U.S. Customs District of Salem and Beverly
Encyclopedia
The U.S 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 port of Salem is administered by the Boston Customs District.
passed by the First Congress
in 1789 (ch.5). This act provided for the collection of the duties that had been laid down in the Hamilton Tariff
ealier 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.
, 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.
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.
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.
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 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 appintment 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.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
by ship at the ports of Salem
Salem, Massachusetts
Salem is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,407 at the 2000 census. It and Lawrence are the county seats of Essex County...
and Beverly
Beverly, Massachusetts
Beverly is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 39,343 on , which differs by no more than several hundred from the 39,862 obtained in the 2000 census. A resort, residential and manufacturing community on the North Shore, Beverly includes Beverly Farms and Prides...
. Established in 1789, it was abolished in 1913. Today the port of Salem is administered by the Boston Customs District.
History
The District of Salem and Beverly was established in the fifth statuteStatute
A statute is a formal written enactment of a legislative authority that governs a state, city, or county. Typically, statutes command or prohibit something, or declare policy. The word is often used to distinguish law made by legislative bodies from case law, decided by courts, and regulations...
passed by the First Congress
1st United States Congress
-House of Representatives:During this congress, five House seats were added for North Carolina and one House seat was added for Rhode Island when they ratified the Constitution.-Senate:* President: John Adams * President pro tempore: John Langdon...
in 1789 (ch.5). This act provided for the collection of the duties that had been laid down in the Hamilton Tariff
Hamilton tariff
The Hamilton Tariff was the second statute ever enacted by the new federal government of the United States by a vote of the first U.S. Congress. Most of the rates of the revenue tariff were between 5 and 10 percent, depending on the value of the item...
ealier that year. The towns of Salem and Beverly were designated as one port of entry
Port of entry
In general, a port of entry is a place where one may lawfully enter a country. It typically has a staff of people who check passports and visas and inspect luggage to assure that contraband is not imported. International airports are usually ports of entry, as are road and rail crossings on a...
for customs purposes. The towns of Danvers
Danvers, Massachusetts
Danvers is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. Located on the Danvers River near the northeastern coast of Massachusetts, Danvers is most widely known for its association with the 1692 Salem witch trials, and for its famous asylum, the Danvers State Hospital.-17th century:The land...
and Ipswich
Ipswich, Massachusetts
Ipswich is a coastal town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,987 at the 2000 census. Home to Willowdale State Forest and Sandy Point State Reservation, Ipswich includes the southern part of Plum Island...
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
Embargo Act of 1807
The Embargo Act of 1807 and the subsequent Nonintercourse Acts were American laws restricting American ships from engaging in foreign trade between the years of 1807 and 1812. The Acts were diplomatic responses by presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Madison designed to protect American interests...
with Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. 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
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne was an American novelist and short story writer.Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in 1804 in the city of Salem, Massachusetts to Nathaniel Hathorne and the former Elizabeth Clarke Manning. His ancestors include John Hathorne, a judge during the Salem Witch Trials...
worked in the Custom House as surveyor for Salem from 1846 - 1849, and the introduction to his famous novel The Scarlet Letter
The Scarlet Letter
The Scarlet Letter is an 1850 romantic work of fiction in a historical setting, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. It is considered to be his magnum opus. Set in 17th-century Puritan Boston during the years 1642 to 1649, it tells the story of Hester Prynne, who conceives a daughter through an...
is set there.
Officers
The positions of collector, naval officer, and surveyor were appointed by the PresidentPresident of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
, subject to confirmation by the Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
. 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)
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
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
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, where he was made a general following his actions at the Battle of Lundy's Lane
Battle of Lundy's Lane
The Battle of Lundy's Lane was a battle of the Anglo-American War of 1812, which took place on 25 July 1814, in present-day Niagara Falls, Ontario...
