A guide to the Aston family photographs of the Farallon Islands, 1949-1969

Processed by: L. Bianchi, August 2014.
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
Building E, Fort Mason
San Francisco, CA 94123
Phone: 415-561-7030
Fax: 415-556-3540
SAFR_Historic_Documents@nps.gov
URL: http://www.nps.gov/safr
2014

A Guide to the Aston family photographs of the Farallon Islands

P94-022

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, National Park Service
2014, National Park Service

Title: Aston family photographs of the Farallon Islands
Date: 1949-1969
Identifier/Call Number: P94-022 (SAFR 24248)
Creator: Aston family
Physical Description: 12 items.
Repository: San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Historic Documents Department
Building E, Fort Mason
San Francisco, CA 94123
Abstract: The Aston family photographs of the Farallon Islands, 1949-1969, (SAFR 24248, P94-022) is comprised of photographs of Bob and Adella Aston's trip to the Farallon Islands. The collection has been processed to the Collection level and is open for use.
Physical Location: San Francisco Maritime NHP, Historic Documents Department
Language(s): In English.

Access

This collection is open for use unless otherwise noted.

Publication and Use Rights

Some material may be copyrighted or restricted. It is the researcher's obligation to determine and satisfy copyright or other case restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the collections.

Processing Note

The descriptions in this collection guide were compiled using the best available sources of information. Such sources include the creator's annotations or descriptions, collection accession files, primary and secondary source material and subject matter experts. While every effort was made to provide accurate information, in the event that you find any errors in this guide please contact the reference staff in order for us to evaulate and make corrections to this guide.
Please cite the title and collection number in any correspondence with our staff.

Preferred Citation

[Item description], [Location within collection organization identified by Collection Number/Series Number/File Unit Number/Item Number], P94-022 (SAFR 24248), Aston family photographs of the Farallon Islands, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

Acquisition Information

SAFR-00788
The collection was donated to San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park in 1994. According to correspondence in the collection file, the donor's daughter is the great-grand-niece of Bob and Adella Aston.

Historical or Biographical Note

Euclid "Bob" Henry Aston (1897-1970) was a California coast lighthouse keeper.
Bob Aston was born on March 20, 1897, in San Francisco, California. In 1922, after serving in the United States Navy during World War I, he joined the United States Lighthouse Service. He served at various lighthouses on the California coast, including two years at the Farallon Islands lighthouse. When Mr. Aston retired in 1937, he was the keeper of the Cape Mendocino lighthouse.
Mr. Aston was married to Adella Aston (1909-1989). He died on July 29, 1970.

Sources:

  • California, San Francisco Area Funeral Home Records, 1895-1985 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Accessed August 22, 2014.
  • "Euclid Henry Aston." http://www.findagrave.com. Accessed August 22, 2014.
  • "Lighthouse Veteran Aston Dies." A photocopy of this article from an unidentified San Francisco newspaper is located in the collection file.

Collection Scope and Content

The Aston family photographs of the Farallon Islands, 1949-1969, (SAFR 24248, P94-022) is comprised of photographs of Bob and Adella Aston's trip to the Farallon Islands. The collection has been processed to the Collection level and is open for use.
Contains photographs of Bob and Adella Aston's arrival at Southeast Farallon Island and photographs taken while on the island, 1949-1969. There are 12 black-and-white photographic prints. The photographs show the Aston's on board WILLOW (built 1942; tender; U.S. Coast Guard) and the island crane carrying them ashore. Landscape views of the island show landmarks such as the lighthouse, keepers' quarters, and water cisterns.

Item list:

  • Item 01: U.S. Coast Guard member assisting Adella with her life jacket as Bob looks on while aboard WILLOW. (1) black-and-white photographic print, 8.5 x 10.25 in.
  • Item 02: Bob, Adella, and three unidentified men, possibly aboard WIL 2, the small boat assigned to WILLOW. (1) black-and-white photographic print, 8.5 x 10.25 in.
  • Item 03: Crane hoisting Bob and Adella ashore in a transfer net. WILLOW is in the background, bow view. (1) black-and-white photographic print, 7.75 x 10.25 in.
  • Item 04: Crane hoisting people ashore in a transfer net. WILLOW and WIL 2 are in view.
  • Item 05: Bob standing at the base of the lighthouse. (1) black-and-white photographic print, 8.75 x 10.5 in.
  • Item 06: General view of Southeast Farallon Island, showing the lighthouse on Tower Hill in the distance and the keepers' quarters at the base of the hill. (1) black-and-white photographic print, 8 x 10 in.
  • Item 07: Keepers' quarters at the base of Tower Hill, with the lighthouse visible at the top of the hill. (1) black-and-white photographic print, 8 x 10 in.
  • Item 08: View from Tower Hill, with the landing site crane on the left. WILLOW is just offshore. (1) black-and-white photographic print, 8.5 x 11 in.
  • Item 09: View from Tower Hill, with the keepers' quarters and cistern domes in view. (1) black-and-white photographic print, 8.5 x 10 in.
  • Item 10: Bob and Adella seated on the rocks on Southeast Farallon Island. (1) black-and-white photographic print, 8.5 x 10 in.
  • Item 11: Bob and Adella walking on Southeast Farallon Island. Additional people are in the background. (1) black-and-white photographic print, 8.5 x 9.75 in.
  • Item 12: Bob and Adella standing on the deck of WILLOW with Tower Hill and the lighthouse in the background. (1) black-and-white photographic print, 8.75 x 10 in.

Collection Arrangement

No arrangement due to the small size of the collection.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Lighthouses
Farallon Islands (Calif.)
Black-and-white prints (photographs)
Gelatin silver prints