The Museum welcomed four descendants of Hezekiah Pittee, the superintendent over the construction of the St. Augustine Lighthouse tower between 1871 and 1874. The descendants made the trip from Tampa for a family member’s funeral here and reached out to the Museum. The descendants (pictured to the left) sat down with Jason Titcomb, Chief Curator; Lee Capitano, Retail and Finance Director; and Rick Cain, Museum Operations Director to discuss the family’s history at the St. Augustine Lighthouse.

During Pittee’s time here as Superintendent, he lost two daughters in an accidental drowning when the girls became trapped under a supply cart. The only survivor, Pittee’s daughter Carrie, went on to have a family of her own including a daughter, Izah.

The family donated three images of Carrie including one of her after the tragedy in St. Augustine, one as a young woman and then one with her daughter. (pictured below)

The family members also shared a number of facts about Hezekiah Pittee, who was their great, great grandfather.  The meeting helped to reestablished ties with the family and the Museum and fill in some facts about the family and its history.

Learn more about the Pittee family and their historic ties to the Lighthouse on one of our ghost tours.

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