The Keepers

At lighthouses across the United States, a keeper's house housed the keeper and his family, and wives and children often helped keep the light burning; when a keeper died, his wife or son sometimes succeeded him. At Concord Point, many keepers came from the O'Neill family. John O'Neill, the first keeper, served from 1827-38 at an annual salary of $350 but did not move his family into the keeper's house because he was already an established businessman in town and owned a nearby home. Other keepers were Thomas Courtney from 1838-41 and 1844-49, John Blaney from 1841-44 and 1849-53, Thomas Sutor from 1853-1861, and John O'Neill Jr. from 1861-1863. After John O'Neill Jr.'s death, his widow, Esther O'Neill, became official keeper in 1863 and remained in that role until her retirement in 1881. Her son, Capt. Henry E. O'Neill, served from 1881-1919 as the last keeper of the lighthouse, with an annual pay of $500, and his son, Henry F. O'Neill, known as Harry, served as custodian and laborer until the keeper's property was sold in 1920.

Havre de Grace, Maryland · United States