. He was a governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of the Arkansas Territory before being elected to Congress
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
in 1824 for New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
. 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.
| Name | Entered Office | Left Office | First Appointed By | Reason for Leaving Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joseph Hiller | August 4, 1789 | January 17, 1803 | George Washington George Washington George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of... |
??? |
| William R. Lee | January 17, 1803 | October 26, 1824 | Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia... |
Died in office |
| None | October 26, 1824 | December 6, 1824 | Office Vacant | - |
| James Miller James Miller (general) James Miller was a member of the United States House of Representatives from New Hampshire, the first Governor of Arkansas Territory, and a Brigadier General in the United States Army during the War of 1812.... |
December 6, 1824 | January 3, 1849 | James Monroe James Monroe James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation... |
Commission expired |
| Ephraim F. Miller | January 3, 1849 | January 26, 1857 | James K. Polk James K. Polk James Knox Polk was the 11th President of the United States . Polk was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He later lived in and represented Tennessee. A Democrat, Polk served as the 17th Speaker of the House of Representatives and the 12th Governor of Tennessee... |
Commission expired |
| William B. Pike | January 26, 1857 | January 26, 1861 | Franklin Pierce Franklin Pierce Franklin Pierce was the 14th President of the United States and is the only President from New Hampshire. Pierce was a Democrat and a "doughface" who served in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. Pierce took part in the Mexican-American War and became a brigadier general in the Army... |
Commission expired |
| None | January 26, 1861 | March 14, 1861 | Office Vacant | - |
| Willard B. Phillips | March 14, 1861 | January 12, 1865 | Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and... |
Resigned |
| Robert. S. Rautoul | January 12, 1865 | January 12, 1869 | Abraham Lincoln | Commission expired |
| Charles W. Palfray | January 12, 1869 | March 20, 1873 | Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America... |
Commission expired |
| Charles H. Odell | March 20, 1873 | May 13, 1885 | Ulysses S. Grant | Commission expired |
| Richard F. Dodge | May 13, 1885 | June 13, 1889 | Grover Cleveland Grover Cleveland Stephen Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms and therefore is the only individual to be counted twice in the numbering of the presidents... |
Commission expired |
| Guilford Parker Bray | June 13, 1889 | January 30, 1894 | Benjamin Harrison Benjamin Harrison Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd President of the United States . Harrison, a grandson of President William Henry Harrison, was born in North Bend, Ohio, and moved to Indianapolis, Indiana at age 21, eventually becoming a prominent politician there... |
??? |
| William C. Waters | January 30, 1894 | March 18, 1898 | Chester A. Arthur Chester A. Arthur Chester Alan Arthur was the 21st President of the United States . Becoming President after the assassination of President James A. Garfield, Arthur struggled to overcome suspicions of his beginnings as a politician from the New York City Republican machine, succeeding at that task by embracing... |
Commission expired |
| John Daland | March 18, 1898 | November 10, 1903 | William McKinley William McKinley William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s... |
Resigned |
| David M. Little | November 10, 1903 | June 30, 1913 | Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity... |
Office 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 JusticeAssociate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States are the members of the Supreme Court of the United States other than the Chief Justice of the United States...
Joseph Story
Joseph Story
Joseph Story was an American lawyer and jurist who served on the Supreme Court of the United States from 1811 to 1845. He is most remembered today for his opinions in Martin v. Hunter's Lessee and The Amistad, along with his magisterial Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States, first...
. 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.
| Name | Entered Office | Left Office | First Appointed By | Reason for Leaving Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William Pickman | August 3, 1789 | February 4, 1803 | George Washington | Removed by Jefferson |
| None | February 4, 1803 | November 18, 1803 | Office Vacant | - |
| Samuel Ward | November 18, 1803 | July 31, 1812 | Thomas Jefferson | Died in office |
| None | July 31, 1812 | November 4, 1812 | Office Vacant | - |
| Henry Elkins | November 4, 1812 | August 3, 1829 | James Madison | Removed by Jackson |
| John Swasey | August 3, 1829 | April 12, 1842 | Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans... |
Commission expired |
| Abraham True | April 12, 1842 | April 12, 1846 | John Tyler John Tyler John Tyler was the tenth President of the United States . A native of Virginia, Tyler served as a state legislator, governor, U.S. representative, and U.S. senator before being elected Vice President . He was the first to succeed to the office of President following the death of a predecessor... |
Commission expired |
| John D. Howard | April 12, 1846 | July 20, 1849 | James K. Polk | Removed by Fillmore |
| William Brown | July 20, 1849 | October 7, 1853 | Millard Fillmore Millard Fillmore Millard Fillmore was the 13th President of the United States and the last member of the Whig Party to hold the office of president... |
Removed by Pierce |
| Charles Millett | October 7, 1853 | January 31, 1858 | Franklin Pierce | Commission expired |
| None | January 31, 1858 | June 3, 1858 | Office Vacant | - |
| John Ryan | June 3, 1858 | August 3, 1860 | James Buchanan | Resigned |
| None | August 3, 1860 | March 27, 1861 | Office Vacant | - |
| Joseph A. Dalton | March 27, 1861 | February 28, 1865 | Abraham Lincoln | Office abolished |
Surveyor of Salem (1789 - 1875)
The writer Nathaniel HawthorneNathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne was an American novelist and short story writer.Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in 1804 in the city of Salem, Massachusetts to Nathaniel Hathorne and the former Elizabeth Clarke Manning. His ancestors include John Hathorne, a judge during the Salem Witch Trials...
