Currituck

Currituck Beach Lighthouse
Chronological List of Former Keepers

Be sure to visitthis site for a history of this lighthouse.
Permission to post this information is given by Outer Banks Conservationists, Inc.
- © 1999

Year Keeper 1st Assistant 2nd Assistant
1875 N.H. Burris
Appt.: Oct. 12, 1875
Lewis Napoleon Simmons
Appt.: Nov. 23, 1875
Thomas J. Everton
Appt.: Nov. 23, 1875
1876 N.H. Burris Lewis Napoleon Simmons Thomas J. Everton
1877 N.H. Burris Lewis Napoleon Simmons
Removed: April 26, 1877
Horatio William Heath
Appt.: April 26, 1877
Thomas J. Everton
1878 N.H. Burris Horatio William Heath Thomas J. Everton
1879 N.H. Burris
Removed: Dec. 12, 1879
Lewis Napoleon Simmons
Acting: Dec. 23, 1879
Horatio William Heath Thomas J. Everton
1880 Lewis Napoleon Simmons Horatio William Heath Thomas J. Everton
Removed: Sept. 9, 1880
F.W. Bell
Appt.: Oct. 12, 1880
1881 Lewis Napoleon Simmons
Removed: Jan. 29, 1881
William Shinnault
Acting: Feb. 1, 1881
Horatio William Heath F.W. Bell
1882 William Shinnault
Transferred: May 25, 1882
William Scott
Acting: May 25, 1882
Horatio William Heath F.W. Bell
Resigned: May 16, 1882
Thomas P. Reid
Appt: May 16, 1882
1883 William Scott Horatio William Heath Thomas P. Reid
1884 William Scott
Resigned: Sept. 26, 1884
Amasa J. Simpson
Acting: Sept. 26, 1884
Horatio William Heath Thomas P. Reid
1885 Amasa J. Simpson
Appt.: June 16, 1885
Horatio William Heath
Removed: June 13, 1885
Fabius E. Simpson
Appt.: June 16, 1885
Thomas P. Reid
Removed: June 13, 1885
George W. Wallace
Appt.: June 24, 1885
1886 Amasa J. Simpson Fabius E. Simpson George W. Wallace
Removed: Feb. 25, 1886
Charles E. Ansell
Appt.: March 29, 1886
1887 Amasa J. Simpson Fabius E. Simpson Charles E. Ansell
1888 Amasa J. Simpson
Transferred: June 29, 1888
Lazarus G. Hinnant
Appt: June 1888
Fabius E. Simpson Charles E. Ansell
1889 Lazarus G. Hinnant Fabius E. Simpson Charles E. Ansell
1890 Lazarus G. Hinnant Fabius E. Simpson Charles E. Ansell
1891 Lazarus G. Hinnant Fabius E. Simpson Charles E. Ansell
Removed: May 23, 1891
William Riley Austin
Appt.: June 2, 1891
1892 Lazarus G. Hinnant Fabius E. Simpson William Riley Austin
1893 Lazarus G. Hinnant Fabius E. Simpson
Transferred: Nov. 15, 1893
Wesley Austin
Appt: Nov. 15, 1893
William Riley Austin
1894 Lazarus G. Hinnant Wesley Austin William Riley Austin
1895 Lazarus G. Hinnant
Transferred: July 1, 1895
William J. Simmons
Acting: July 1895
Wesley Austin William Riley Austin
1896 William Joseph Simmons
App.t: April 2, 1896
Wesley Austin William Riley Austin
1897 William Joseph Simmons Wesley Austin William Riley Austin
1898 William Joseph Simmons Wesley Austin William Riley Austin
1899 William Joseph Simmons Wesley Austin William Riley Austin
1900 William Joseph Simmons Wesley Austin William Riley Austin
1901 William Joseph Simmons Wesley Austin William Riley Austin
1902 William Joseph Simmons Wesley Austin William Riley Austin
1903 William Joseph Simmons Wesley Austin William Riley Austin
1904 William Joseph Simmons Wesley Austin William Riley Austin
1905 William Joseph Simmons
Resigned: Sept. 24, 1905
Nathan H. Swain
Appt.: October 1, 1905
Wesley Austin William Riley Austin
1906 Nathan H. Swain Wesley Austin William Riley Austin
1907 Nathan Hooker Swain Wesley Austin William Riley Austin
1908 Nathan Hooker Swain Wesley Austin William Riley Austin
1909 Nathan Hooker Swain Wesley Austin William Riley Austin
1910 Nathan Hooker Swain Wesley Austin William Riley Austin
1911 Nathan Hooker Swain Wesley Austin William Riley Austin
1912 Nathan Hooker Swain Wesley Austin William Riley Austin
1913 Nathan Hooker Swain Wesley Austin William Riley Austin
1914 Nathan Hooker Swain   William Riley Austin
1915 Nathan Hooker Swain   William Riley Austin
1916 Nathan Hooker Swain William Riley Austin George Garner Johnson
1917 Nathan Hooker Swain William Riley Austin George Garner Johnson
1918 Nathan Hooker Swain William Riley Austin George Garner Johnson
1919 Nathan Hooker Swain William Riley Austin George Garner Johnson
1920 Nathan Hooker Swain William Riley Austin George Garner Johnson
1921 Loren Edward Tillett William Riley Austin  
1922 Loren Edward Tillett William Riley Austin  
1923 Loren Edward Tillett William Riley Austin  
1924 Loren Edward Tillett William Riley Austin  
1925 Loren Edward Tillett William Riley Austin  
1926 Loren Edward Tillett William Riley Austin  
1927 Loren Edward Tillett William Riley Austin  
1928 Loren Edward Tillett Homer Tredwell Austin  
1929 Loren Edward Tillett Homer Tredwell Austin  
1930 Loren Edward Tillett Homer Tredwell Austin
James Benjamin Cox
 
