United States Customs District of Salem and Beverly


The United States Customs District of Salem and Beverly was an administrative area for the collection of import duties on foreign goods that entered the United States by ship at the ports of Salem and Beverly. Established in 1789, it was abolished in 1913. Today the ports of Salem and Beverly are serviced by the Port of Gloucester, which is administered by the Boston Customs District.

History

The District of Salem and Beverly was established in the fifth statute passed by the First Congress in 1789. This act provided for the collection of the duties that had been laid down in the Hamilton Tariff earlier that year. The towns of Salem and Beverly were designated as one port of entry for customs purposes. The towns of Danvers and Ipswich were designated as ports of delivery only. The district extended to all shores and waters within the towns of Ipswich, Beverly, Salem and Danvers. A collector, naval officer and surveyor were appointed to the district to reside at Salem, which was the location of the Customs House for the district. Surveyors were appointed to reside at each of the towns of Beverly and Ipswich. In 1790, Salem was the sixth largest city in the country and a major seaport.
In 1796, the district was reorganised, with Ipswich created as a district in its own right. Through the 19th century, Salem declined as a sea port, being seriously affected by the trade embargo with Great Britain. This fact was reflected in 1865, when the posts of surveyor at Beverly and naval officer at Salem were abolished, leaving the collector and surveyor at Salem as the only appointed officers.
The post of surveyor was abolished ten years later in 1875. A collector remained at Salem Custom House until 1913, when Salem lost its status as a separate district and became a port of entry only.
Nathaniel Hawthorne worked in the Custom House as surveyor for Salem from 1846–1849, and the introduction to his famous novel The Scarlet Letter is set there.

Officers

The positions of collector, naval officer, and surveyor were appointed by the President, subject to confirmation by the Senate. From 1820 onwards, officers were limited to four-year commissions, at the end of which they needed to be reappointed by the President. They could be removed from office at the pleasure of the President. From approximately the 1840s onwards, the various posts were seen as a method of rewarding supporters and punishing those of the opposite view by successive administrations. Often, a change of administration led to a change in the Customs House. Other posts, such as deputy collector, inspectors, weighers, measurers and gaugers were recommended by the collector, pending approval by the Secretary of the Treasury. This led to a certain amount of nepotism.

Collector for the District (1789–1913)

The first collector at the port of Salem following the American Revolution was Warwick Palfray. In 1784 he was succeeded by Joseph Hiller and when the collection of import duties was organised on a federal basis in 1789, Hiller was appointed collector. He had been an officer during the Revolution, as had his successor, William R. Lee. When Lee died in office, he was replaced by another soldier, James Miller. Miller was probably the most notable of the collectors to serve in Salem. He was a hero of the War of 1812, where he was made a general following his actions at the Battle of Lundy's Lane. He was a governor of the Arkansas Territory before being elected to Congress in 1824 for New Hampshire. However, he never took up his seat, being appointed instead collector for Salem. He served as collector for over 24 years, the longest term of any collector, before being replaced by his son.
Collectors in Salem were not removed from office as frequently as the other officers, they generally only being replaced when their commissions expired. Charles Odell was the longest serving collector after 1849, with 12 years and the last collector, David M. Little, served for nearly ten years before the office was abolished in 1913.
NameEntered OfficeLeft OfficeFirst Appointed ByReason for Leaving Office
Joseph HillerAugust 4, 1789January 17, 1803George WashingtonRetired
William R. LeeJanuary 17, 1803October 26, 1824Thomas JeffersonDied in office
NoneOctober 26, 1824December 6, 1824Office Vacant-
James MillerDecember 6, 1824January 3, 1849James MonroeCommission expired
Ephraim F. MillerJanuary 3, 1849January 26, 1857James K. PolkCommission expired
William B. PikeJanuary 26, 1857January 26, 1861Franklin PierceCommission expired
NoneJanuary 26, 1861March 14, 1861Office Vacant-
Willard B. PhillipsMarch 14, 1861January 12, 1865Abraham LincolnResigned
Robert S. RantoulJanuary 12, 1865January 12, 1869Abraham LincolnCommission expired
Charles W. PalfrayJanuary 12, 1869March 20, 1873Ulysses S. GrantCommission expired
Charles H. OdellMarch 20, 1873May 13, 1885Ulysses S. GrantCommission expired
Richard F. DodgeMay 13, 1885June 13, 1889Grover ClevelandCommission expired
Guilford Parker BrayJune 13, 1889January 30, 1894Benjamin HarrisonCommission expired
William C. WatersJanuary 30, 1894March 18, 1898Chester A. ArthurCommission expired
John DalandMarch 18, 1898November 10, 1903William McKinleyResigned
David M. LittleNovember 10, 1903June 30, 1913Theodore RooseveltOffice abolished

Naval Officer for the District (1789–1865)

