The Collector of Customs at the Port of New York, most often referred to as Collector of the Port of New York, was a federal officer who was in charge of the collection of import duties on foreign goods that entered the United States by ship at the Port of New York.
The first Collector, John Lamb, was appointed by George Washington in 1789. He had previously served as Collector of Customs for the State of New York from 1784.
The office was described as "the prize plum of Federal patronage not only in this State but perhaps in the country, outside of positions in the Cabinet."[1] Customs collections at US ports were overseen by three political appointees—the Collector, Surveyor, and Naval Officer.[2][a] Because they were originally paid based on a percentage system that factored in both customs collected and fines levied for those who attempted to evade payment, these appointments were very lucrative, especially those at the Port of New York, by far America's busiest port.[3] New York's Collector was the highest paid official of the federal government; as Collector from 1871 to 1878, Chester A. Arthur's compensation exceeded the modern equivalent of $1 million annually. The custom house staffs, especially at New York's Custom House were also political appointees, and were expected to contribute a portion of their salaries to the party to which they owed their appointments.[3]
Disputes over patronage at the Port of New York led to an ongoing feud from the 1860s to the 1880s between the party faction led by Roscoe Conkling and reformers who counted Rutherford B. Hayes and James A. Garfield among their number.[3] The attempts at reform that began in the 1870s led to the political appointees at each port being placed on salaries rather than the percentage system. The annual salary in 1920 was $12,000 (about $153,000 in 2019) plus about $8,000 in fees (about $102,000 in 2019).[4]
^The Naval Officer was a political appointee, not a military one. The position was called "naval" because the incumbent was expected to board and inspect ships to aid the Surveyor and Collector in estimating the duties owed.
^A private act of the 58th United States Congress in March 1904, indemnified James T. Kilbreth (posthumously), George R. Bidwell, and Nevada N. Stranahan as collectors of customs for the district and port of New York for the losses through embezzlement by Byram W. Winters, a customs service clerk. Stranahan received a refund in the sum of $8,821.44 from the federal government, having personally settled the entire amount of the fraud.
^Harry M. Durning was the defendant in the case of Dioguardi v. Durning, 139 F.2d 774 (2d Cir. 1944), which is frequently used in Civil Procedure courses as a starting point to teach pleadings under the modern approach of Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
ReferencesEdit
^ ab"George W. Aldridge Dies As He Golfs At Westchester Club – Collector of Port, 65, and Seemingly Hale, Stricken With Apoplexy – Sinks Without a Word – Charles D. Hilles and George Sweeny Near Rochester Leader as Death Comes – Ends Picturesque Career – Last Survivor of Big Three, Including Platt and Hendricks – Body to Be Taken Home Today" (PDF). The New York Times. June 14, 1922. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
^US Congress (1875). Revised Statutes of the United States Passed at the First Session of the Forty-Third Congress. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office. p. 523.
^ abcCampbell, Ballard C. (2008). Disasters, Accidents, and Crises in American History. New York, NY: Facts on File. pp. 152–153. ISBN978-1-4381-3012-5.
^"Open Season Now For Job Hunters – Local Republican Leaders Preparing to Fill Offices Under New Administration – Many Fine Federal Plums – Scores of Places Under State Rule Will Also Fall to Faithful Party Workers" (PDF). The New York Times. November 9, 1920. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
^Bamberger, Werner (June 19, 1966). "New Chief Cites Customs Aim Here – Stramiello Declares He Will Strive to Improve Service". The New York Times.
^ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwx"New-York's Customs Officers: The Collectors, Naval Officers, and Surveyors Since the Foundation of the Government". The New York Times. July 20, 1878. Retrieved February 23, 2018 – via TimesMachine.
^"Collector Hendricks Now; Mr. Fassett's Successor Sworn In And In Charge. He Looks Through The Departments Intent On "Learning The Business" - Rumors Of Changes - Other Custom House Matters" (PDF). The New York Times. September 29, 1891.
^"Francis Hendricks, Politician, Dies At 86 - Former Republican Leader of Central New York and ex-State Senator" (PDF). The New York Times. June 10, 1920. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
^"New-York Offices Filled - James T. Kilbreth Collector , Walter H. Bunn Appraiser" (PDF). The New York Times. July 29, 1893. p. 1. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
^"Appointments By Bidwell – New Collector of the Port Begins Work – Joseph J. Couch Is Special Deputy" (PDF). The New York Times. July 15, 1897.