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 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
Recess appointment
A recess appointment is the appointment, by the President of the United States, of a senior federal official while the U.S. Senate is in recess. The U.S. Constitution requires that the most senior federal officers must be confirmed by the Senate before assuming office, but while the Senate is in...
. However when Palfray's name came before the Senate for confirmation, his appintment 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.
| Name | Entered Office | Left Office | First Appointed By | Reason for Leaving Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bartholomew Putnam | August 3, 1789 | April 4, 1808 | George Washington | Resigned |
| George Hodges | April 4, 1808 | 1817 | Thomas Jefferson | ??? |
| None | 1817 | February 3, 1818 | Office Vacant | - |
| John Saunders | February 3, 1818 | January 29, 1830 | James Monroe | Commission expired |
| James Dalrymple | January 29, 1830 | January 29, 1834 | Andrew Jackson | Commission expired |
| Joseph Noble | January 29, 1834 | January 29, 1838 | Andrew Jackson | Commission expired |
| Edward Palfrey | January 29, 1838 | July 6, 1841 | Martin van Buren Martin Van Buren Martin Van Buren was the eighth President of the United States . Before his presidency, he was the eighth Vice President and the tenth Secretary of State, under Andrew Jackson .... |
Removed by Tyler |
| Stephen Daniels | July 6, 1841 | June 19, 1843 | John Tyler | Removed by Tyler |
| Edward Palfrey | June 19, 1843 | June 14, 1844 | John Tyler | Senate did not confirm recess appointment |
| Nehemiah Brown | June 14, 1844 | March 18, 1846 | John Tyler | Removed by Polk |
| Nathaniel Hawthorne Nathaniel Hawthorne Nathaniel Hawthorne was an American novelist and short story writer.Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in 1804 in the city of Salem, Massachusetts to Nathaniel Hathorne and the former Elizabeth Clarke Manning. His ancestors include John Hathorne, a judge during the Salem Witch Trials... |
March 18, 1846 | June 17, 1849 | James K. Polk | Removed by Taylor |
| Allen Putnam | June, 17 1849 | May 30, 1853 | Zachary Taylor Zachary Taylor Zachary Taylor was the 12th President of the United States and an American military leader. Initially uninterested in politics, Taylor nonetheless ran as a Whig in the 1848 presidential election, defeating Lewis Cass... |
Removed by Pierce |
| Lewis Josselyn | May 30, 1853 | July 23, 1857 | Franklin Pierce | Removed by Buchanan |
| Ebenezer Dodge | July 23, 1857 | August 1, 1861 | James Buchanan | Removed by Lincoln |
| William C. Waters | August 1, 1861 | March 23, 1863 | Abraham Lincoln | Resigned |
| Charles F. Williams | March 23, 1863 | June 4, 1865 | Abraham Lincoln | Died in office |
| None | June 4, 1865 | July 28, 1865 | Office Vacant | - |
| Joseph Mosely | July 28, 1865 | February 23, 1870 | Andrew Johnson Andrew Johnson Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American... |
Commission expired |
| Charles D. Howard | February 23, 1870 | 1875 | Ulysses S. Grant | Office 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".Surveyor of Ipswich (1789 - 1796)
The surveyor of Ipswich was was part of the Salem and Beverly district until 1796, when Ipswich was created as a district in its own right.| Name | Entered Office | Left Office | First Appointed By | Reason for Leaving Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah Stainiford | August 3, 1789 | May 27, 1796 | George Washington | Office abolished |