The naval officer for a customs district operated as an auditor, and kept a separate record of the various transactions in the district. The most notable name associated with this office in Salem was one who never actually took up the post, Associate Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story. In 1803, Story was nominated by President Jefferson and confirmed by the Senate for the post, but he declined the appointment upon being convinced that the role would conflict with his then growing private law practice in Salem.
NameEntered OfficeLeft OfficeFirst Appointed ByReason for Leaving Office
William PickmanAugust 3, 1789February 4, 1803George WashingtonRemoved by Jefferson
NoneFebruary 4, 1803November 18, 1803Office Vacant-
Samuel WardNovember 18, 1803July 31, 1812Thomas JeffersonDied in office
NoneJuly 31, 1812November 4, 1812Office Vacant-
Henry ElkinsNovember 4, 1812August 3, 1829James MadisonRemoved by Jackson
John SwaseyAugust 3, 1829April 12, 1842Andrew JacksonCommission expired
Abraham TrueApril 12, 1842April 12, 1846John TylerCommission expired
John D. HowardApril 12, 1846July 20, 1849James K. PolkRemoved by Fillmore
William BrownJuly 20, 1849October 7, 1853Millard FillmoreRemoved by Pierce
Charles MillettOctober 7, 1853January 31, 1858Franklin PierceCommission expired
NoneJanuary 31, 1858June 3, 1858Office Vacant-
John RyanJune 3, 1858August 3, 1860James BuchananResigned
NoneAugust 3, 1860March 27, 1861Office Vacant-
Joseph A. DaltonMarch 27, 1861February 28, 1865Abraham LincolnOffice abolished

Surveyor of Salem (1789–1875)

The writer Nathaniel Hawthorne is undoubtedly the most famous name associated with Salem customs, and he served as surveyor from 1846 to 1849. However he was just one of a remarkable seven consecutive surveyors who were removed from the post by the President between 1841 and 1861. Every incoming President, it seems, felt the need to put his own man in the post. One of these removals led to the only time the nomination of a customs officer for Salem was rejected by the Senate.
Edward Palfray had been surveyor in 1841 before being replaced by Stephen Daniels. When Daniels himself was removed two years later Palfray was appointed his successor by President Tyler as a recess appointment. However, when Palfray's name came before the Senate for confirmation, his appointment was rejected by a Senate vote, 12 - 23. George W. Mullet was then nominated by Tyler, but he too was rejected, 16 - 25. Finally, Nehemiah Brown was confirmed. Palfray still held the office during this time though, as recess appointments stay in place until a nomination is confirmed or until the end of the Congressional session, whichever comes first.
NameEntered OfficeLeft OfficeFirst Appointed ByReason for Leaving Office
Bartholomew PutnamAugust 3, 1789April 4, 1808George WashingtonResigned
George HodgesApril 4, 18081817Thomas JeffersonResigned
None1817February 3, 1818Office Vacant-
John SaundersFebruary 3, 1818January 29, 1830James MonroeCommission expired
James DalrympleJanuary 29, 1830January 29, 1834Andrew JacksonCommission expired
Joseph NobleJanuary 29, 1834January 29, 1838Andrew JacksonCommission expired
Edward PalfreyJanuary 29, 1838July 6, 1841Martin van BurenRemoved by Tyler
Stephen DanielsJuly 6, 1841June 19, 1843John TylerRemoved by Tyler
Edward PalfreyJune 19, 1843June 14, 1844John TylerSenate did not confirm recess appointment
Nehemiah BrownJune 14, 1844March 18, 1846John TylerRemoved by Polk
Nathaniel HawthorneMarch 18, 1846June 17, 1849James K. PolkRemoved by Taylor
Allen PutnamJune 17, 1849May 30, 1853Zachary TaylorRemoved by Pierce
Lewis JosselynMay 30, 1853July 23, 1857Franklin PierceRemoved by Buchanan
Ebenezer DodgeJuly 23, 1857August 1, 1861James BuchananRemoved by Lincoln
William C. WatersAugust 1, 1861March 23, 1863Abraham LincolnResigned
Charles F. WilliamsMarch 23, 1863June 4, 1865Abraham LincolnDied in office
NoneJune 4, 1865July 28, 1865Office Vacant-
Joseph MoselyJuly 28, 1865February 23, 1870Andrew JohnsonCommission expired
Charles D. HowardFebruary 23, 18701875Ulysses S. GrantOffice abolished

Surveyor of Beverly (1789–1865)

The surveyor of Beverly was based in the port of Beverly, separate from the rest of the customs officers in Salem. The longest serving surveyor was the first, Josiah Batchelor, who served for 20 years. The most interesting case was that of Samuel D. Turner. He was appointed surveyor in April 1842, but was removed from the position later that year as he "did not qualify".
NameEntered OfficeLeft OfficeFirst Appointed ByReason for Leaving Office
Josiah BatchelorAugust 3, 17891809George Washington???
None1809May 1, 1810Office Vacant-
Jonathan SmithMay 1, 1810January 29, 1830James MadisonCommission expired
Benjamin HawkesJanuary 29, 1830January 29, 1834Andrew JacksonCommission expired
NoneJanuary 29, 1834March 15, 1834Office Vacant-
Aaron ForsterMarch 15, 1834April 1, 1842Andrew JacksonCommission expired
Samuel D. TurnerApril 1, 1842September 19, 1842John TylerTurner 'did not qualify'
Daniel FosterSeptember 19, 1842March 3, 1851John TylerCommission expired
Robert GoodwinMarch 3, 1851May 27, 1853Millard FillmoreRemoved by Pierce
Samuel PorterMay 27, 1853June 3, 1862Franklin PierceCommission expired
NoneJune 3, 18621862Office Vacant-
Samuel Porter1862February 28, 1865Abraham LincolnOffice abolished

Surveyor of Ipswich (1789 - 1796)

The surveyor of Ipswich was part of the Salem and Beverly district until 1796, when Ipswich was created as a district in its own right.
NameEntered OfficeLeft OfficeFirst Appointed ByReason for Leaving Office
Jeremiah StainifordAugust 3, 1789May 27, 1796George WashingtonOffice abolished