George was 36 years old with a wife and three year old daughter when he decided to move his family to the Calais, Washington, Maine area. How they made the long journey isn’t known, but it’s very possible they sailed from Newburyport up the New England coast to Calais, which was a ship building area with a large harbor. Travel by land meant a 300 mile trip by coach. Since George was economically comfortable, he may have had the economic advantage of being able to sail to Maine. The easiest form of travel would have been preferable since Mary was likely pregnant with their son, George Rogers Tarbox, born later in 1854 in Maine.

The family settled in rural Robbinston, Washington, Maine, a few miles down the road from the big city of Calais.

George’s new business venture appeared in the 1856 Maine business directory with his listing under Hardware, located in Red Beach [near Robbinston and Calais along the coast road]. Land records revealed George’s ownership of the Red Beach plaster and granite quarry. His business partner was Charles Harrison Newton, living in Ward 5 of Calais in 1860:

A biographical sketch published after George Tarbox’s death provides more information about the quarry business:

American middle class life had fully emerged as the country approached the Civil War years. Travel was easier, improvements in the postal service meant quicker, less expensive and more frequent contact with distant relatives and photography was becoming available to the masses.

All of this had an impact on the Tarbox family and, overall, the 1850s were a time of happiness and prosperity. They welcomed three more children, siblings for their daughter Elizabeth.

George Jr. was born soon after their arrival in Maine in 1854, although his exact date of birth is unknown. Nellie F. (her middle name has never been discovered) was born on 28 June 1856 and Charles Franklin was born on 13 May 1859. All the children were born in Robbinston.

The 1860 census places the Tarboxes in Robbinston in Dwelling 21, Family 22.

Notice, thanks to Google maps, that Red Beach borders Robbinston to the North.

That’s important because, by 1860, Mary’s sister had come to visit, met and married Benjamin Shattuck (18 November 1858, Calais, Maine) and gave birth to their first child, Annie G., on 3 February 1860 in Red Beach.

One sad event occurred in 1860, the death of George’s father, William Tarbox, who had been in declining health to the point where his family in New Gloucester was unable to care for him and had him placed in the Maine State Hospital. William’s stay there was a short three weeks before he passed away.

George might have made the trip from Calais to Augusta to visit his father one last time because there is a curious photo that has been passed down through the family.

Thomas B. Ballard (1838-1881) was the manager of the Cushnoc House in Augusta, Maine. George might have stayed there on a visit to his father in 1860. Thomas Ballard is a young man in the photo, supporting a birth year of 1838, and the photo style fits the Civil War era. Additionally, Starbird Photographer was active in Augusta in 1860. Perhaps George kept the photo to remind him of his last visit with his father.

On 20 April 1861, George and Mary’s son, Horace W., was born in Robbinston.

George’s business ventures were going well. He not only had the plaster quarry up and running, he ventured into ship building. The schooner Nellie Tarbox, named for daughter Nellie, was built in 1862, weighing 168 60/95ths tons. News items state that the schooner was sailing on 18 July 1862, three days out of Havana on the way to Philadelphia. That was quite a voyage during the Civil War years.

George, an industrious man always looking to increase his income, was appointed Deputy Inspector and Collector at the Customs House on 23 May 1863. Calais was just across the river from St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada. I assume from George’s job description that he might have been assigned at the St. Croix River crossing there unless there was a closer port in the Robbinston area, perhaps for smaller vessels.

By this time, the United States Civil War had started. George’s name appears on the 1863 list of the 5th Enrollment, Maine, aged 44 years, but he was not called to serve.

In November 1863, George purchased the granite quarry in Red Beach and it remained in his possession until his death.

On 10 July 1864, his eldest son, George Rogers, Jr., died at the age of 10 years, but there is no cause of death given in the town record.

Perhaps not a coincidence, just four months later, in November 1864, George sold his land in Robbinston and the family moved into the city of Calais.

At the close of the Civil War, George’s schooner, the Nellie Tarbox, was sold in Rockport, Maine for $9000.00 and in 1866, it was reported that George was paid $210 in his job as customs inspector.

1866 was a year of mixed emotions for George. His wife, Mary, died on 11 March 1866 in Calais. This is a tintype photo of Mary, which seems to be a post-mortem image, popular at the time. Notice how her hands are placed, her eyes are closed and there is a blanket draping the bottom of her elegant dress. There is also a brace behind her, propping her up:

This photo of George was probably taken at the same time, as it is also a tintype:

Just one month later, George purchased a home in Calais and the family moved. Because George never remarried, it is likely that his eldest daughter Lizzie, not quite 15 years old when her mother died, had to step up and take her mother’s place as the lady of the house, as she had four younger siblings, aged 2 to 9 years old. Caring for a house and four young children while her father was at work would be a heavy load for any young teenager.

George also joined the St. Croix Masons Lodge #46 that same year. Although he was a member for 14 years, it doesn’t appear that he was terribly active. He was, however, reinstated on 5 June 1894, just seven months before he died. Perhaps he wanted a Mason funeral sendoff.

Considering that George lost a son in 1864 and his wife at the young age of 39 in 1866, the 1860s decade was much more difficult for George and his young family.

The next portion of George’s life sketch will post tomorrow.