^"Monthly Bulletin – The Federal Service". Good Government. 30 (11): 99. November 1913. Retrieved May 1, 2011.
^"Mitchel In Office As Port Collector Loeb, Retiring, Wishes Him Well – McAneny and Steers There as He Is Sworn In – Still in Mayoralty Fight – Politicians Say His Federal Appointment Can't Keep Him Out and Will Help Him". The New York Times. June 8, 1913. p. C4. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
^"Malone Nominated As Port Collector – O'Gorman's Son-in-Law to Succeed Mitchel – Senator, Avoiding Comment, Tells a Story – Wilson's Personal Choice – Appointment Thought to Show Satisfaction at Tammany's Defeat – Splendid Selection, Says Mitchel" (PDF). The New York Times. November 11, 1913.
^"Growth Of New York Port; Collector Newton Says This Is World's Greatest Commerce Centre" (PDF). The New York Times. June 28, 1918.
^"Henry C. Stuart, Customs Aide – Assistant Collector of Port of New York for 15 Years Is Dead Here at 73 – In U.S. Service 47 Years – Considered Authority on Laws of His Department – Honored on Retirement in '37". The New York Times. May 14, 1938. p. 15. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
^"Philip Elting, Once Collector of Port – Chairman of Ulster County Republicans Since 1904 Held Post Here, 1923 to 1933 – Dies in Kingston at 77 – Descendant of 9 Generations of Ulster County Residents – Leader at Conventions". The New York Times. July 21, 1941. p. 15. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
^NEW IMPOST CHIEF; Kelly Sworn as Port's 41st Collector of Customs in The New York Times on July 6, 1961 (subscription required)
External linksEdit
Department of the Treasury. Customs Service. Collection District of New York. Port of Entry, New York,. 7/31/1789-1927
October 25, 2023
collector, port, york, collector, customs, port, york, most, often, referred, federal, officer, charge, collection, import, duties, foreign, goods, that, entered, united, states, ship, port, york, federal, government, appointment, overviewformed1789dissolved19. The Collector of Customs at the Port of New York most often referred to as Collector of the Port of New York was a federal officer who was in charge of the collection of import duties on foreign goods that entered the United States by ship at the Port of New York Collector of the Port of New YorkU S federal government appointment overviewFormed1789Dissolved1966TypeCollector of import duties on foreign goodsJurisdictionPort of New YorkHeadquartersUnited States Custom House New York CityParent departmentUnited States Department of the TreasuryThe best known individual to hold the position was Chester A Arthur who served as collector from 1871 1878 and who later served as the 21st president of the United States Contents 1 History 2 List of collectors 3 See also 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksHistory EditThe first Collector John Lamb was appointed by George Washington in 1789 He had previously served as Collector of Customs for the State of New York from 1784 The office was described as the prize plum of Federal patronage not only in this State but perhaps in the country outside of positions in the Cabinet 1 Customs collections at US ports were overseen by three political appointees the Collector Surveyor and Naval Officer 2 a Because they were originally paid based on a percentage system that factored in both customs collected and fines levied for those who attempted to evade payment these appointments were very lucrative especially those at the Port of New York by far America s busiest port 3 New York s Collector was the highest paid official of the federal government as Collector from 1871 to 1878 Chester A Arthur s compensation exceeded the modern equivalent of 1 million annually The custom house staffs especially at New York s Custom House were also political appointees and were expected to contribute a portion of their salaries to the party to which they owed their appointments 3 Disputes over patronage at the Port of New York led to an