Stephen Spindel was reared on his father's farm in Massachusetts and his first business venture was the tending of a stall in the Boston market when he was sixteen years of age. In 1856 he sailed for California via the Panama route and landed in San Francisco March 5, 1856. He was twenty years of age at that time, and was filled with the enthusiasm of his youthful hopes. From San Francisco he went to San Andreas and Angels Camp, and mined in those vicinities for a number of years. In 1862 he went to Oregon and discovered a claim in which Mr. Fair, