Comments on: Women Lightkeepers: Elizabeth Whitney Williams

By: Anita Rodgers

Anita Rodgers — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 01:21:00 +0000

In doing research on Elizabeth Whitney VanRiper Williams – I am finding so much MIS-information!!! Her Mother Elizabeth – an orphan – was adopted by Michael Dousman (my relative) and his wife on Mackinac Island – about 1805. She married Louis Gebeau -( a Canadian) they had four sons – one died as an infant. Louis died of a drowning in Lake Michigan. She then married Walter Whitney from Genesee, NEW YORK. Elizabeth was born to this union about 1844! I have census reports thru 1930 – vouching for the chronological happenings in her life! I find Daniel Williams at age 78 and Elizabeth – age 85 – STILL ALIVE in the 1930 Census of Charlevoix!! I have spent two days going thru all the search engines and websites – So glad I came upon the above article!! Neither was listed as deceased in SeekingMichigan.org – the Death Index for Michigan 1897 – 1920! What a relief to know I have not lost my researching touch!!

By: John Bragenzer

John Bragenzer — Sat, 23 May 2009 23:13:35 +0000

Hello TO All could anyone tell me Elizabeths parents names ? I have reason to believe she is a 6th or 7th greatgrandparent of mine. Thank you John B.

By: Mary Cummings

Mary Cummings — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 19:03:14 +0000

Elizabeth Whitney Williams retired from the Little Traverse Light in 1913. She lived much longer. She was interviewed for a Nov. 5, 1922 article in the Grand Rapids Herald, which indicated that she was 80 at the time. Another article, which I have not yet been able to locate a source for, indicated that she passed away in Charlevoix at age 94 in 1938.

By: Jams E. Crooks

Jams E. Crooks — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 18:53:47 +0000

EWW died in 1913. What is her birth year? Clue of 71 years at death provides two choices not knowing months.

By: farlane

farlane — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 17:09:09 +0000

Thanks for catching these. They have been corrected.

By: MaryAnn Moore

MaryAnn Moore — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 00:10:31 +0000

In reading the above article, I found several errors. I would have hoped the author would have done more research, since this is an article for a Michigan History Publication.
4th Paragraph – Neither Fresnel lens nor lamps contained copper. It was the brass structure that needed to be polished. The size lamp in the Beaver Harbor light contained only one wick, not wicks.
5th Paragraph – Elizabeth married Daniel Williams in 1875 and in 1884 she requested a transfer to the newly built Little Traverse Lighthouse House.