Timothy Dexter: Wealth, Eccentricity, and Influence in Early America

Timothy Dexter is history's hidden gem; a diamond cut so sharply yet buried beneath the dust storm that was the 18th century. He was an eccentric, uneducated man whom many called extremely lucky. However, after reading more about Lord Dexter, it is clear he was not merely lucky; he was also extremely intelligent. Dexter was born into a poor Irish family in Massachusetts. At the age of eight, his parents sold him into indentured servitude. When he finally earned his freedom, he decided to become a leatherworker and moved to Newburyport, Massachusetts, for an apprenticeship. Dexter saw this as an opportunity: he bought up approximately twenty percent of the Continental Currency in circulation. Dexter made an estimated $100 million, shocking everyone. Jealous businessmen, furious over his sudden wealth, conspired to bankrupt him by giving him intentionally bad business advice. Obliviously, Dexter cheerfully took their suggestions and somehow succeeded every time. Timothy Dexter over his entire career amassed around 2.6 billion in today's money. He cemented himself as one of the richest men of the new world. Having amassed enormous wealth, Dexter retired and embraced his role as "Lord." Later in life, Dexter donated much of his fortune to the poor of Massachusetts, earning newfound public affection. Dexter's legacy was solidified by the release of his 20-page autobiography, "A Pickle for the Knowing Ones."

Lord Timothy Dexter is the perfect embodiment of fate and luck intertwined.