 William B. Shaw, a veteran of the War of 1812 and father of eleven, tended the lighthouse at its construction in 1831.Based on records from this era, Shaw and his family survived the fire that destroyed the keepers' quarters at Lazaretto in 1836.In 1841, the Hartford Times reports that Shaw was apparently written a letter by Thomas Ewing, Secretary of the Treasury, relieving him from his duties at this light.