Keepers of Fort Lauderdale's House of Refuge
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KEEPERS OF FORT LAUDERDALE’S HOUSE OF REFUGE The Men Who Served at Life Saving Station No. 4 from 1876 to 1926 By Ruth Landini In 1876, the U.S. Government extended the welcome arm of the U.S. Life-Saving Service down the long, deserted southeast coast of Florida. Five life saving stations, called Houses of Refuge, were built approximately 25 miles apart. Construction of House Number Four in Fort Lauderdale was completed on April 24, 1876, and was situated near what is today the Bonnet House Museum and Garden. Its location was on the main dune of the barrier island that is approximately four miles north of the New River Inlet. Archaeological fi nds from that time have been discovered in the area and an old wellhead still exists at this location. House of Refuge. The houses were the homes of the keepers and their Courtesy of Mrs. Robert families, who were also required to go along the beach, Powell. in both directions, in search of castaways immediately after a storm.1 Keepers were not expected, nor were they equipped, to effect actual lifesaving, but merely were required to provide food, water and a dry bed for visitors and shipwrecked sailors who were lucky enough to have gained shore. Prior to 1876, when the entire coast of Florida was windswept and infested with mosquitoes, fresh water was diffi cult to obtain. Most of the small settlements were on the mainland, and shipwrecked men had a fearful time in what was years later considered a “Tropical Paradise.” There was a desperate need for rescue facilities. The problem was brought to a head during the hurricane of 1873, when a vessel was wrecked between Biscayne Bay and the New River. The ship was a total loss and the crew 18 • Broward Legacy existed on spoiled fi sh. The story of character and be able to read and write. In 1880, 195 people were counted the hardship was told in the New Keepers traveled anywhere from between St. Lucie and Jewfi sh York newspapers and reached the four to 24 miles for provisions. Years Creek. By all accounts, keepers of attention of government offi cials, could go by without a shipwreck. the houses had a monotonous life, including Sumner I. Kimball, Wrecked property remained in their for the most part. Pierce wrote about superintendent of the Life-Saving control until it was released by a arriving at the New River Inlet late Service. Kimball immediately higher authority. one afternoon at the landing where ordered the construction of the keeper Jenkins kept his boats. “How “houses of refuge” on Florida’s Keeper No. 1 he and his family managed to content east coast. An Act of Congress Washington (Wash) Jenkins themselves in this most isolated dated June 20, 1874, called for September 11, 1876 to January 2, 1883 and out of the way place is hard to fi ve houses to be built from St. imagine,” he wrote. He visited with Augustine south to Miami.2 Jenkins and his family. Jenkins was Washington Jenkins was a 25-year- building a good sized sloop, named Albert Blaisdell of Boston was old South Carolinian who left his Rena Jenkins for one of his daughters. appointed architect of the houses farm on the New River in Fort October 18, 1875. The South Lauderdale to take the keeper’s post. A July 10, 1878, handwritten Florida stations built in 1876 were According to the 1870 census, he had directive, in the elaborate script of alike: frame construction, one– only one neighbor, Charles Pierce, the day, has been preserved in the story with loft, three main rooms who later wrote a book describing U.S. Coast Guard archives. The downstairs surrounded by an pioneer life in southeast Florida.5 Keeper of Life-Saving Station No. 4 eight-foot-wide veranda on three sides and a narrow kitchen on the north side, windows with screens and shutters but no glass, and a brick chimney in the kitchen for a cook stove. The keeper and his family lived downstairs; the loft, with a small window in each end, was equipped with approximately 20 cots for castaways or visitors. There was a boathouse for the lifeboat and a large wooden elevated tank which held water. Each station cost about $3,000.3 Describing the job of the district superintendent of Florida Life -Saving Stations, Sandy Thurlow writes that the ultimate success of the Life Saving Service depended on the keepers.4 Making a living in the wilderness was so diffi cult for early settlers that a government paycheck, albeit a small one, and a sturdy structure in which to live had great