Port Tobacco, Maryland - Prior to 1895

By James L. Barbour

Port Tobacco, Maryland was one of the earliest towns established in the United States, dating back to the mid 1600’s. This work describes the history of Port Tobacco and its people, buildings and layout for those history buffs interested in such information. The author, James L. Barbour (the son of Robert Guy Barbour who created the sketches included herein), provides a summary of the early history of Port Tobacco, his father’s sketches of the town and a description of its residents and buildings. He also discusses the distinguished Revolutionary personages who lived in and near Port Tobacco at the nation’s founding, and later, the Lincoln conspiracy that included town resident, George Atzerodt, and the escape of the President’s assassin, John Wilkes Booth, who fled through Southern Maryland, across the Potomac and into Virginia.

• Language: English
• Publisher: ByDand Publishing
• Release date: Dec 14, 2012
• ISBN: 9781624540141

James L. Barbour

James L. Barbour is a former officer of the Federal Government whose entire career of over thirty years was devoted to the organization and management functions of U.S. and State agencies. He participated in many reorganization efforts including the development and implementation of plans requiring Presidential and Congressional approval. Equally important, he had the opportunity to observe overall government operations at high levels and the related interplay of human emotions and institutional considerations from an inside perspective. Following a distinguished thirty-plus year career with the Federal Government, the author retired to his native Southern Maryland where so many of major events of our nation’s history played out. There he began a second career and operated a successful antiquarian book business, specializing in (but not limited to) the Civil War era. Mr. Barbour subsequently researched, authored, and issued several publications relating to the Civil War and the Lincoln assassination, in addition to other works.

Book preview

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Introduction

Anyone visiting what remains of the town of Port Tobacco today would find it difficult to imagine that in an earlier era here stood a thriving and important center of commerce and social activity. In its prime the village probably consisted of approximately 80 buildings including a courthouse and church standing side-by-side, handsome colonial dwellings, stores and hotels along with other lesser buildings.

Port Tobacco was one of Maryland's earliest towns, established within a few years of the settlement of the Maryland Colony in 1634. It is nestled in the heart of the Port Tobacco Valley and overlooks the Port Tobacco River. Port Tobacco played a proud and colorful role in early American history. Putting the matter in proper perspective, when viewed in relation to the development of North American Civilization it can be truthfully said that Port Tobacco was part of "where it all