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." Customs collections at US ports were overseen by three political appointees—the Collector, Surveyor, and Naval Officer. 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. 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. 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. ==List of collectors==