A Child of the Sea; and Life Among the MormonsWilliams, Elizabeth Whitney
History
A Child of the Sea; and Life Among the Mormons
Williams, Elizabeth Whitney
Beaver Island (Mich.); Latter Day Saints -- Michigan; Strang, James Jesse, 1813-1856
About the year 1876 Mr. James Dormer, who had done an extensive business
at the Point, retired and went to his home in Buffalo, N. Y., renting
his property to Mr. John Day of Green Bay, Wis. Later Mr. C. R. Wright
and son, also one of the old pioneers of the island who had carried on
the fish business so many years, sold his dock property and store
building, moving to Harbor Springs, still continuing in the dry goods
business. About that time others of our island people moved to the main
land, settling in different parts, making new homes. Several of the
young men filling responsible positions as captains, mates and clerks on
the lake steamers, and several of the young women being trained nurses
in city hospitals.
I now married again, still holding my position as light-keeper. Since my
marriage my official title has been Mrs. Daniel Williams. Having a
desire to change my residence from the island to the mainland I made the
request to be changed to a mainland light station. I was soon
transferred to the Little Traverse light-station at Harbor Springs,
Mich. The light-house just finished, the lamp being lighted the first
time September 25th, 1884. The light-station is situated on the extreme
end of Harbor Point, at the entrance of Little Traverse harbor.
SAD THOUGHTS ON LEAVING MY ISLAND HOME.
Preparations were made, goods were packed, the steamer "Grace Barker"
with Capt. Walter Chrysler as master, had come to take us to our new
home. So often before had I left the island, passing several winters in
other parts, but always returning again, and happy to get back to my
neighbors and pleasant island home, with its fresh, pure air. But now I
knew this was different. There would be no more coming back to live,
this time was to be the last. The dear old island and I must part. I had
always thought it beautiful in the many years I had called it my home;
but never before had I realized what it had been to me until now. I was
leaving, perhaps never more to return.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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