u/Brandygart

Located in the Old Biloxi Cemetery. Biloxi, MS.

This tombstone is interesting to me because I knew who 3 of the 4 people listed on it were from doing Biloxi Lighthouse tours as part of my job at the Biloxi Visitor's Center-- Perry, Maria and Miranda. All 3 were all keepers of the Biloxi lighthouse.. But who was Edward Joseph? This was not a name that I had remembered seeing in any of the information concerning the Biloxi lighthouse.

I would realize in my digging that I was familiar with Mr. Edward Joseph (E.J.'s) works while actually looking up information about the Great Southern Hotel (Gulfport- located just west of present-day Jones Park), which was built 1902-1903 by entrepreneur Joseph T. Jones.

Perry Younghans- Husband to Maria Younghans (m.1856)

Appointed keeper of Biloxi Lighthouse on Nov. 14, 1866.

Shortly after being appointed keeper, Perry died in 1867 at age 53.

Maria Younghans- After her husband (Perry's) death, she took over as keeper for the Biloxi Lighthouse on Dec 6, 1867. She tirelessly held her position as keeper for 51 years until she retired on Dec 31, 1918, at the age of 77.

Miranda Younghans- (b.1857) Perry and Maria's daughter. Appointed keeper of Biloxi Lighthouse keeper after her mother, Maria's retirement. She would retire at the age of 72 after 11 years of service in 1929.

In total, the Younghans family kept the Biloxi lighthouse for 63 of the 91 years keepers were needed for the lighthouse.

Edward Joseph (E.J.) Younghans- son of Perry Younghans. Worked as telegrapher for the Union Station and L&N RR. Became a well-known photographer and sold postcards of his images at his shop in downtown Gulfport called "Younghans Novelty Shop" on the corner of 27th and 13th St., across from the G&SI RR building. ( If you're familiar with old Gulfport area postcards, odds are you've seen his work. )

The photos: family tombstone, Maria Younghans, and a postcard by E.J Younghans

If you don't know who these people named on this tombstone are... don't worry.. I will tell you about them in this post.

This is in the Old Biloxi Cemetery, and if you've never looked into any of the individuals buried there, I highly recommend it. Learning about a lot of the interesting people from our local past has definitely been eye-opening and makes me appreciate our home much more.

I wonder how many people go through the cemetery and walk past these people who lived such colorful lives and have no idea who any of them are.

I spend a lot of my lunch breaks at the Old Biloxi Cemetery; walking, taking notes, taking photos, and bringing home "new" names to research.

This tombstone is interesting to me because I knew who 3 of the 4 people listed on it were from doing Biloxi Lighthouse tours as part of my job at the Biloxi Visitor's Center-- Perry, Maria and Miranda. All 3 were all keepers of the Biloxi lighthouse.. But who was Edward Joseph? This was not a name that I had remembered seeing in any of the information concerning the Biloxi lighthouse.

I would realize in my digging that I was familiar with Mr. Edward Joseph (E.J.'s) works while actually looking up information about the Great Southern Hotel (Gulfport- located just west of present-day Jones Park), which was built 1902-1903 by entrepreneur Joseph T. Jones.

Perry Younghans- Husband to Maria Younghans (m.1856)

Appointed keeper of Biloxi Lighthouse on Nov. 14, 1866.

Shortly after being appointed keeper, Perry died in 1867 at age 53.

Maria Younghans- After her husband (Perry's) death, she took over as keeper for the Biloxi Lighthouse on Dec 6, 1867. She tirelessly held her position as keeper for 51 years until she retired on Dec 31, 1918, at the age of 77.

Miranda Younghans- (b.1857) Perry and Maria's daughter. Appointed keeper of Biloxi Lighthouse keeper after her mother, Maria's retirement. She would retire at the age of 72 after 11 years of service in 1929.

In total, the Younghans family kept the Biloxi lighthouse for 63 of the 91 years keepers were needed for the lighthouse.

Edward Joseph (E.J.) Younghans- son of Perry Younghans. Worked as telegrapher for the Union Station and L&N RR. Became a well-known photographer and sold postcards of his images at his shop in downtown Gulfport called "Younghans Novelty Shop" on the corner of 27th and 13th St., across from the G&SI RR building. ( If you're familiar with old Gulfport area postcards, odds are you've seen his work. )

The photos: family tombstone, Maria Younghans, and a postcard by E.J Younghans