Ida Lewis, Keeper of the Light

Ida was a true child of the sea. Born Feb. 25, 1842 in the coastal town of Newport, Rhode Island, she spent as much time in the sea as she could. She loved to swim and became a strong swimmer at an early age. Her father, Captain Hosea Lewis was lighthouse keeper for Lime Rock. He rowed from their home in town out to the cluster of rocks jutting into the bay each day and often took Ida with him. By the time she was twelve, the child was rowing her way around Newport Harbor on her own.

Lime Rock was about one-third of a mile away from the mainland; the only way to reach it was by boat. This could be particularly challenging, especially in winter weather. Hosea Lewis made numerous requests to the Lighthouse Board for he and his family to be allowed to live on Lime Rock. The Lighthouse Board finally agreed.

Once a dwelling was built on the small island, Hosea and his family moved to the rock in 1857. Hosea was also blessed with a raise to $560 a year.

Within four months of moving to Lime Rock, Hosea Lewis suffered a stroke. Although he recovered well enough to walk with a cane, he was no longer able to fulfill his duties as keeper.

Those duties fell to the shoulders of Ida and her mother, Ida Zoradia Lewis. Even though she was only fifteen years old, Ida had a mountain of responsibilities. Not only did she take care of the light, she also rowed her younger siblings - Rudolph, Hosea and Harriet - to and from the mainland shore each day for school. Throughout the years, it would be Ida who cared for her sickly brother and sister, Hosea and Harriet.

Caring for the light was just as challenging. The lamp had to be filled with oil at sundown and midnight, the wick had to be kept trimmed, the reflectors had to be kept clean of carbon and the light was doused at dawn. It's a wonder Ida ever got any sleep.

Ida Lewis was not the first, nor the only, woman lighthouse keeper. She was not the only keeper to save lives in the water. But she was one who achieved fame and recognition during her time for her rescue work.

On Sept. 4, 1858, Ida's first recorded rescue occurred. It began innocent enough. Four young boys sailed into the harbor on a small pleasure boat to enjoy a picnic at a grouping of rocks known as "The Dumplings." As they started back home, they dropped sail to cruise back to the wharf on the tide.

Ida could hear the laughter of the boys as they played around on the boat. Looking up she witnessed one of them do a very stupid thing: the young boy shimmied up the mast. Naturally, this act caused the boat to capsize.

Ida was quick to respond. She was at her small skiff and rowing into the harbor almost as soon as the incident occurred. She quickly got each of the four into her boat and rowed them back to the shore on Lime Rock. After each rescue, Ida would insist that whomever she rescued return to the rock for a change of clothing and at least a hot drink.

Her father, though debilitated from the stroke, watched Ida each and every time she took the boat out, whether rowing her siblings to school or performing a rescue. He watched on this day and collapsed into the chair with relief once the last boy was in the boat.

"It was my father who showed me how to take people into my boat," Ida once explained. "You have to draw them over the stern or they will tip you over." [1]

This was everyday life for Ida Lewis. Caring for her siblings, her ailing father and her mother once she became ill later on in life, and watching out for the wayward on the sea who needed rescuing.

The rescue which launched Ida to fame was on March 29, 1869. Ida was fighting off a cold, sitting before the fire, soaking her feet in warm water. Her mother, restless on this occasion, was checking on the light when she saw two men clinging to an upturned boat in the harbor. The boat was being swiftly carried out into the channel towards the open sea.

Her mother cried out and, hearing only the words "drowning men," Ida raced to her boat with brother Hosea in tow. The voice of Zoradia, Ida's mother, penetrated the wind and the sea to get the attention of the two men clinging to the boat to let them know help was on the way.

Sergeant Adams and Private McLoughlin were rescued that night. Unfortunately, the life of a fourteen year old boy was lost. The boy was guiding the boat for the two men and was lost to sea when the boat capsized. To this day, his name is unknown.

Adams and McLoughlin were stationed at nearby Fort Adams. Naturally, the story of their rescue was told around the fort and covered in the local newspapers. The story was then telegrammed to newspapers in New York including the New York Tribune. Quick to follow, Harper's Weekly and Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper ran stories and sent artists to make sketches of Ida for their publications.