ongoing feud from the 1860s to the 1880s between the party faction led by Roscoe Conkling and reformers who counted Rutherford B Hayes and James A Garfield among their number 3 The attempts at reform that began in the 1870s led to the political appointees at each port being placed on salaries rather than the percentage system The annual salary in 1920 was 12 000 about 153 000 in 2019 plus about 8 000 in fees about 102 000 in 2019 4 The position was abolished in 1966 when the structure of the United States Customs Service was changed The last Collector Joseph P Kelly was kept on temporarily as a consultant 5 List of collectors EditPortrait No Collector Nominated by Start date End date Comments nbsp 1 John Lamb George Washington 1789 1797 6 nbsp 2 Joshua Sands John Adams 1797 1801 Confirmed May 19 1797 6 nbsp 3 David Gelston Thomas Jefferson 1801 1820 6 4 Jonathan Thompson James Monroe 1820 1829 6 5 Samuel Swartwout Andrew Jackson 1829 1838 Confirmed March 29 1830 6 6 Jesse Hoyt Martin Van Buren 1838 1841 6 7 John J Morgan Martin Van Buren 1841 1841 6 8 Edward Curtis William Henry Harrison 1841 1844 6 N A Charles G Ferris John Tyler Rejected by the U S Senate 6 nbsp 9 Cornelius P Van Ness John Tyler 1844 1845 6 nbsp 10 Cornelius Van Wyck Lawrence James K Polk 1845 1849 6 nbsp 11 Hugh Maxwell Zachary Taylor 1849 1853 6 nbsp N A Daniel S Dickinson Franklin Pierce Declined nomination 6 nbsp 12 Greene C Bronson Franklin Pierce 1853 1853 6 nbsp 13 Heman J Redfield Franklin Pierce 1853 1857 Resigned July 1 1857 6 nbsp 14 Augustus Schell James Buchanan 1857 1861 6 nbsp 15 Hiram Barney Abraham Lincoln 1861 1864 Resigned 6 nbsp 16 Simeon Draper Abraham Lincoln 1864 1865 6 nbsp 17 Preston King Andrew Johnson 1865 1865 Committed suicide 6 nbsp N A Charles P Clinch N A 1865 1866 Acting 6 nbsp 18 Henry A Smythe Andrew Johnson 1866 1869 6 nbsp 19 Moses H Grinnell Ulysses S Grant 1869 1870 6 nbsp 20 Thomas Murphy Ulysses S Grant 1870 1871 6 nbsp 21 Chester A Arthur Ulysses S Grant 1871 1878 6 nbsp N A Theodore Roosevelt Sr Rutherford B Hayes Rejected by U S Senate nbsp 22 Edwin Atkins Merritt Rutherford B Hayes 1878 1881 nbsp 23 William H Robertson James A Garfield 1881 1885 Nominated March 24 1881 nbsp 24 Edward L Hedden Grover Cleveland 1885 1886 nbsp 25 Daniel Magone Grover Cleveland 1886 1889 nbsp 26 Joel Erhardt Benjamin Harrison 1889 1891 nbsp 27 Jacob Sloat Fassett Benjamin Harrison 1891 1891 nbsp 28 Francis Hendricks Benjamin Harrison 1891 1893 7 8 nbsp 29 James Truesdell Kilbreth Grover Cleveland 1893 1897 Died in office 9 b nbsp 30 George R Bidwell William McKinley 1897 1902 10 nbsp 31 Nevada Stranahan Theodore Roosevelt 1902 1907 Resigned due to ill healthN A Henry C Stuart N A 1907 1907 Acting32 Edward S Fowler Theodore Roosevelt 1907 1909 nbsp 33 William Loeb Jr William Howard Taft 1909 1913 nbsp 34 John Purroy Mitchel Woodrow Wilson 1913 1913 Elected Mayor of New York City 11 12 nbsp 35 Dudley Field Malone Woodrow Wilson 1913 1917 13 nbsp 36 Byron Rufus Newton Woodrow Wilson 1917 1921 14 nbsp 37 George W Aldridge Warren G Harding 1921 1922 Died in office 1 nbsp N A Henry C Stuart N A 1922 1923 Acting 15 nbsp 38 Philip Elting Calvin Coolidge 1923 1933 16 39 Harry M Durning Franklin D Roosevelt 1933 1953 c 40 Robert Wharton Dill Dwight D Eisenhower 1953 196141 Joseph P Kelly John F Kennedy 1961 1966 17 See also EditPort Authority of New York amp New Jersey Roscoe ConklingNotes Edit The Naval Officer was a political appointee not a military one The position was called naval because the incumbent was expected to board and inspect ships to aid the Surveyor and Collector in estimating the duties owed A private act of the 58th United States Congress in March 1904 indemnified James T Kilbreth posthumously George R Bidwell and Nevada N Stranahan as collectors of customs for the district and port of New York for the losses through embezzlement by Byram W Winters a customs service clerk Stranahan received a refund in the sum of 8 821 44 from the federal government having