Napoleon Beedon

Napoleon was born in Whitmore Lake, Michigan, the 2nd of eight children born to; John and Martha Ann Beedon. In 1846 his father, John Beedon, moved the family to L'Anse, Michigan, so he could work for the government as an "Indian Farmer" at the Catholic Mission near the head of Keweenaw Bay. In April of 1849 his son Napoleon was employed as the assistant blacksmith at the farm. While there Napoleon lost his arm in an accident. In 1851 Beedon's father moved his family north so he could work as a manager of the Iron City Copper Mine, located five miles from Copper Harbor. On March 23, 1855 Napoleon Beedon was appointed as Copper Harbor lighthouse keeper. He served for fourteen years until his resignation on September 9, 1869. While at Copper Harbor he married Mary Hickey, a native of Waterford, Ireland on September 29, 1859.

After he resigned as keeper at Copper Harbor Napoleon moved his family to Munising, Michigan. Apparently he enjoyed working for the Lighthouse Service, for he served at the East Channel and Grand Island Harbor lights between December 7, 1870, and May 6, 1876. On July 6, 1876, he transferred to the Big Sable (Au Sable) lighthouse located between Whitefish Point and Grand Island Harbor. While there his wife was appointed as his assistant at $420 per year, thus adding the name Beedon to the list of husband and wife teams to serve as lightkeepers on Lake Superior. Beedon and his wife resigned their positions on July 19, 1879.

In his last entry as lightkeeper he wrote:
"N. Beedon has been in the employ of the government for 28 years and has resigned twice during that time. I have been instrumental in Saving Many a person from a watery grave....I have cleared up many an acre of land for the government (having) cleared 5 different light House Stations that I found in a state of wilderness."

Napoleon Beedon moved to Ashland, Wisconsin, and resided there until his death on January 11, 1913, at the age of seventy-seven.