Timothy Dexter (1747–1806) is one of the most interesting and unusual figures in American history, remembered for his unusually successful business decisions. His life was a series of absurd situations that led to unexpected prosperity. Here are some more details about his life and memorable actions:
### Background and Business Beginnings
Timothy Dexter was born into a poor family in Massachusetts and had no formal education. He worked as a laborer in his early years and seemed to have little career prospects. However, he made a name for himself and his fortune through his unusual business decisions.
### Unusual Business Decisions
1. **Investing in Continental Currency**:
Dexter bought a large amount of Continental currency, which was issued during the American Revolution. However, after the war ended, the currency quickly lost its value and was considered worthless. Instead of going bankrupt, Dexter was lucky when the US government later decided to exchange Continental notes for US Treasury bonds, making him a huge profit.
2. **The Coal Shipment**:
Dexter is also famous for another strange business decision: he shipped coal from New England to Newcastle, an area in England famous for coal mining. However, when he arrived, Dexter discovered that Newcastle already had enough coal, and the market there was almost empty. But unexpectedly, a miners’ strike in Newcastle caused the demand for coal to skyrocket, and Dexter made a huge profit from selling goods that others did not want.
3. **Irrational Purchasing**:
Another of Dexter’s famous business decisions was to buy thousands of feather pillows when there was no clear market for them. However, he was very lucky when he happened to sell them to a pillow manufacturing company in the West Indies. This further reinforced his belief in luck in all his decisions.
### Personal Life and Bizarre Actions
Despite becoming rich, Dexter did not live a normal life. He did a series of bizarre actions that surprised people:
1. **Wrote a “Worst” Book**:
Dexter wrote an autobiography about his life, but with poor vocabulary and grammar, this book is considered one of the worst works in the history of American literature. However, he still published and sold this book, making people even more surprised at his stupidity.
2. **Calling Himself “Lord Dexter”**:
One of Dexter’s notable actions was that he called himself “Lord Dexter” and started paying people to call him by this title. He also built a large mansion and decorated it with precious objects, which made people even more surprised and mocked.
3. **Faking His Death and Attending His Own Funeral**:
Dexter did another extremely bizarre act of pretending to be dead and holding a funeral for himself. During the funeral, he appeared with his family and friends, but instead of expressing his regret, he argued with his wife, creating an extremely strange scene. This made his image even more ridiculous in the eyes of the public.
### Unexpected Success
Although Dexter’s business decisions were often without any apparent reason and were often considered completely wrong, he was able to succeed in a miraculous way. These decisions were not the result of intelligence or calculation, but rather due to unimaginable luck.
### Place in History
Although not highly regarded by the community at the time, Timothy Dexter became a famous figure in American history thanks to his unreasonable decisions that brought unexpected prosperity. He is a prime example of a person for whom luck and randomness can completely change an individual’s destiny, despite lacking the necessary skills or knowledge.
Timothy Dexter became a symbol of luck and invincibility in situations that others would only consider failures. His life became a testament to how sometimes luck can completely change a person’s life, even when they appear completely unreasonable.
