14th Willapa Bay Lighthouse Keeper / 1894-1913
Personal Life
Rasmus Petersen was born March 6, 1853 in Morsholt, Odder, Hads, Aarhus, Denmark to Peter & Marie (Rasmusdatter) Jensen.
At an early age Rasmus went to sea but by 1874 he immigrated to the US. Having experience as a sailor landed him a job on the USLHS Tender MANZANITA for a while before taking his first assignment to “Tilly” (Tillamook Rock Lighthouse)
Earlier Keeper Duties
Rasmus had been a keeper at Tillamook Rock Lighthouse for many years. He was 4th assistant in 1887, becoming 2nd assistant in 1888 and 1st assistant in 1889 and eventually was the head keeper for Tillamook Rock Lighthouse starting in January 1892.
Newly Married
After finally making Captain (Principle Keeper) Rasmus applied for a mail-order bride and started his coospndance with Charlotte Mair by mail. Charlotte lived in Morrisburg, Ontario, Canada, over 2,900 miles from Astoria. Once they agreed to meet Rasmus took 6 weeks of leave and traveled to Morrisburg and after a quick period of courting, they were married in her parents house on 16 July 1892.
Newly married, Rasmus transferred to Umpqua lighthouse in 1893-1894 just as the new keeper’s homes were completed and the new lens was to be installed in the tower. Unfortunately the work on the new tower was shoddy and the lens base was short by 15 inches. Approval for the additional funds delayed the work and it was not corrected until 1894 and by then Rasmus had transferred back to Tillamook Rock until his assignment to Willapa Bay Lighthouse in 1894. Although Charlotte did live with him at Tillamook Rock for at least one month.
Rasmus took over operations at Willapa Bay Lighthouse with his assistant keeper Andrew Gjertsen in 1894. By 1900 Shoalwater Bay Lighthouse received their first telephone line. About that same time the place was renamed Willapa Bay Lighthouse even though the bay itself was renamed Willapa Bay from Shoalwater Bay in 1892.
Rasmus was also a member of the US Life Saving Service
Rasmus also appears in photos of members of the U.S Lifesaving Station at North Cove under Capt. John Brown (along with his assistant Lighthouse keeper Anders Gjertsen).
Property Investments
Rasmus had purchased 160 acres of marsh land, 80 acres of cleared timberland, and a house in Tokeland that he rented for $40.00 per year, and he owned a house in North Cove. He also owned property in Jovita, WA., (near Lakeland South) and a tract of land in Multnomah County, OR.
Charlotte Beatrice (Mair) Petersen
Rasmus died October 10, 1913 and is buried in the North Cove Cemetery. Charlotte died October 22, 1929 and is buried in North Cove Cemetery. Rasmus and Charlotte had one son, Alexander Victor Petersen born in 1903.