Nathaniel Dingley, proprietor of the Star Coffee and
Spice Mills, is a native of Maine, born at Winslow, Kennebec County, February
14, 1824, his father being Nathaniel B. Dingley. His mother was also a native
of Maine and daughter of an old soldier and Revolutionary veteran, who came to
this country with Lafayette, settling in Maine after peace was declared. On his
father’s side the family were principally engaged in ship building, his
grandfather and father both following that trade, and also that of shipping
lumber to the West Indies. Nathaniel Dingley, subject of this sketch, spent his
early boyhood days at his native place, but was quite young when he went to
sea, his first experience away from home and without leave, at that. He landed
at Boston “dead broke,” but soon obtained employment with the firm of Hill,
Capen & Co., who were engaged in English dry-goods trade. When the first
named member of the firm disposed of his interest in the business Mr. Dingley
left there and went with Hill, Capen & Nicholas, corner of West and
Washington streets. After he had been
in Boston eight years he went to a branch house of the firm at Portland, Maine,
where he remained a year. He then returned to Boston and became one of a party
of 100 organized to go to California on the “Harriet Rockwell.” Among the party
were Charles Tucker, Jr., and Theodore Hastings, who for the past seventeen
years has been a salesman and bookkeeper for Mr. Dingley. They left Boston on
the 18th of September, 1849, and landed at San Francisco about the
middle of February, 1850. On the voyage the ship put into port at St. Catharine
(just at the time of the riots there) at the Faulkland Islands, and at
Valparaiso, where they stopped two weeks. Their only serious trouble on the
trip was off the mouth of the Platte River, where they were stormed-tossed for
three days, and were in danger all of that time. Mr. Dingley remained in San
Francisco about two months after his arrival there, waiting for returns from
the sale of effects jointly owned by the company, and received $65 as his
share. He then went to Marysville, and from there went up to Shasta by ox-team.
On the way he got ahead of the party, and going to one side went to sleep. When
he awoke his companions were far ahead.
He went to Cottonwood Creek, and ran into a band of lava-bed Indians,
who took him prisoner and kept him over night. His life would not have been
worth much were it not that he had in his possession a lot of pipes, which he
presented to the Indians. Another fact in his favor was that Boston Charley,
one of his captors, was the son of a Boston man, and as Mr. Dingley was from
Boston Charley interceded in his favor. At daybreak next morning they placed
Mr. Dingley astraddle the tallest Indian, and with two others bracing him they
carried him across the stream so that he did not get wet. They then provided
him with an escort, who accompanied him until he joined his friends. He went up
Clear Creek to the foot-hills, and engaged in mining at One-Horse Town. He was
there six months and in that time had cleared $2,000. They then purchased an
ox-team and undertook the long journey to Union Valley. There Mr. Dingley
engaged again in mining, and also started a grocery store, with a partner. Three months later, when the cold weather
came on, Mr. Dingley became sick, and left the concern with his partner while
he went to Marysville to receive medical attention. A couple months later his
partner, who had disposed of the business, came down and settled up. Mr.
Dingley went to work drawing a wagon for the Boston Bakery, on Webb street
above Montgomery, and some time later, about the time a sale of the bakery was
being made, Mr. Dingley expressed a desire to purchase a half interest, saying
that he had $1,000 and could be of much service in drumming up trade. The deal
was consummated and a partnership formed, and they were doing fine business
when the great fire came and cleared them out, Mr. Dingley losing between $8,000 and $10,000. He borrowed $9 and came
to Sacramento. He obtained employment in the coffee business with Charles
Tucker, on Front street, between I and J. Three months later Mr. Tucker went
under financially, and his stock was sold at auction. Mr. Dingley bought it in,
added the manufacture of syrups to the business, and has added to it until the
trade has assumed very large proportions indeed, extending throughout
California and Nevada. After the fire on Front street, Mr. Dingley removed to
his present location, on I street, where he has ever since continued. The
products of the factory enjoy a reputation second to none, and the business has
met with a well deserved and permanent success. Mr. Dingley has been a resident
of California ever since the pioneer days, and has been an eye witness to the
State’s great progress in reaching her present proud position. He commenced in
Sacramento with no capital save willing hands and a determined head, and is in
every sense of the word a self-made man.
An Illustrated History of Sacramento County, California.
By Hon. Win. J. Davis. Lewis Publishing Company 1890. Page 322-323.
© 2004 Marla Fitzsimmons.