Priest Recalls Masses He Said at Aunt's Elba Island Home

Thursday, August 18, 2005 FEATURE Southern Cross, Page 3 Priest recalls Masses he said at aunt’s Elba Island Home he late Monsignor Thomas J. Brennan had photos taken when he ven- Ttured to Elba Island in the summer of 1924 to say Mass. The young priest recorded the date on the back of one of the photographs: June 20, 1924. Brennan also recorded dates of the second and third Masses he cele- brated at the lighthouse keeper’s home on the island on June 21 and July 3. Father Brennan’s Henry Martus, 53, retains his rank, memories of being listed as “ordinance sergeant”, these Masses while his son, George, 19 years, is said early in his identified as “assistant light keeper”. long and fruitful Martus’ wife, Rosanna, 52, is keep- career revealed ing house and daughters Rosanna J., the regard he felt 21; Mary, 14, and Florence, 12, for his Uncle “reside in the home.” Rita H. DeLorme George, keeper The demographics of the Martus of the Elba household changed considerably in Island light, and his Aunt, Flo- the decade following the 1880 cen- rence—George’s sister—who spent sus. By 1890, John Martus had died, courtesy of the Diocesan Archives. Photo most of her life on the lonely is- and the two older Martus daughters Father Thomas J. Brennan prepares for Mass on Elba Island in 1924. land. Brennan would go on to labor had married. Only the widowed those who sailed the seas came to and in turn each vessel, from the successfully in the missions of Rosanna Martus, son George, and expect her salute. Attuned to the smallest pleasure craft to the great southwest Georgia and as diligent daughter, Florence, continued to rhythm of the shifting tides, ocean-going ships, acknowledged pastor of parishes throughout the reside in the white house on Elba Florence became adept at predict- her greeting with a blast from its diocese. His “Aunt Florence”, Island. Between times, the Martus ing impending storms. whistle.” whose quiet, near-reclusive island family weathered a storm that lashed Eventually, only Florence and her Preceded in death by her brother existence seemed to promise little the Georgia coast in 1881. Seeking brother George remained on Elba George, Florence Martus was sur- fame ahead for her, became Sa- shelter at Fort Pulaski, they fled up a Island. On one occasion when she vived by several nieces and ne- vannah’s famous “Waving Girl”. staircase in the fort’s southeast tower awoke in the night, Florence spot- phews, including one of the cele- At Fort Pulaski as flood waters closed in on ted a fire on a dredge some dis- brants of her funeral Mass, her ne- Florence Martus was the youngest Pulaski’s parade ground. tance from the light house. Toge- phew Father Thomas J. Brennan. daughter of German-born John At Fort Elba ther, she and her brother, George, She was buried from the Cathedral Martus, a United States Army Following John Martus’ death, managed to rescue thirty-two of of Saint John the Baptist and in- Ordinance Sergeant assigned to Fort the Martus family moved inland to those aboard the dredge. Such acts terred in the Martus family plot in Pulaski in 1866 to oversee restora- Savannah, but reconvened at Elba of heroism and of unselfishness did Laurel Grove Cemetery. tion of the war-ravaged fort. Ac- Island when George Washington not go unrecognized. Gifts came The story of the “Waving Girl” companying Martus to the fort at Martus became keeper of the Elba from those the Martus family did not end with her death, but went the mouth of the Savannah River and South Channel lights. Dimin- aided, sometimes in the form of on to include many remembrances were his wife, Rosanna Decker, and utive and attractive, Florence exotic animals, one of them a of her: the naming of a World War the couple’s two older children, Martus might have caught many a llama, which roamed the island in II Liberty Ship in her honor, a paint- Rosanna and Goerge. When his suitor’s eye, but—given the isola- the company of the family’s collies. ing of Martus by Quartermaster duty at Fort Pulaski ended, Sergeant tion of her island home—opportu- In Savannah Wilber Anderson, then stationed at Martus opted to stay in the vicinity, nities for meeting suitors were rare. When her brother, George W. Cockspur Island’s anti-submarine becoming keeper of the Elba and Her family and the family’s pets Martus retired in 1931, Florence station, and a bronze statue of her Cockspur Island lights. became Florence’s companions, moved with him to Bona Bella in commissioned by the Altrusa Club Meanwhile, two other children except for passing ships and Savannah and the mayor of Sa- in 1972. The statue crafted, by Felix had been born to the Martus family: dredges that skimmed the waters vannah officially welcomed the de Weldon—who wrought the fa- Mary Alberta Martus (b. August 15, surrounding the island. “Waving Girl” to the city. In 1938, mous “Raising the Flag on Iwo 1866), and Florence Margaret Florence filled the echoing still- her 70th birthday was marked by a Jima” memorial—stands on a gran- Martus, (b. August 7, 1868). Both ness of her life with gardening, mammoth party on Cockspur ite base in a prominent spot on Sa- girls were baptized at the Cathedral keeping house and recording the Island, her birth place; by then, a vannah’s River Street. of Saint John the Baptist. The fami- vagaries of sea and tide in her jour- national park. More than three Monsignor Thomas J. Brennan, ly’s continued connection to the sea nal. To a diary, later destroyed, she thousand friends and acquaintanc- son of Florence Martus’ sister Mary and its beacons is confirmed by a entrusted her hopes and dreams. es, many from afar, crowded the and Mary’s husband, Thomas J. census record of “The Islands, For the most part, boat trips to island to celebrate her birthday. Brennan, Sr., died on October 27, Chatham County, Georgia”, in 1880. Savannah to attend Mass and to When the “Waving Girl” died on 1963. Photos he took on Elba Island According to this record, John pick up necessities constituted the February 12, 1943, the Savannah in 1924 at the home of a special only change in her day-to-day life Morning News noted: “The last aunt—Florence Martus—to com- CORRECTION on Elba Island. In 1887, Florence vigil has been kept the Waving Girl memorate a special occasion in his began waving a handkerchief at and a figure unique in maritime own life provide an unusual insight In the last issue, Vol. 85, No. 27 on passing ships, a practice she contin- legend has passed in the death of into the life of this Savannah icon. August 4, 2005, the photo caption ued until 1931. Romantic legend accompanying the article “Their Florence Martus. Day and night, in Go to http://southerncross.diosav.org says she waved a handkerchief by names twice blessed us: Fathers J. fair weather and in violent storm to see more photos. Robert Brennan and Robert Bren- day and a lantern by night to guide for nearly a half century she was at nan” incorrectly read “Father Robert her sweetheart back to her. More her post and waved her handker- Columnist RITA H. DELORME Brennan, OSB.” The photo was of likely, she began waving at passing chief by day and swung her lantern is a volunteer in the Diocesan Father J. Robert Brennan. The SOUTH- vessels just for something to do by night to each ship which passed, Archives. She can be reached ERN CROSS regrets the error. and continued waving because at [email protected]..

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