Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter: The Remarkable True Story Of American Heroine Ida Lewis

Praise for the previous edition (The Keeper of Lime Rock)

“Filled with fascinating stories of Lewiss rescues, [this] book . . . will appeal to readers who enjoy a good sea story as well as those who simply want to read about an unusual and brave woman.”—Publishers Weekly

This is the absorbing, painstakingly researched story of Ida Lewis, born in Newport, Rhode Island in 1842, and the fearless rescues she made at Lime Rock Lighthouse. Her father, Captain Hosea Lewis, became the first keeper of Lime Rock Lighthouse in 1853. But after he was disabled by stroke, then-fifteen-year-old Ida and her mother took over the tending of the Lime Rock Light from 1857 until 1872, when her father died. Her mother was appointed lighthouse keeper and remained in this position until she died in 1879, even though Ida continued to do the work. In 1879, Ida was officially appointed to the job, which she remained in until her death in 1911.

Ida is credited with saving at least eighteen lives during her nearly forty years on the tiny island in Newport Harbor. She became famous nationwide in the late 1860s after one of  her daring rescues, and the town of Newport celebrated her on Independence Day 1869. In 1924 the Rhode Island legislature officially changed the name of Lime Rock to Ida Lewis Rock. In 1995, a new class of Coast Guard buoy tenders was named for her.

“An intelligent and concise biography of the pioneering woman. A good sea story . . . about an unusual and brave woman.” —Publishers Weekly

“[A] sensitive biography. . . . A remarkable story of an ordinary woman who did some extraordinary things.” —Booklist

“Lenore Skomal . . . treats her solid historical homework briskly and lightly. . . . Fascinating.” —Providence Journal

“Carefully combed historic records . . . numerous photographs, notes and a bibliography do justice to this remarkable . . . heroine.” —Cape Cod Times

“Fascinating. . . . [A] lively, fast-moving account to hold the readers interest. . . . Spellbinding.” —Oakland Press

“Meticulously researched . . . recounts the story of Ida Lewis and other courageous women who tended the precious Fresnel lenses.” —Standard-Times (New Bedford, MA)

“Oddly compelling book is of a tiny tigress . . . all of 103 pounds, bound to a lonely speck of rock.” —Philadelphia Inquirer

The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter is the absorbing, painstakingly researched story of Ida Lewis and the fearless rescues she made at Lime Rock Lighthouse in Newport, Rhode Island. Born in 1842, Ida began tending the light at age fifteen after her father, the keeper of the light, was disabled by a stroke. When her father died in 1872, Ida's mother assumed the role of lighthouse keeper but Ida continued to do the work. Then when her mother died in 1879, Ida was officially appointed to the job, where she remained until her death in 1911.

Lenore Skomal is the author of fourteen books, including Lady Liberty: The History of the Statue of Liberty and a previous edition of Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter (under the title The Keeper of Lime Rock). Her weekly humor column and videocast (www.goerie.com) has won numerous Society of Professional Journalist awards.