 Oke's grandchildren and great-great grandchildren maintained the light at Fort Amherst for nearly a century.Although the intent of the fort was military defense of the harbor, maintaining the light was critical for safe navigation along the coast and into the major international port at St. John's.In one year alone, the port harbored 89 ships from Spain, Holland, Germany, Portugal and the United States and was the home port for 600 Newfoundland vessels employed in foreign trade.