Kate Moore
Kate Moore (1795—1900) was an American lighthouse keeper noted for the longevity of her tenure. The daughter of Stephen Moore, keeper of the Fayerweather Island Light in Connecticut since 1817, she gradually took over his duties as he became ill; she was not formally appointed keeper, however, until after his death in 1871.
She kept a garden at the station, and tended oyster beds; she also carved and sold duck decoys. Moore kept a library, and had a collection of original paintings at the station, including one by Peter Paul Rubens. She entertained many visitors to the island, at one point numbering over a thousand in one year. During her time at Fayerweather Island she saved 21 lives; she once said that she wished she could have saved double that number.
Later life
Kate retired in December 1878. She is listed in the 1898 Bridgeport City Directory as “Miss Kate Moore.” Her life remained mysterious till the end: She has been reported as having lived until the age of 85, 93, and even 105. The burial records of Mountain Grove Cemetery in Bridgeport where Kate is interred say that she died in 1899 but gave her age as 85. She lies in an unmarked grave.[1]
The Bridgeport Regional Vocational Aquacultural School named a research vessel in her honor.
References
- ↑ Witkowski, Mary K. "Kate Moore, Keeper of the Fayerweather Lighthouse". CTVisit. Connecticut Office of Tourism. Retrieved 25 October 2015.