After that, Ida rarely had a moment's peace. People traveled from all over the country just to see her. She received marriage proposals from men she had never met.

The town of Newport proclaimed July 4, 1869 as "Ida Lewis Day." More than 4,000 people filled the streets as Ida was presented with a boat made of cedar, white oak and black walnut, with copper accoutrements.

Ida, who was never comfortable with all the attention lavished upon her, once stated, "If there were some people out there who needed help, I would get into my boat and go to them even if I knew I couldn't go back. Wouldn't you?" [1]

Ida was also presented with a yoke made of rosewood, silver mounting, silver sockets and crimson cord and tassel. The boat was dubbed "Rescue."

As she rowed her new boat home toward the light of Lime Rock, Ida regained her self-confidence and assurance and even waved at the crowd on the mainland shore once she reached the beach at the rock.

It was estimated that over 10,000 people came to see Ida that year at Lime Rock. Some came for autographs, some wanted photos, some just wanted to see this slender woman and marvel at what she had done.

President Grant was one of Ida's visitors. He was visiting Newport and requested Ida row to the mainland to meet him. She used her new boat to row to Long Wharf where she was taken by carriage to meet Grant.

"I am happy to meet you, Miss Lewis, as one of the heroic, noble women of the age," said Grant. [1]

When asked about the meeting, Ida simply shrugged it off as she was now accustomed to flattering speeches.

Captain Lewis died in 1872 and Ida's mother was officially appointed lightkeeper, even though it was Ida doing the work.

Life for Ida became routine. She tended to the light, although her mother was compensated for it. And she continued rescuing people. It was once estimated that Ida saved up to 25 lives in her lifetime. But, as records were not kept of these rescues, no one knows the exact number. Eighteen lives saved by Ida is the recorded number.

Ida did marry a Captain William Wilson from Black Rock, Connecticut. She lived for two years in Black Rock before returning to Lime Rock. Very little is known about the relationship as Ida did not write or speak of the relationship. They never divorced as Ida did not believe in divorce.

In November 1877, Ida rescued soldiers who were musicians in the band at Fort Adams. Though this rescue left her ill for several months, (she continued tending to the light even though she was debilitated from the illness), the story of this rescue reached Civil War General Burnside. Burnside worked tirelessly to ensure Ida was appointed lighthouse keeper.

Jan. 21, 1879, Ida Lewis was officially appointed the Lighthouse Keeper of Lime Rock with a salary of $750 a year.

The remainder of her life, just as most of her life had, centered around the light.

"The light is my child, and I know when it needs me, even if I sleep," she said. [1]

The rescues also continued. At 63 years of age, when a friend coming to visit stood up in her boat and lost her balance, Ida, once again, did not hesitate to plunge her boat into the water to rescue her.

On Oct. 21, 1911, Ida extinguished the light for the last time. Her brother, Rudolph, found her on the kitchen floor later that morning, unconscious but still alive.

For three days, the harbor town of Newport held its breath with the hope that Ida Lewis would recover. Fort Adams suspended artillery practice out of respect.

Ida Lewis died on Oct. 24, 1911. All the vessels in Newport Harbor tolled their bells in her honor.

The Lighthouse Service had a staunch rule against naming lighthouses after people. Thanks to Representative Clark Burdick, congressman for the 1st District of Rhode Island, and the people of Newport who began a petition, Lime Rock Light was renamed Ida Lewis Rock Light Station in 1925.

In 1928, Narragansett Bay Regatta Association bought Ida Lewis Rock and transformed it into the Ida Lewis Yacht Club. A boardwalk connects the mainland to the rock.

The light was switched off for good in 1963 but is still lighted during summer months for navigational aid and in memory of Ida Lewis.

The original Fresnel lens used at Lime Rock is displayed at the Newport Historical Society's Museum of History.

The Ida Lewis Trophy is presented annually to the winners of the U.S. Junior Women's Doublehanded Championship by the Hampton, Virginia Yacht Club.

Sources:
[1] The Keeper of Lime Rock, Lenore Skomal (2002, Running Press)