History

The first generation, John Tarbox, came from Hertfordshire, England to Lynn, Massachusetts in 1639. One of his sons moved to Maine to command a garrison during the period of Indian unrest. Samuel Tarbox was a great-grandson, born February 10, 1780.

Samuel married Polly Brown of Litchfield, Maine on September 7, 1805 and had twelve children.

One of his sons, Valentine, became a photographer and some of the photos in the front hall of the Inn are his. Valentine’s son, Byron, died with Custer at the battle of Little Big Horn.

Samuel was an enterprising business man who had a thriving fishing and shipping business in the early 1800′s. Because of his involvement in local government, he was Westport’s first, First Selectman and Postmaster.

It is believed he received the honorary title “Squire” because of his wealth, his land holdings and his influence on the community. Samuel died March 19, 1861 and is buried with his family in the wrought iron fenced enclosure just north of the parking area.

WESTPORT ISLAND

Westport Island was known to the Indians and early settlers as Jeremy Squam Island. Westport Island is eleven miles long, lies south of Wiscasset on the Sheepscot River and is connected to the mainland by a bridge. Robinhood, an Indian Sagamore, sold the island to John Richards, an early settler, in 1649. It was Surveyed as early as 1744 for its timber which was valuable because of the export of sailing ship mast pines.

A precipitous cliff on the western bank of the river is known as Doggett’s Castle. Here Captain Samuel Doggett (1685-1745) used to moor his ship “Dolphin” and trade with the Indians. Through the years the Island has kept it’s quiet feeling, and simple, peaceful life. Fishing and other hand trades are the principal industries.