FEBRUARY 2006.pmd - Nahant, Massachusetts USA
FEBRUARY 2006.pmd - Nahant, Massachusetts USA
FEBRUARY 2006.pmd - Nahant, Massachusetts USA
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NAHANT HARBOR REVIEW • <strong>FEBRUARY</strong> 2006 • Page 15<br />
Dexter Stetson<br />
Builder of America’s Most Famous Lighthouse<br />
Black Rock Cottage<br />
In 1878 Stetson remodeled a former steamship terminal into his own home. He retrieved the diamond-paned windows from the cottage he<br />
had built in 1840 and installed them in the new home, calling it Black Rock Cottage. Stetson is the gentleman on the porch. The woman in the<br />
carriage is probably his daughter, Helen Louise, and the three women on the porch likely include his two sisters-in-law, Amelia and Julia Hood.<br />
Dexter Stetson<br />
A well-known resident of <strong>Nahant</strong>, passed away at 40 Tudor Street, this city, on<br />
Friday, at 5:00 a.m., at the age of 84 years and 23 days. Four years ago, he suffered a<br />
paralytic shock, and ever since that time, he has been incapacitated and an invalid and<br />
death came as a relief. Mr. Stetson was born in Durham, ME, Nov. 8, 1815, his father<br />
being a descendant of the old Stetson family of Scituate. The young man inherited his<br />
father’s traits of love of nature and roaming, but finally settled down in <strong>Nahant</strong>, where<br />
he entered the building business with John O. Hammond. Many of the oldest buildings<br />
on the peninsula were built by him, among them the “old log cabin,” built for a Mr. Joy<br />
during the Harrison campaign in 1841. In 1858, when the Egg Rock Lighthouse was<br />
built, he became well-acquainted with the government engineer, by whom he was<br />
introduced to the Lighthouse Board, whose employ he entered soon after, remaining<br />
with them until about 15 years ago. Many of the best lighthouses along the coast were<br />
built under his direction, notably the one at Cape Hatteras. When the war broke out, he<br />
was in New Orleans, having charge of the building of several government buildings<br />
there. He had in his possession, a valise full of gold coin, the property of the government,<br />
and had considerable of a trip getting it back safely to New York.<br />
Mr. Stetson married the eldest daughter of Benjamin Hood, who was one of the<br />
sons of Richard Hood, one of the earliest settlers of <strong>Nahant</strong>. She died some 27 years<br />
ago. A daughter still survives. The funeral services will be held on Sunday at 2:30 p.m.<br />
(Ed. note: He is buried in the Pine Grove Cemetery in Lynn.)<br />
OBITUARY FROM LYNN DAILY EVENING ITEM DEC. 1, 1899<br />
Recently, Christa Matherson of 126 Castle Road<br />
asked what I knew about the Gingerbread-style<br />
home located at the corner of Castle and<br />
Harbor View Roads.<br />
Well, Christa, here is what I learned. Enjoy!<br />
SOURCES: Dexter Stetson of <strong>Nahant</strong>, Builder.<br />
Original copy of “Cape Hatteras, America’s Lighthouses<br />
- Guardian of the Graveyard of the Atlantic” is<br />
in the <strong>Nahant</strong> Historical Society library. All text and<br />
photos on both pages were provided by the <strong>Nahant</strong><br />
Historical Society.<br />
If you have something you would<br />
like to share on this page, please<br />
contact the author:<br />
Summer In <strong>Nahant</strong><br />
c/o Bumper Gooding<br />
PO Box 5, <strong>Nahant</strong>, MA 01908<br />
Or email: sumnerkimball@aol.com