, who, at $750 per year, was the highest paid keeper in the nation for a time, earning extra as reward for her numerous rescues. She earned an annual stipend of $560 ($13,500 in today’s dollars), which was as much as her father who preceded her, and more than her brother James who followed her as keeper. Kate Crowley earned the same as or more than her male counterparts at other Hudson River lighthouses. Salaries varied between locations depending on the hardships and workload of a particular station, but the pay for a particular assignment was the same regardless of whether it was held by a man or a woman. Keeper salaries were a matter of public record. The salaries were never lavish, but women keepers enjoyed equity in wages compared to men. In 1873, at age 20, Kate was officially appointed keeper and joined the ranks of the U.S. The two teenage girls looked after the lighthouse as well as their invalid mother and father. Around that same time, Kate’s father was struck blind by cataracts and became dependent upon Kate for care of the lighthouse, with her sister Ellen providing some assistance. In 1869, Kate was 15, going on 16, and her sister Ellen was 17 years old when the family moved into the newly built lighthouse, which replaced the original that succumbed to damage from ice floes. Taking risks, she flipped her boat many times, but she “swam like a duck” and always made it to safety. Such was her sense of daring that she often ventured out alone on the water in a little skiff. From the get-go, she took an interest in the tasks of the job, accompanying her father and assisting with the care of the light. Kate was 12 years old when her father Daniel was appointed lighthouse keeper in 1865. Despite the flattering comparison, they never attained the same notoriety and have been all but forgotten outside of Saugerties. “The Ida Lewis and Grace Darling of Saugerties” the headline read. Their feats were lauded in a widely syndicated article published in newspapers across the country and around the world. Saugerties had its own 19th-century heroines: Kate Crowley and her sister, Ellen. Ida was often compared to Grace Darling, daughter of an English lighthouse keeper who aided her father in a daring rescue.
She was considered the best swimmer in Newport and was a skilled rower at a time when few women handled boats. Her numerous rescues of shipwreck survivors earned her the title “The Bravest Woman in America.” She was also the first woman to be awarded a Congressional medal for lifesaving.
The most famous person to serve in the Lighthouse Service was Ida Lewis, keeper of Lime Rock in Newport harbor during the second half of the 19th century. Even so, the lighthouse front door opened onto the maritime realm, and it was here, in the midst of the wilds of wind and waves, that several women made a name for themselves. Of course, the job was still within the home and an extension of traditional domestic duties. At a time when they had few opportunities outside the domestic sphere, the position of lighthouse keeper was open to women, and many served with distinction. Foremost, they were the first female federal government employees to serve in a non-clerical capacity. Women keepers in the 19th century were remarkable for many reasons.
This is a fitting occasion to call attention to the achievements of women lighthouse keepers, especially those overlooked by history. March is Women’s History Month, and March 8 is International Women’s Day. Ida Lewis, the most famous female lighthouse keeper of them all
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