Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Reimbursement Act for Hurricane of 1938

My friend Seamond Ponsart Roberts of Louisiana, daughter of longtime Massachusetts lighthouse keeper Octave Ponsart, just sent me the fascinating document below. The hurricane of September 21, 1938, was the most devastating storm in recorded New England history; more than 700 people died in the region, including seven at lighthouses. Many lighthouse keepers requested reimbursement for their losses of personal belongings. To the best of my knowledge (and Seamond's recollection), none of them actually received reimbursement.

If anyone has more information on this sad footnote to history, I'd love to hear from you.