Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-12-30
lord" TIMOTHY DEXTER
Tine First Great and Daring Specu-
lator Of America.
ignorant and Poor, He Became Rich, At
- tended His Own Funeral, Wrote .
Book and Insisted on Being
Called "Lord."

There are lew VINO nave not III
lone time or other heard OF that ia
kmous speculator who sent cargo OF
5sssarming-pans to the West Indies, and
made a fortune by the transaction.
While there was no market for warm
6ng-pans as such. they proved to be
I just the thing that was wanted on the
sugar plantations, for they made excel
lent skimmers and ladies. Few read
ers know much more about him than
this anecdote relates, and yet his life
abounded in more remarkable eccen-
tricities than this. Timothy Dexter
was thoroughbred Yankee, born near
Boston IN the year 174a His parents
were poor; he received no education
in youth, but learned the trade of
leather dressing, which he followed in
Charlestown. He was industrious,
frugal and persevering, and after serv-
ing his apprenticeship he commenced
business on his own account. He mar
ried widow, IS industrious and saw
ing as himself, and after a number
of years of hard labor they had
saved several thousand dollars.
During the Revolution times were
hard with all classes of peo-
pie. and continued so down to the
| adoption of the constitution, but Dex-
tcr's industry in his trade enabled him
to keep ahead and to save something
every year. When the new govern
ment went into operation and WASH
ingtOn became President, Dexter was
man of forty-six years He was ignor-
ant, vain. uncOuth, strangely eccen-
trio, to some extent vicious, and was
supposed by many to be little better
than fool. Nevertheless he was
great admirer of Washington and
Hamilton and he believed in the new
government At this time the old rev.
dictionary debt was considered to be
almost worthless, and the certificates
held by the soldiers and those who had
furnished supplies were sold for a
song. Dexter noticed that some of the
rich Boston merchants were buying
them, so he invested all his spare cash
in that way, buying all that he could
get hold of. Hamilton became Secre-
tary of the Treasury and carried
through his plan for funding the debt;
the old certificates became as good as
gold and Dexter became at once a
wealthy man. He now laid aside the
tools of his trade and specialized still
more largely in government securities,
and always to great advantage, so that
he took rank as one of the wealthiest
men in Boston.
He now asplred to enter the upper
ranks of society. but the aristocracy of
that day would have nothing to do
with the uncOuth, loud-mouthed, ig-
norant leather dresser. SO that for all
his wealth the great houses were closed
to him and his family. He next tried
Salem, the second important city of
the State, but society there was more
exclusive even than in Boston, so Dex-
ter Mt last settled down in Newbury-
port Here he purchased fine man
sion. which had been the property of a
wealthy merchant who had failed. II
stood on an elevation commanding a
noble view of the sea, the Isle of Shoals
and the far surrounding country. The
grounds were extensive, and had been
tastefully laid out by the former own
or. but Dexter was not satisfied. He
mad statues erected of Washington.
ADAMS. Jefferson and himself, on the
latter OF which he placed the inscrip-
Ition: 1.-The greatest man in the East
ne sent to Europe and purchased fine
paintings, and although Ee could
scarcely read he had bookcases filled
with rare and costly volumes in imita-
ilon OF the aristocracy of Boston. He |
mad elegant furniture imported from
france. and his cellar was filed with |
expensive wines, but all to no purpose
so Tar rs society was concerned. He |
could get none to associate with him |
put the low and the vicious.
de still carried on his speculations,
aakmg ventures at sea in imitation of |
Pe merchant princes of Boston, and
was during this time that the cele-
aed cargo of warming-pans was
Tpdched to Havana. Another time
selt large consignment of wooden
ovessto the troplcs. and they were
4 at a good profit to vessel which
being fitted for an expedition to
Arctic Ocean. From all accounts
II have been preserved of this
ange character, he never made a
nture OF speculation of any kind, NO
tier how strange or bizarre it I
Ded to others. in which he did not