Keep the Lights Shining!
| ***IMPORTANT UPDATES*** Women Lighting the Way! Honoring Hannah Thomas who, in 1776, was the first female Lighthouse Keeper in the United States Single mother, Dairy Farmer, Lighthouse Keeper, and Smart Businesswoman (By Richard Boonisar – He wrote this information for the program of the ceremony honoring Hannah Thomas by placing a bronze U.S. Lighthouse Service marker at her grave site. This ceremony was held on Saturday, April 13, 2019, at the Old Burying Ground, First Parish Unitarian Church, Kingston, Massachusetts.) “Hannah Thomas was the only daughter of Nathaniel and Elizabeth Thomas. It is believed she was born in 1731 on Gurnet Point, Plymouth, Massachusetts, where her parents owned a dairy farm. Her father died in 1746 and Hannah, at the age of 16, was granted one third of the Gurnet by the Probate Court. In 1761, she married Dr. (Col.) John Thomas of Kingston, MA, and the couple assumed the operation of the farm. They had three children – Hannah, John, and Nathaniel. In 1786, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts passed legislation to erect a lighthouse on the Gurnet consisting of a dwelling with two lights, one at each end. The light was built on land leased from John, Hannah, and her brother John. John Thomas (her husband) was appointed keeper. In 1773, John acquired her brother’s interest. At the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, Hannah’s husband was commissioned a Brigadier General in the Continental Army and became a member of General Washington’s Council of War. He died in Canada from smallpox, leaving Hannah a widow with three small children. She continued to run the farm, and maintained the lighthouse for a year and a half until it was extinguished. The Commonwealth paid her 86 pounds 10 shillings for her services. In July of 1783 at the end of the war, the light was to be repaired, put in “proper order” and a keeper selected. It took almost three years for this to occur, probably due to Hannah challenging the selection of a keeper. On March 11, 1786, the General Court of Massachusetts passed the following: On a memorial of Hannah Thomas, setting forth, that by agreement, bearing the date November 23, 1768 entered into with the government of the late Province of Massachusetts Bay, she is entitled to the exclusive privilege of keeping the lighthouse at the Gurnet.” She was authorized a salary of 80 pounds “for herself and such assistance as she shall procure.” She did have an assistant keeper. She required him to provide a bond in the amount of 500 pounds in case he failed to do his duty. Hannah remained principal keeper until 1790 when the federal government acquired all lighthouses. Her son John was appointed keeper and remained so until 1812. During the Revolutionary War fortifications were erected on the Gurnet; Hannah claimed that her dairy farm was damaged by the construction. She petitioned the Commonwealth for damages, and in 1784 the General Court granted “that she the said Hannah Thomas be entitled to the barrack on her land, at the Gurnet as her property which shall be in full for what damage she has sustained.” Hannah Thomas died at the age of 88 on April 1, 1819, two hundred years ago.” On April 13, 2019, Project Gurnet & Bug Lights, Inc. honored Hannah by placing a U.S. Lighthouse Service Marker at her grave site in the Old Burying Ground in Kingston MA. In period costume at the graveside in 2019 are (left) Sally Snowman, last keeper of Boston Light and (right) the late Susan Beaulieu, former Board Member of PG&BL and volunteer extraordinaire.  Prior to the dedication, a group of volunteers led by June Gillette completed the restoration of her tabletop memorial stone. Warmest thanks to June, Jaclyn Robinson, and Cheryle Caputo. If you would like to visit the site to honor Hannah’s contributions to our maritime nautical history, it is located at: The Old Burying Ground First Parish Unitarian Church 223 Main Street Kingston, Massachusetts 02364 Please respect the graves and be mindful of the footstones and uneven ground. |
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Due to piping plover restrictions, we will not be able to give tours or rent the Keeper’s Cottage for the summer of 2026.
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Project Gurnet & Bug Lights, Inc. has received notification of approval for Gurnet Light in Plymouth..
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