George Worthylake Still Making Waves with Boston Lighthouse (part 1)

Introduction: In this article, with Halloween approaching, Melissa Davenport Berry writes about a haunted lighthouse in Boston Harbor and a family tragedy that befell its first keeper. Melissa is a genealogist who has a website, americana-archives.com, and a Facebook group, New England Family Genealogy and History.

Recently I assisted Elizabeth “Beth” Anne (Annis) Coughlin with proving her lineage for membership into the General Society of Mayflower Descendants. Elizabeth is a direct descendant of Mayflower passenger Elder William Brewster.

Her connection comes through her 2nd great grandmother Sarah Jane Worthylake (1860-1940), born in Nova Scotia, who married Arthur H. Annis. They have a Worthylake ancestor who flooded the early annuals: Captain George Worthylake, the first lighthouse keeper of Boston and Elizabeth’s 8th great grandfather. This prolific seafaring fellow is still making waves today – both in the antiquarian world and the paranormal.

History of the Boston Light and Worthylake

In 1716 Captain Worthylake was appointed Keeper of the Light on Little Brewster Island in Boston Harbor, named after William Brewster, the first preacher for the Plymouth Colony and Elizabeth’s 11th great grandfather. An interesting tap from the ethereal world: Elizabeth utilizes the symbol of the lighthouse and the mantra “Be the Lighthouse” in her holistic practice.

The British built the first lighthouse in America on Little Brewster Island, also known as Beacon Island, in 1716 to safeguard ships coming in and out of Boston Harbor. The lighthouse, called Boston Light, was first lit on 14 September 1716, as covered by the following newsclip.

This article reports:

By virtue of an act of Assembly made in the first year of His Majesty’s reign, for building & maintaining a lighthouse upon the [Little] Brewster (called Beacon Island) at the entrance of the harbor of Boston, in order to prevent the loss of the lives & estates of His Majesty’s subjects, the said lighthouse has been built. And on Friday last, the 14th current, the light was kindled, which will be very useful for all vessels going out and coming into the harbor of Boston, or any other harbors in the Massachusetts Bay, for which all masters [captains] shall pay to the Receiver of Impost, one penny per ton inwards, and another penny outwards, except Coasters, who are to pay two shillings each, at their clearing out. And all fishing vessels, wood sloops, etc., five shillings each by the year.

The caption to this drawing reads:

“To the Merchants of Boston this View of the Light House is most humbly presented by their Humble Servt. Wm. Burgis.” Another caption on page (not shown): “The first light-house built within the limits of the United States.”

According to many historians, including the beloved Flying Santa Edward Rowe Snow, Captain Worthylake was brought up on George’s Island (previously known as Pemberton Island) in Boston Harbor, and moved to the light station on Little Brewster Island when he became the light keeper with his wife, Ann, and their five children. Two years after beginning his service as Keeper of the Light, Captain Worthylake and his family encountered a tragedy which still haunts the harbor and the hearts of those who visit there.

The Lighthouse Tragedy

Edward Rowe Snow wrote about the tragedy in his column “Sea and Shore Gleanings.”

https://www.genealogybank.com/doc/newspapers/image/v2%3A13D0955A0C88E671%40GB3NEWS-16A2DE791D3B3444%402440496-16A2D295A4053C8D%4040-16A2D295A4053C8D

Snow reports:

Then came the cold winter of 1718. It was customary for Keeper Worthylake to journey to Boston early every November to collect his pay. On Nov. 3, 1718, taking his wife Ann and daughter Ruth with him aboard his sloop, he reached Long Wharf in Boston very early in the morning of Nov. 3. Also aboard the sloop was John Edge, a friend of the Worthylakes.

The keeper soon collected his pay and started back to the lighthouse. As is often the case, by the time Worthylake’s sloop reached Lovell’s Island, the last outpost before Boston Light itself, a westerly gale had increased to serious proportions.

Deciding to wait for a partial let-up, Worthylake tied up at another sloop anchored off Lovell’s Island.

Going aboard, Worthylake drank liquor in “very friendly” fashion, “though not to excess.” Then he started for Boston Light.

Across at the lighthouse Ruth’s sister Ann watched the approach of the sloop through the rough water. She told Shadwell, the servant, to take the small lapstreak boarding boat and bring everyone ashore.

Ann watched anxiously as Shadwell made his way to the sloop which by this time Worthylake had secured at his regular lighthouse mooring.

With Ann on shore was a friend, Mary Thompson, then living on the island. It was now between noon and 1 p.m. As far as we can tell, all clambered into the small craft and then they started to shore. Suddenly Ann and Mary saw the boat go over and all five occupants were seen “swimming or floating in the water.” They all drowned.

…George Worthylake, the first keeper of Boston Light, his wife, and daughter are all buried under a triple headstone at the Copp’s Hill Burial Ground in Boston.

In his article Snow also informs his readers of a document recently discovered from the records of the Supreme Judicial Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It was the handwritten deposition of William Cooke and John Ousley [Woosley], part of the coroner’s report. These two men were on board the sloop anchored off Lovell’s Island that George Worthylake tied up to while they waited for the storm to lessen.

Below is a copy of the handwritten document and Snow’s transcription of it. [Note: in the document, the second man is identified as John Ousley in the beginning, but named John Woosley at the end.]

There were other documents that resurfaced on the Boston Light tragedy. Stay tuned for a sermon by Cotton Mather and a ballad written by Ben Franklin – plus the many recorded hauntings!

Explore over 330 years of newspapers and historical records in GenealogyBank. Discover your family story! Start a 7-Day Free Trial

Note on the header image: Boston Light, Little Brewster Island, Boston Harbor, Massachusetts. Credit: Melissa Davenport Berry.

Related Articles:

• The Devil Went Down to Newbury (part 1)
• The Devil Went Down to Newbury (part 2)
• How the Accused Were Pinned for Witchcraft in Salem 1692
• Relics of the Salem Witch Trials Era (part 1)
• Relics of the Salem Witch Trials Era (part 2)
• Relics of the Salem Witch Trials Era (part 3)
• Relics of the Salem Witch Trials Era (part 4)
• Relics of the Salem Witch Trials Era (part 5)