Before the American Revolution, Sag Harbor developed a reputation as a hub for coastal trading and whaling. The British occupation of Long Island in 1776 stifled the village’s growth, as a naval blockade prevented goods from entering the harbor, but the Americans’ victory in 1783 paved the way for Sag Harbor to develop into a flourishing port.
Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton augmented this development by naming Sag Harbor a federal port of entry, which was part of a national effort to raise revenue without heavily taxing the common man.
In 1790, President George Washington selected Henry Packer Dering (1762-1822) as customs master because of his experience as a merchant and his family’s role in the Revolution. Henry’s father, Thomas Dering (1720-1785), was a merchant in Boston and a member of the New York Provincial Congress (1775-1777). Sylvester Dering (1758-1820), Henry’s brother, was a brigadier general for the Rhode Island State Militia.
As customs master, Henry Dering was granted by Congress the authority to weigh and gauge cargo, collect taxes assigned to goods, and hear oaths of registry and allegiance. He performed these duties at the Custom House in Sag Harbor, built in 1770 and purchased by Dering after his marriage to Anna Fosdick (1769-1852) in 1793. In 1795, an extension was built to accommodate their growing family of nine children.
This letter from Joseph Anthony & Co. to Dering exemplifies some of the responsibilities the customs master held. Joseph Anthony (1762-1814) requests that Dering “take charge of the proceeds” amassed from several barrels of cargo that survived the wreck of the schooner Sally. This unusual consignment tasked him with ensuring that consignees received their respective barrels.
You can learn more about Sag Harbor’s Custom House and the life of Henry Packer Dering by taking a Custom House tour, available Saturdays and Sundays between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Preservation Long Island has more information.
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Megan Bardis is a librarian and archivist in the Long Island Collection.
