I have a question for anybody who can answer...While researching my gr. grandpa born in Edisto Island, and lived in Charleston ,South Carolina from 1850-? this document I have said his occupation was a 12" keeper right away I thought it had something to do with the fishing industry is it possible that they actually had a position where someone was in charge of making sure the fish were at least 12"long in order to keep them? Well I can't believe I had to sign up for this sight just so I can ask somebody this question. I'll keep it and maybe use it now and then because I'm not a very skilled fisherperson..thanks

In most bass fishing tournaments, the smallest (shortest) bass you can bring to the weigh in has to be 12"... so a bass 12" or longer is a "keeper".

I didn't know they had bass tournaments in those days.

I'm not sure I can make much sense of the phrase *his occupation was a 12" keeper* though.

EDIT: Usually there are length limits on the size of bass you can keep to eat as well.

Well I can't believe I had to sign up for this sight just so I can ask somebody this question.

Well, I can't believe you would insult our members by making such an asinine statement. This thread is now locked. Next time, try to be a little more polite when you ask a question.

Well keeper was a term known as a maintainer, like store or inn, I don't believe it has to do about fishing that far back in time.

Any other info you can add?

I assure you it had nothing to do with fishing. The concept of limits wasn't introduced until after WWII.

There were lighthouse "keepers" back then, and often shifts began/ended at midnight. So perhaps it meant he was a lighthouse keeper with the midnight shift? Just a guess.

Lighthouse keeper was the only thing I could think of...him being from a port town on the ocean added even more credence to those thoughts.

This site has Lighthouse Keepers and is mentioned that lighthouses have 12inch reflectors

see:

http://books.google.com/books?id=HxotAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA177&lpg=PA177&dq=lighthouse+keeper+12inch&source=bl&ots=hEyQ_FRnml&sig=LSXr2AwJbC8aHo51UvV-Mu6AI0A&hl=en&ei=c6ebToPBEIevsQLtpIy_BA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&sqi=2&ved=0CEYQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q&f=false

Well thanks for your ideas I thought that maybe a fishing company might have had standards they held their employees to as in.. we don't want anything shorter than 12 inches and maybe even paid an employee that would do the sorting..I'm stumped ..although the lighthouse idea was interesting....I will dig deeper and find the answer to this mystery..thanks from clear over in Oregon where steelhead and salmon seem to be the thing

I believe you'll find out it's lighthouse related.

It's too bad you won't be using this site much.

Welcome! I'm from Washington state, and I assure you bass fishing is alive and well in the Pacific Northwest!

Been a long time since I've been there, but we used to do very well in Potholes Reservoir and Banks Lake. The bass fishing seemed to be a bit overlooked at that time.

12" Refers to lighthouse reflectors. If he was a 12" keeper, he was in a 12" house. It refers more to Fresnel type houses than any other. If you're able to check into the type of houses in your search area, you'd be very likely to find the house in which he was the keeper.

Yes , I think I will persue the lighthouse keeper idea and see what I can turn up....thanks