Herbert Winfield, First Assistant and Second Assistant

Herbert Winfield was a Second Assistant Lighthouse Keeper from 1930 to 1939 and a First Assistant Lighthouse Keeper from February 1, 1940 until May 16, 1940 at Crisp Point. He was a Second Assisant at Manitou Island Lighthouse from June 6 to June 30, 1905. He was the 1st Assistant Keeper from 1923 to 1930 at Raspberry Island Lighthouse in the Apostle Islands of Wisconsin. Herbert was born to Louis Joilie and Hellen Winfield on May 25, 1879.

It appears from court records that he married a woman named Irene on August 28, 1905. However, by the 1910 US Census he was listed as divorced. It appears his mother Hellen remarried a man named Joseph Martin and they lived on Mackinac Island in 1910 and 1920, according to Census records.

Herbert passed away on May 25, 1940 but we are unsure where he was laid to rest. If you have any additional information, please contact the webmaster. Herbert's Offical Personnel Folder can be viewed here: https://archives.uslhs.org/sites/default/files/documents/Winfield_Herbert_J_OPF.pdf.

(l-r) Lighthouse keeper John Garrity with 1st Assistant Keeper Herbert “Toots” Winfield, and 2nd Assistant Keeper Tom Hassing, at Raspberry Island Lighthouse in the Apostle Islands of Wisconsin. The exact year that this photo was taken is not known. However, John Garrity was the Head Keeper from 1925 to 1929, Herbert “Toot’s Winfield was the 1st Assistant Keeper from 1923 to 1930 and Thomas Hassing was the 2nd Assistant Keeper from 1923 to 1929, so this photo would have been taken between 1925 and 1929. Herbert “Toots” Winfield got in some trouble in 1930 with reports filed against him for intoxication and he was given first a 30 day suspension and then a 90 day suspension. However, the suspension was then reversed and he was demoted to 2nd Assistant Keeper and on September 29, 1930 he was transferred to Crisp Point Lighthouse, where by 1939 he again worked his way back up to 1st Assistant Keeper. However, his health began to fail, and the Coast Guard approved disability retirement to take effect April 30, 1940. However, he remained on duty until noon on May 16, 1940. He passed away on May 25, 1940.

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Last Modified February 2, 2025