personally settled the entire amount of the fraud Harry M Durning was the defendant in the case of Dioguardi v Durning 139 F 2d 774 2d Cir 1944 which is frequently used in Civil Procedure courses as a starting point to teach pleadings under the modern approach of Federal Rules of Civil Procedure References Edit a b George W Aldridge Dies As He Golfs At Westchester Club Collector of Port 65 and Seemingly Hale Stricken With Apoplexy Sinks Without a Word Charles D Hilles and George Sweeny Near Rochester Leader as Death Comes Ends Picturesque Career Last Survivor of Big Three Including Platt and Hendricks Body to Be Taken Home Today PDF The New York Times June 14 1922 Retrieved August 20 2016 US Congress 1875 Revised Statutes of the United States Passed at the First Session of the Forty Third Congress Washington DC US Government Printing Office p 523 a b c Campbell Ballard C 2008 Disasters Accidents and Crises in American History New York NY Facts on File pp 152 153 ISBN 978 1 4381 3012 5 Open Season Now For Job Hunters Local Republican Leaders Preparing to Fill Offices Under New Administration Many Fine Federal Plums Scores of Places Under State Rule Will Also Fall to Faithful Party Workers PDF The New York Times November 9 1920 Retrieved August 20 2016 Bamberger Werner June 19 1966 New Chief Cites Customs Aim Here Stramiello Declares He Will Strive to Improve Service The New York Times a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x New York s Customs Officers The Collectors Naval Officers and Surveyors Since the Foundation of the Government The New York Times July 20 1878 Retrieved February 23 2018 via TimesMachine Collector Hendricks Now Mr Fassett s Successor Sworn In And In Charge He Looks Through The Departments Intent On Learning The Business Rumors Of Changes Other Custom House Matters PDF The New York Times September 29 1891 Francis Hendricks Politician Dies At 86 Former Republican Leader of Central New York and ex State Senator PDF The New York Times June 10 1920 Retrieved August 20 2016 New York Offices Filled James T Kilbreth Collector Walter H Bunn Appraiser PDF The New York Times July 29 1893 p 1 Retrieved August 20 2016 Appointments By Bidwell New Collector of the Port Begins Work Joseph J Couch Is Special Deputy PDF The New York Times July 15 1897 Monthly Bulletin The Federal Service Good Government 30 11 99 November 1913 Retrieved May 1 2011 Mitchel In Office As Port Collector Loeb Retiring Wishes Him Well McAneny and Steers There as He Is Sworn In Still in Mayoralty Fight Politicians Say His Federal Appointment Can t Keep Him Out and Will Help Him The New York Times June 8 1913 p C4 Retrieved August 20 2016 Malone Nominated As Port Collector O Gorman s Son in Law to Succeed Mitchel Senator Avoiding Comment Tells a Story Wilson s Personal Choice Appointment Thought to Show Satisfaction at Tammany s Defeat Splendid Selection Says Mitchel PDF The New York Times November 11 1913 Growth Of New York Port Collector Newton Says This Is World s Greatest Commerce Centre PDF The New York Times June 28 1918 Henry C Stuart Customs Aide Assistant Collector of Port of New York for 15 Years Is Dead Here at 73 In U S Service 47 Years Considered Authority on Laws of His Department Honored on Retirement in 37 The New York Times May 14 1938 p 15 Retrieved August 20 2016 Philip Elting Once Collector of Port Chairman of Ulster County Republicans Since 1904 Held Post Here 1923 to 1933 Dies in Kingston at 77 Descendant of 9 Generations of Ulster County Residents Leader at Conventions The New York Times July 21 1941 p 15 Retrieved August 20 2016 NEW IMPOST CHIEF Kelly Sworn as Port s 41st Collector of Customs in The New York Times on July 6 1961 subscription required External links EditDepartment of the Treasury Customs Service Collection District of New York Port of Entry New York 7 31 1789 1927 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Collector of the Port of New York amp oldid 1138280967, 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