Nathaniel Dingley

 

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 18^th 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.