For nearly 15 years, Sarah A. Cleverly Atwood (1837-1920) was part of a select few among American women who served as lighthouse keepers during the 19th century. She was born in the town of Wellfleet on Cape Cod in southeastern Massachusetts. Her parents were William Cleverly (1797-1887) and Hannah Pierce Cleverly (1808-1893).
On February 4, 1864, Sarah A. Cleverly married fellow Wellfleet resident William Newcomb Atwood (1821-1876). He had been as young as twelve years old when he first went out to sea to work aboard ships. William fought for the Union during the American Civil War as a soldier in the 12th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment and, while taking part in the fiercely waged Battle of Fredericksburg in Virginia, suffered a severe gunshot wound in his left arm. A large portion of this arm was subsequently amputated at a hospital in Alexandria, Virginia.
The debilitating disability incurred by William ruled out any chance he might have of resuming his career at sea. To provide a livelihood for himself and Sarah, and as compensation for his heroic wartime service and sacrifice, he was appointed keeper at a lighthouse on Mayo Beach in the area of Cape Cod where they lived.
The Mayo Beach Light had been inaugurated in 1837 to help safely guide vessels sailing to and from the harbor at Wellfleet. William officially became the sixth keeper of this lighthouse on April 1, 1865. Over the next several years, he and Sarah raised a family there and she assisted him with his day-to-day duties as keeper.
Tragedy struck the family on June 14, 1876, when Willam passed away at the age of 55. His untimely death left Sarah with four surviving young children to care for and financially support on her own. She applied to become the Mayo Beach Light’s new keeper and, on July 8 of that year, was appointed to serve in the position on a temporary basis. The following month, this appointment was made permanent.
The life of a lighthouse keeper, especially at this stage in history, was anything but easy. Sarah was willing to embrace this role and endure the hardships that came with it, however, on behalf of her children. Her fame as a trailblazing female keeper extended well beyond Cape Cod, as evidenced by an article about her in an August 1881 edition of the California-based Oakland Tribune.
This newspaper stated, “While her husband, a one armed soldier, lived she was his helper, upon his death she took charge, and now holds the place, and is able to educate her children. It is hoped no man will seek to deprive her of her well earned and well titled position.”
Sarah remained keeper at the Mayo Beach Light until resigning on May 7, 1891.Following her death about 29 years later, she was buried at Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Wellfleet.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of The Wellfleet Historical Society & Museum
For more information on Sarah A. Cleverly Atwood, please check out https://archives.uslhs.org/people/sarah-atwood
Additional information on the Mayo Beach Light is available at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayo_Beach_Light
A list of women lighthouse keepers can be viewed at https://www.history.uscg.mil/Browse-by-Topic/Notable-People/Women/Women-Lighthouse-Keepers/
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