John Clark Belden was born 7 April 1873, in Sodus Point, Oswego Co., New York. He was a son of Jacob Gurnee Belden, born 11 July 1823 in Haverstraw, New York, and Ella Clark, born 22 December 1844 at Sodus Point, married 29 December 1869. Jacob died on 24 April 1888, and at just 15 John left school and took a job to support his mother. He worked for the "car shops" of the Northern Central Railroad and also as a crewman aboard Great Lakes sailing Merchantmen, where he learned to love sailing ships; thereafter, he always hated power boats—cussing the air blue when he had problems with "Sammy," the Rock Island Light Station tender.
        On 22 November 1899 at Sodus Center, he married Louisa May Harris, a school teacher, born 1 April 1879, in Sodus Center, New York. They were married in a double wedding with John's first cousin Reuben Comstock, who married Mina LaRock, and they all traveled to Washington, D.C. for their honeymoons.
        John was known, by Vernon R. Bush as "Grandpa Jack," by William M. Belden as "Cap'n Jack," and hailed by Annie (his second wife) as "Jackieeeeeeeee!"—and so is called "Jack" here.

        May and Jack first lived in Sodus Point, where he continued working in the car shops of the Northern Central Railroad. There, on 22 July 1902, their first child was born: Ruth May Belden.
        On 3 April 1906, Jack joined the United States Lighthouse Service, which was then a subordinate division of the Department of Commerce. His first assignment was as Assistant Lighthouse Keeper at Tibbet's Point Light, east of Cape Vincent, Jefferson County, New York. On 31 March 1907, daughter Hazel Evelyn Belden, was born at the station.
 

The Belden family, late 1907, from left to right, Ella (Clark) Belden holding Hazel, Ruth, May, and Jack.

        On 8 April 1908, Jack was transferred to serve as Keeper of Sunken Rock Lighthouse, in the St. Lawrence River, near Alexandria Bay, New York. The light was on a tiny island,with no room for a dwelling, so the family lived in the village. There, on 27 November 1909, was born son Harris J. Belden.

        Finally, on 7 June 1912, Jack was transferred to Rock Island Light Station, where he served the longest tenure of any other keeper in the station's history, remaining there until his retirement in 1940. A scrupulously honest person, Jack provided for his family, albeit with difficulty, exclusively from his U.S. Lighthouse Service stipend.
 

Jack at Rock Island near the former site of the tower.

        During summers, Rock Island was the focus of a nearly continuous series of visits by Jack's relatives and many friends, and could almost have been considered a private resort supported by the government. Rock Island's floating assets consisted of a power launch (affectionately called "Sammy," for Uncle Sam) and a skiff. Harris Belden was often commandeered as the "fishing guide," but Sammy was designated "for official use, only"—which Jack, took very seriously. As a result, fishing "expeditions" were taken only via the skiff; however, he allowed family to fish from Old Sammy when they accompanied him on maintenance trips to the various lights, since fishing for pleasure was only ancillary to the primary "mission."
        Jack loved band music and was an excellent cornet player. He often played on the front porch during summer evenings—entertaining folks for miles around, as his music carried over the waters. Grandson Bill Belden's strongest memories of Rock Island are of Jack playing cornet, along with later wife "Miss Annie" playing pump organ together for hours. It was common practice for folks in Thousand Island Park, across from the light, to sit on their porches and await the couple's "concerts."
 

Jack in front of the keeper's dwelling with family, holding his famous cornet.

        Normally, the Belden family moved to Clayton for the winter months—the family preceded Jack, who had to maintain the light until shipping ceased, at the commencement of the academic year, but they spent weekends on the Island; however, during World War I, Jack was ordered to remain at the Island year 'round. Rock Island provided winter storage (ordinarily from mid-December to mid-March) for all buoys used in the river between Ogdensburg and Cape Vincent, and Jack supplied the labor for their winter "overhaul." During one of those winters, the family lived at Thousand Island Park, on Wellsley Island, where the children went to school. Jack was able to cross over on the ice, for visits. Harris "Bud" Belden started school near the age of seven; he was put into the second grade because his mother had been teaching him at home.
        Jack suffered a series of personal losses during his tenure at Rock Island: On 16 February 1920, his first child, Ruth May Belden, died at the station; then, after nearly 30 years of marriage, on 8 June 1928, Mrs. May Belden passed away; Jack's mother, Ella Clark, who had been essentially dependent upon him since her husband died, and had always lived with the family wherever they were stationed, also died at the station in the winter of the same year, surviving Jack's wife only by about six months.
        On 9 October 1930, Jack married in Syracuse, Onondaga County, New York, to Annie May Chapman, born 22 April 1873 in Butler, Alabama.
        Rock Island had no electricity until about 1939, after the Lighthouse Service was absorbed by the U.S. Coast Guard. Prior to that time, all household lighting, and that for the beacon, was provided by kerosene. Government buoy tenders (for years, the Sundew and Crocus, and later, the Maple) brought the kerosene as well as coal for home heating.
 

The Belden Family at Rock Island, with the smokehouse at left and Isle of Pines in the background.

        Jack retired from service with the U.S. Coast Guard on 1 October 1940; at the time, he had cancer. He and Annie moved to St. Andrews, Florida. He died 22 June 1942 in a hospital in Dothan, Alabama, and was subsequently buried in Sodus Point, New York. He was a member of the Clayton, New York, Methodist Church; Clayton Lodge No. 296, F. & A.M.; Knight's Templar Commandery No. 11, Watertown, New York; and Scribe, R.A.M., Clayton Chapter No. 301.
        Annie Chapman Belden died around 1957 in Montgomery, Alabama, and was buried in Butler, Alabama.

        Of his children, daughter Hazel Evelyn Belden graduated 19 June 1929 from Cortland Normal School, Cortland, New York. She entered the occupation of school teacher, and taught at Nyack Junior High School, until her marriage to Joseph A. Bush on 18 August 1931. The couple lived for some time in Rochester, Monroe Co., New York, then removed to the environs of Spencerport (12 mi west) where they lived and worked until retirement. After retiring in 1975, they removed to Norfolk, Virginia, to be near their son, Capt. Vernon R. Bush, U.S. Navy (Ret.).
        Son Harris J. Belden remained in Watertown, New York, following the occupation of accountant. He married Orma Alberta Merrill. He died 3 July 1990 in Watertown, where he was buried on July 14th.

[Vernon R. Bush and Orma Merrill Belden contributed these details about Jack Belden's life.]