appeal. Keepers were paid $400 annually. They did not need to be professional boatmen; most were Washington “Wash” Jenkins, fi rst keeper of Fort Lauderdale’s House of Refuge, listed as farmers in early census with his fi rst wife and family. records. They had to possess good Broward County Historical Commission. Volume 31 • Number 1 • Broward Legacy • 19 was requested to insert replies to 13 Station Number Four. He divorced were to be included in the log were the “interrogatories” in duplicate, and his wife, Mary, in the mid-1880s. barometer reading and, “Is the house forward one copy to the Treasury Jenkins remained in Florida until his thoroughly clean?” The barometric Department, U.S. Life-Saving Services, death in 1906. pressure was never given in those Washington, D.C., and one copy early days because no barometer was to the Inspector of Life Saving Keeper No. 2 furnished. As to cleanliness, Bradley’s Stations at 10 Broadway, New York. Edwin Ruthven Bradley fi rst entry on May 26, 1883, was, “No Signed by Superintendent Kimball, January 2, 1883 to July 14, 1883 water in cistern.” the questionnaire covered such subjects as high-water marks, beach After taking over Station No. description, tide rise and fall, water Superintendent Spencer appointed 4, Bradley lost his 10-year-old depth and sand bar measurements.6 E. R. Bradley to replace Jenkins as daughter, Flora, to a mysterious By 1885, the questions were on a keeper of Station No. 4. In his book illness, the same malady which had printed form but the replies from the Charles Pierce, whose father was affl icted keeper Jenkins the previous keepers still handwritten. keeper at the Orange Grove station fall. Workmen engaged in repairing in Delray Beach, describes how the the station made a coffi n and she In his 1884 book, Dr. James Henshall, a Bradleys became part of the Pierce was buried under a wide-spreading physician and author from Cincinnati, family group after they moved from sea grape tree, believed to be on the wrote of his 1879 visit to the New Chicago to Lake Worth, Fla. When Bonnet House site. No marker has River Station: “Two miles below Bradley was later appointed keeper ever been found on the Bonnet House the station is the site of Old Fort in Fort Lauderdale, the family was grounds and the gravesite has never Lauderdale where there is a fl ourishing transported on the schooner Illinois been identifi ed. Flora’s brother, Guy, grove of cocoa palms. New River is a for a 53-mile voyage to New River. was so sick and swollen that he had fi ne stream. Mr. Jenkins sailed us up Every one of them became deathly to be carried to the grave. the river in his canoe; we landed and seasick in the fi erce wind and storm. walked a few miles to some hamaks Keeper Jenkins, whom Bradley was The water tank never did hold water, (hammocks or tree islands). On our replacing, was still at the house when although rain became plentiful. It is return I shot a number of ducks with they arrived. possible Bradley became disgusted Jenkins’ gun and had a shot at a bear with the situation because on July but he got away.” Henshall said the Bradley served with the Union Navy 13, 1883, he sailed with his family New River was famous for its sharks as a master’s mate during the Civil for Lake Worth, leaving the House of and immense numbers of fi sh. Jenkins War and was the fi rst keeper required Refuge in the temporary hands of A. often speared crevelle, from 10 to 30 to keep a log book. Two items that L. Daggett who manned it from July pounds, and cured and smoked them. 7 14 to October 26, 1883. Jenkins was removed from his post Bradley was living in Lake Worth in by the new superintendent of the 1885 when he took his fi rst contract Houses of Refuge, Champlin H. to carry the mail between Lake Spencer, on January 2, 1883. On the Worth and Miami for $600 a year. day he and his family moved out of He is, therefore, credited with being the house, Jenkins was very sick, the fi rst of the legendary “Barefoot swelled up and unable to walk. He Mailmen,” so named because the had to be carried out and was taken carrier went barefoot in order to for medical attention to the Biscayne walk at the water’s edge where Bay House. A month later, recovered, the sand was fi rmer. In his book he made the statement that he had on tropical Florida, Tim Robinson been poisoned by “one that wanted records another story that was told to get him out of the way.” about former keeper Ed Bradley, now a mailman: he hid casks that had Jenkins was the father of four Guy M.