1778The General Court passed an act providing for a naval office in seaports, including Gloucester.Events & Anniversaries, Government and Public Service, State Events, Military
It was agreed that the naval officers would be in charge of the duties of the customs house. Samuel Whittemore was appointed Naval Officer for Gloucester, a position he held until 1789.
Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed. History of Essex County, Massachusetts, with Biographical Sketches of Many of Its Pioneers and Prominent Men. Vol. II. Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co., 1888. http://archive.org/details/historyofessexco02hurd