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On This Date in 1806: Remembering Henry Long and the Hidden Hands Behind the Bald Head Light
- The Old Baldy Foundation
- 16 hours ago
- 5 min read
As caretakers of Bald Head Island’s rich maritime history, the Old Baldy Foundation honors the life and legacy of Henry Long each October 16—the anniversary of his untimely death in 1806. Long holds the distinction of being North Carolina’s first lighthouse keeper, stationed at the original 1794 lighthouse on Bald Head Island. Though records of his life are scant, what remains paints a picture of a dedicated public servant, a family man, and a pioneer in American coastal history.
Yet, anniversaries like these also present opportunities to reflect more deeply—not just on what is remembered, but on what has been historically overlooked. The tragic circumstances of Long’s death
and the continuation of lighthouse operations after his passing illuminate the often-invisible labor that sustained life and safety along our coasts. Behind every appointed keeper were others whose hands helped keep the light burning—women, indentured servants, and enslaved individuals, whose essential efforts were largely uncredited. It is our pleasure to vivify those lives alongside remembering our first keeper, Henry Long.
Born Henrich Caspar Lange in what is now modern-day western Germany, Long emigrated to Maine in 1753 before eventually settling in Brunswick County, North Carolina, in the 1770s. He was likely part of a group of Moravians who sought to establish a settlement near present-day Winston-Salem. Long found work as a Cape Fear river pilot—an essential and respected role in our hazardous waters.
It was during this period that he met and married Rebecca Long. The couple would go on to have five children, beginning with their daughter Rebecca in 1775. While concrete evidence of Long’s service in the American Revolution is limited, historians believe he likely served in a militia capacity. His friendship with William Hooper, a North Carolina signer of the Declaration of Independence, and his inclusion—alongside Rebecca—as a “distinguished mourner” at memorial services for George Washington in 1800, both suggest involvement in the Revolutionary cause. Long’s post war appointment to a respected role, lighthouse keeper, the war, solidifies that claim.
Long was appointed by President George Washington as the first keeper of the original 1794 lighthouse. Consequently, the Long family relocated to Bald Head Island, becoming its only year-round residents. On December 23, 1794, Henry Long lit the Bald Head lighthouse for the first time—ushering in a new chapter in both his life and the region’s maritime safety.
Keeping a lighthouse required constant attention, was physically demanding, and often isolating. Within a year of his appointment, Long successfully requested a raise in pay to reflect the challenges of the position. But official documents tell only part of the story. Similar to many keepers of the early republic, Henry Long likely depended on the labor of others to fulfill the demanding duties of lighthouse maintenance and domestic survival on a remote island.
In 1803, Rebecca Long placed a runaway advertisement seeking the return of an absconded indentured servant, Elizabeth Clary, who may have stolen one hundred dollars in cash from the household. The advertisement continues to claim that Clary may have received assistance from a girl of African descent who was possibly enslaved. This brief record offers an illuminative glimpse into the complex system of labor that underpinned the lighthouse’s operation. During this era, indentured servitude was widely practiced in Brunswick County and often was intertwined with chattel slavery. On Bald Head Island, where no additional personnel were formally assigned, both forced and underpaid individuals contributed to the daily labor of keeping the light operational—without official recognition.
In early American history, indentured servitude consisted of people who sought transatlantic passage, food, or shelter in exchange for working for a set number of years. These people were often marginalized groups, such as women or children, and/or impoverished. Thus, while some portray indentured servitude as voluntary, many people were forced into it due to having no other options. Indentured servitude was legally distinct from chattel slavery (which hinges on the belief that a person can be owned), yet, in practice, it could sometimes involve similarly grueling labor, restricted freedoms, and limited recourse for mistreatment.
In 1804, personal tragedy struck when the Longs’ daughter, Elizabeth Long Swain, died unexpectedly. Her husband, Joseph Swain, brought their children to live on Bald Head Island, likely seeking help from Henry and Rebecca in caring for the young family. Swain’s presence on the island would soon become the central figure in the family’s next heartbreak.
On the afternoon of Thursday, October 16, 1806, Henry Long ventured into the island’s wooded interior. According to the Wilmington Gazette, Joseph Swain was hunting nearby when he heard a noise in the brush and:
"levelled his piece in the direction from whence the noise proceeded, and fired! but instead of a deer or wild hog it was his father-in-law, his benefactor, the worthy Mr. Long, who received the whole charge in his bowels, and almost instantly expired."
Henry Long died instantly—his life ended by a tragic mistake made by the very man he had welcomed into his home.
Though Long's death marked the end of his chapter at Bald Head Light, it also revealed a deeper story of who else helped keep the lighthouse running. In the immediate aftermath, Rebecca Long unofficially took over her husband’s duties as lighthouse keeper. Her ability to assume the position without hesitation suggests she was already familiar, if not proficient, at keeping the light. This is not atypical, as women before Long, such as Hannah Thomas from the twin Gurnet Point lighthouses, unofficially kept lights when the principal keeper was unavailable. From hauling whale oil and trimming wicks to maintaining the tower, as well as often supporting children, her labor—like that of many women in lighthouse families—was vital, though until recently often unacknowledged in the historical record.
Rebecca’s story speaks to the many invisible contributors behind early American lighthouse keeping. The system relied not only on the names etched in federal appointment letters, but on the day-to-day efforts of spouses, children, and household laborers—many of whom, like Elizabeth Clary, were bound by indenture or by slavery. These individuals formed the backbone of operations that ensured maritime safety, often under grueling conditions and with no credit for their efforts.
Though gone, Henry Long’s story continues to resonate—not just for his role as North Carolina’s first lighthouse keeper, but for the window his life offers into the complexities of early American history. As we mark the 219th anniversary of his death, we honor the legacy of a pioneering public servant and use this moment to more fully recognize the many hands that supported the light on Bald Head Island.
At the Old Baldy Foundation, we believe that interpreting history includes honoring acts of service, resilience, and innovation, while recognizing the injustices and inequalities that shaped America. Today, we remember Henry Long not only for his tragic death and groundbreaking service, but also as a symbol of a larger, often unseen story: one of quiet labor, perseverance, and the human effort required to keep the light burning.
Givens, McCallie. https://www.oldbaldy.org/post/celebrating-women-s-history-month-by-exploring-the-legacy-of-rebecca-long
Wilmington Gazette, Oct 21, 1805. Accessed Online.