EBarnacle, could you ask the writer if he/she might like to post the lyrics?

I found a page on the Lighthouses of Staten Island. It says that Kate's husband John was appointed keeper of the Robbins Reef light in 1883. John's last words before he died of pneumonia in 1883 were, "Mind the light, Kate" - which she did until she retired in 1919.

I've spent a number of days exploring these and other lighthouses of New York Harbor. There's a lot of 'em. My favorite is the double lighthouse at Navesink, at the entrance to the harbor. I could see eight lighthouses from the top of Navesink Light.

-Joe-