Barbara (Estacholy) Mabrity (1782–1867) was an American

lighthouse keeper A lighthouse keeper or lightkeeper is a person responsible for tending and caring for a lighthouse, particularly the light and lens in the days when oil lamps and clockwork mechanisms were used. Lighthouse keepers were sometimes referred to as ...

. Barbara Mabrity was born in Florida, her father Francesco (Staccioli/Stacoli) Estacholy arrived from Italy as part of the 1768 Turnbull Venture to Florida. Barbara (Estacholy)Mabrity and her husband, Michael, were assigned to be the keepers of Key West Light in 1826. Michael died of

yellow fever Yellow fever is a viral disease of typically short duration. In most cases, symptoms include fever, chills, loss of appetite, nausea, muscle pains – particularly in the back – and headaches. Symptoms typically improve within five days. ...

in 1832, at which point Barbara was formally appointed to take his place. She maintained the light through hurricanes which blew through the key in 1835, 1841, and 1842. On October 10, 1846 another heavy storm hit the island, causing several people, including Mabrity's six children, to take refuge in the lighthouse. However, the tower began to crumble, and the keeper only had time to grab one of her children and escape before it fell, killing those who remained inside. Mabrity continued to serve as keeper before being fired in 1864 for making statements against the

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

; she died three years later. The

United States Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mu ...

named a coastal buoy tender, USCGC ''Barbara Mabrity'', based in Mobile, Alabama in her honor.

References

External links

*http://www.uscg.mil/datasheet/175wlm.htm
Cutter Coat of Arms
1782 births 1867 deaths People from Key West, Florida United States Lighthouse Service personnel Women lighthouse keepers Female United States Coast Guard personnel {{USCG-bio-stub