Collector of the Port of New York

The Collector of Customs at the Port of New York, most often referred to as Collector of the Port of New York, sometimes also as Collector of Customs for the Port of New York or (erroneously) Collector of Customs for the District 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 most well-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.

The first Collector, John Lamb, was appointed by the Congress of the Confederation in 1784. Afterwards, the Collectors were appointed by the U.S. President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

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." The annual salary in 1920 was $12,000 plus about $8,000 in fees. The position was abolished in 1966, with the last Collector, Joseph P. Kelly, kept on as a consultant some time after.

A private act of the 58th 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.

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