Preserving Faces of the Past: Herbert Bamber, the Dosher Family, and Old Baldy Lighthouse

One of the most meaningful parts of preserving history is uncovering the personal stories that connect generations to places like Old Baldy Lighthouse and Bald Head Island. Through photographs, family memories, and conversations with descendants of lighthouse keepers and island residents, we gain a richer understanding of the people who shaped this unique coastal community. As the Old Baldy Foundation continues its mission to preserve and share the history of Bald Head Island, these connections help bring the past to life in powerful and deeply human ways.

One particularly fascinating figure in that history is Herbert Bamber, a late 19th-century photographer believed to have taken the first known photograph of Old Baldy Lighthouse. Traveling across the country documenting America’s lighthouses and coastal communities, Bamber captured not only the structure of Old Baldy itself, but also rare images of the families who lived and worked on Bald Head Island during that era. Today, those photographs serve as invaluable historical records, helping us better understand daily life on the island more than a century ago and preserving moments that otherwise may have been lost to time.

Recently, I had the pleasure of speaking with Katherine Hufham about her family’s deep ties to Bald Head Island and the enduring legacy of Old Baldy. Ms. Hufham is the great-great-granddaughter of James Henry “Sonny” Dosher, who served as keeper of Old Baldy from 1843 to 1913. Conversations like these are an important part of our mission to preserve and share the stories of the people who shaped the history of Bald Head Island and the surrounding Cape Fear region.

This discussion took place as we prepared for our upcoming Historic Happy Hour focused on Herbert Bamber. During his visit to Bald Head Island, Bamber photographed not only Old Baldy itself, but also many of the people who lived and worked on the island. Among those captured in his photographs were two of Ms. Hufham’s great-great-aunts, Lillian James Dosher and Catherine Collette “Katie” Dosher. Known affectionately to Ms. Hufham as Aunt Lil and Aunt Tee, the sisters later became some of her favorite childhood babysitters alongside their younger sister, Esther “Ettie” Dosher. Through Ms. Hufham’s memories, these historic photographs become more than archival images; they become personal connections to real lives lived on Bald Head Island more than a century ago.

Lillian Dosher was born on April 11, 1885, the seventh child of Rebecca and Sonny Dosher. Katie followed on October 2, 1887, and Esther was born in 1893 to a 45 year old Rebecca. The Dosher children spent summers on Bald Head Island while the family also maintained a home in Southport at 205 W. Moore Street. During Bamber’s visit, Lillian was eight years old and Katie was five.

Ms. Hufham also shared the more personal side of her family history. She remembered Aunt Lil and Aunt Tee as “the perfect little women” — gentle, thoughtful sisters who loved chocolate, taught her to play Chinese checkers, and helped her sew clothes for dolls. She fondly recalled that both women maintained full heads of dark hair well into old age, something the family jokingly attributed to the fact that neither sister ever married. 

Tragedy also touched the family’s story. As a young woman, Lillian developed a severe fever that was later diagnosed as encephalitis. She spent many years receiving treatment at Dorothea Dix Hospital before later being transferred to a facility in Butner. Eventually, she was able to return home to Southport in the 1940s, where she lived with Katie, Esther, and Esther’s husband John at 414 W. West Street. Despite the hardships she endured, Ms. Hufham’s memories of Aunt Lil remained filled with warmth, kindness, and creativity.

Lillian and Katie spent the remainder of their lives in Southport, remaining closely connected to one another and to their family’s long history tied to Bald Head Island. Katie passed away in 1976, followed by Lillian in 1981. Stories like theirs help transform historical records into deeply personal narratives that allow us to better understand the lives, struggles, and joys of the families who once called the island home.

The Old Baldy Foundation is grateful for opportunities to connect with descendants like Ms. Hufham, whose recollections enrich our understanding of island life and strengthen our ability to interpret Bald Head Island’s history for future generations. While she will be unable to attend our May Historic Happy Hour due to travel plans, we hope to welcome her as an honored guest later this summer as we continue celebrating and preserving these invaluable community connections. I am personally excited to continue learning more about the Dosher family from Ms. Hufham and uncovering even more stories that connect present-day visitors to the rich history of Bald Head Island.

We invite you to join us for Historic Happy Hour: A Snapshot of Herbert Bamber: The First Known Photographer of the Outer Banks Lighthouses on Tuesday, May 19, 2026 from 4:30–5:30 PM at Old Baldy Lighthouse. Led by renowned lighthouse historian Aida Havel of Havel Research Associates, this special evening will explore Bamber’s remarkable work documenting lighthouses and coastal life in the late 19th century. Bring your beach chairs, enjoy unlimited beer and wine, and experience an engaging evening of history and storytelling on the lighthouse grounds. We hope you’ll join us as we continue preserving and sharing the stories that make Bald Head Island so special.

Book your tickets here.