Were learning more about the literary scene and about either lewis ida lewis. Famouslewi was the mosts lewis was the most famous womens lighthouse keeper in united states. She was this little woman, barely five feet, two inches, weighed about 115 pounds and fearless. Revenue cutter, but he had declining health and he was in the lighthouse at lime rock. He also said we should build a house here for his family. Ida was 12 years old when that happened. The whole family moved from downtown lime rock, and that is to live andrned where she died, in the lighthouse, like her father. She was 12 years old, 1854, when she took over the duties of lighthouse. Her father moved in, he was stricken with a stroke, and ida took over the duties. For for women, and lives and daughters to take over the fathers duties and they never really got credit for it or the money. Said that was not unusual. Ida was really built for this work. Staying on a rock. She was meant for this. It is not as romantic as people think. It is rugged. You have to provide your own heat, paddle into your own food, and dollop the resources you have to bring and all resources you have to to bring in. To pick up resources, and her father used to look away because he would think, they are not going to make it. She is the most progress growing to pick up resources, roess in newport, and she was an incredible swimmer and people do not swim active. She had her first rescue. They heard screams for help, and there were four young boys her same age who were out in little there, and they were getting kind of crazy and wild and the boat capsized. And know whenhere you about this. They all banked her and went on their way thanked her and went on their way and there was nothing to document. That was her first time. She did many throughout her career but the one that put her on the map was when she rescued a soldier from fort adams who had been having a good time, and they hired a 14yearold boy to grow them back to fort adams rather than walk however many , it was a stormy nights, and the boat capsized quickly. Ida notice it or her mother did, and she was a little kid and paddled out to save these two me unfortunatelyan. The two men. Unfortunately, the little boy drowned. These men were twice her size and her father pulled somebody in over the stern and that is what she did. She unbelievably was strong and and her father pulled somebody in over the that became her most famous rescue because after being documented from fort adams, one was a. They spent the night there. They were all most dead themselves. The next morning, thedocumentedt admitted to idas mother, that when he saw her, he thought we are doomed. It is only a woman, she is never going to get us. And then he said, i watched her and watch took get closer, and i thought, we are going to be all right. And she became famous literally overnight. Is after this famous rescue the soldiers, new york a variety of, and other magazines interviewed her, and they did illustrations, and while they were calling her the bravest woman in america, they were also saying things like, is it really a feminine thing to do for a girl . Rescue people or row devotes . Stick a boat . One of the writers surmised that he would hope that she would soon be safely married. Wasr that rescue documented, newport itzhak started to recognize the heroine who was this newport recognized the heroine who is this woman, so they recognized a day for ida lewis day. There was a parade, there were banners, they were postcards, and they surprised her with this boat to rescue. Thischipped in and made spectacular boat for her and they said they got she deserved the most. There was lots of pomp and circumstance is. This pomp and circumstance. And sheked them all, rode back to the lighthouse. She never used it because it was impractical. Heavy. Too in had old word here and there, and she had to get this off of the rocks and she was going to be by herself. She never used it, but she always appreciated heavy. In had old what the townspeople had done for her. Thatas so famous after that visitors started to come in droves. I mean droves. Her father, who was an invalid, and she would keep working while she answered questions and talked about the rescue. And famous people came to visit her. And they spent the day with her and they were so enthusiastic that hoping and they were really excited. Once they left, she wanted to get back to work. Also famous, civil war heroes become to visit. General sherman came to visit her, and probably the highest visit was from a general in the civil war. He had said he was leaving newport after he got to shake the hand of ida lewis. Proposals ofeds of famous, when she became that she was engaged at age 27 and that rescue she was already engaged to another captain. She did leave famous, that she was engaged at the ligd and in with him and was like she was expected to do, to be a fulltime wife. That marriage lasted some years, and when her father died, she went back to lime rock and took overheard took over his duties. Wentny of them undocumented but it was between 35 and 45. As she got older, she continued to rescue people. She was in her early 60s when she rescued two friends who came over to see her and they toppled over and she pulled them in. Ida always said, when it no longer needs me, she would be ready to go. That is what would happen. Started touse bureau automate things, electricity was ushered in, and she no longer had to do what she had to do in the past. They were starting to really change all of the lighthouse is. With lighthouses. With that came bureaucracy and red tape. She would get letters from washington, d. C. , kind of scolding her for not filling out the proper paperwork, inventory, and she was not used to it and it worried her that her job might actually be a mistake. One clerk chewed her out not knowing she was the famous ida lewis, the most famous housekeeper of the lighthouse in the country, probably in the world, and a tutor at for not doing the job properly. She took this to heart and worried about it and talked about it with her brother. Not long after that, she had a massive stroke herself in the lighthouse. She had gone to get wood outside, brought it in, and her brother found to that morning unconscious on the floor. He aroused trip and she said, go get the doctor. He did not want to leave her, but he did, and when he came back, she was unconscious. She lived a few more days. They brought her to her bedroom, and she died there. It made national news. That herlas health was failing, and that she to live. Oing when she died, they wrote her to her to shore, and they had been unbelievable funeral there were flags that were flown at half staff, the led, andld bells tol people going that would also bring their bells ring their bells, and they were doing something for a Public Servant like ida lewis. But she was ida lewis of newport, and she was the famous white house and she was the most famous lighthouse keeper in the united states. And she really deserve to rightful place in history and it is an inspiration still to girls and your women today. And young women today. Are cities tour staff recently traveled to newport, rhode island, to learn about its riches. To learn more about other www. Cspan. Org stops on our tour, go to cit go to www. Cspan. Org citiestour. , on the presidency, the Lincoln Group of the district of columbia with authors discussing various aspects of abraham lincolns life and career. This is one hour and 15 minutes. Welcome to the december meeting of the Lincoln Group of the district of columbia. The Lincoln Group was formed in the 1930s to honor the memory, legacy, principles of abraham lincoln, and for over 80 years, we have had programs like this with outside speakers, and our own members, and today, we are very pleased to have three of the members of the Lincoln Group of d. C. Who have authored books related to the life and times of abraham lincoln. Each of our speakers will talk for about 15 minutes, and then the three will g