To magnify the tragedy, the two oldest Sheridan sons - Levi, age 12 and George, age 10 - were in the lighthouse tower and witness the horrific accident. The only survivor was an island fisherman by the name of Chris Ankerson, who owned the boat in which they were all traveling. Aaron, with his one arm, was unable to save himself, his wife or his son. On March 15, 1878, Julia and Aaron, along with their infant son, Robert, were returning aboard a small boat from the mainland when their boat capsized just off shore. His wife, Julia, was appointed his assistant on Septemand together they tended the light and raised their six sons on the remote island 16 miles west of Leland, in northern Lake Michigan. JULIA (MOORE) SHERIDAN – SOUTH MANITOU ISLAND LIGHT, SLEEPING BEAR DUNES NATIONAL LAKESHOREĪaron Sheridan was injured during his service in the Civil War-the bones in his lower left arm shattered during the Battle of Ringgold, and he was later appointed as the lighthouse keeper at South Manitou Island on July 21, 1866. Here are the stories of some of Michigan’s most noted female keepers. Often, these women served as assistant keepers with their husbands, fathers or brothers-and in the case of tragedy, many were promoted to the role of head keeper. Ironic since it was quite a grueling and physically demanding career. In fact, serving as a lighthouse keeper was the only “non-clerical” government job that women were allowed to have in the late 1800s and early 1900s. But did you know that more than 60 women have been documented as lighthouse keepers at these historic beacons? It may be no surprise that Michigan has more miles of freshwater coastline than any other state or that the Great Lakes State has more lighthouses than any other in the country (at about 120).
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