The History of Crisp Point

James Burton Hunter, Life Saving Station Keeper

James Burton Hunter, was the Life Saving Station Keeper at Crisp Point from November 17, 1897 until his resignation on June 8, 1904. He was the father-in-law of Crisp Point Lighthouse First Assistant Keeper Philip F. Eby. Philip married Keeper Hunter's daughter, Mary B. Hunter. We also found a US Treasury Department document from July 1, 1897 that showed he served as a Surfman at Middle Island, Michigan at the Life Saving Station located there.

James was born April 7, 1856 in Blackburn, England. He married Annie Laurie Vroman and he had one son named John that was born in 1888 but passed away June 23, 1889. James passed away on January 28, 1933 in Au Sable, Michigan. James, Annie, and John were buried in their family's plot at Pinecrest Cemetery in Oscoda, Michigan.

CPLHS performed a marker ceremony for Captain Hunter on July 14, 2019 at the Pinecrest Cemetery in Oscoda. A video of the ceremony can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdV7cOgKPUg.



 

Captain James B. Hunter (Photo Above)


 

James B. Hunter at Age 26 and Annie Laurie Hunter at Age 22 in 1882 (Photos Above)


 

Captain James B. Hunter (Photo Above)


 

Life Saving Station Crew at Crisp Point 1897 (Photo Above)


 

Life Saving Station Crew at Crisp Point (Photo Above)



Some of this information was obtained at the following link: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/122814878/james-b-hunter. We would also like to thank Linda Kraus and Aprill McBeth for sharing photos and information about their family members that was used for this page.

 



 

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Last Modified August 1, 2022