1931 Homer Tredwell Austin James Benjamin Cox  
1932 Homer Tredwell Austin James Benjamin Cox  
1933 Homer Tredwell Austin James Benjamin Cox  
1934 Homer Tredwell Austin James Benjamin Cox  
1935 Homer Tredwell Austin James Benjamin Cox  
1936 Homer Tredwell Austin James Benjamin Cox  
1937 William James Tate, Inspector Bill Lindsay, assistant  
1938 William James Tate, Inspector Bill Lindsay, assistant  
1939 William James Tate, Inspector    

In 1939 the Currituck Beach Lighthouse was automated and the keepers were removed.  The U.S. Coast Guard assumed responsibility for the lighthouse.  Lloyd Vernon Gaskill was the Lighthouse Tender and Commanding Officer of North Landing Aids to Navigation.

Beginning in 1940 the maintenance of the light came under the direction of the U.S. Coast Guard personnel form the Office of Aids to Navigation for Northeastern North Carolina.  In 1940 when the U.S. Coast Guard took over the Currituck Beach Lighthouse members of the USCG stationed at the Currituck Beach Lifeboat Station maintained the Lighthouse.  Their duties included charging the batteries, cleaning the lends, cutting the grass and painting the interior of the lighthouse.  A garage located in what is now the staff parking lot was turned into a stable for the horses used in riding the beached during World War II.  Hay was stored at both the keeper's houses.  Lloyd Vernon Gaskill was the Lighthouse Tender and Commanding Officer of North Landing Aids to Navigation.
In about 1947, after the end of the war, the Currituck Beach Lifeboat Station was closed and the care and maintenance of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse was taken over by members of the U.S. Coast Guard from Caffey's Inlet.
In 1955, when electricity became available to the Corolla area, there was no further need to charge batteries but there was now a need to maintain a generator for use in the event electricity failed.  This, along with cleaning the lens, cutting the grass and painting the interior, continued to be done by members of the Coast Guard until 1963.  Lamplighters, civilian personnel hired by the U.S. Coast Guard, took over the duty of maintaining the generator, caring for the light and cleaning the lens in 1963.
1964 - 1993 Gene Austin, Lamplighter, cared for the light and maintained the generator that was necessary to light the beacon in the event that electricity failed.
1994 Debbie Westner, site manager and Keeper
1995 Debbie Westner, site manager and Keeper Pat Riley
1996 Debbie Westner, site manager and Keeper Pat Riley
1997 Lloyd Childers, Keeper & Executive Director of Outer Banks Conservationists, Inc. Pat Riley
1998 Lloyd Childers Pat Riley
1999 Lloyd Childers Pat Riley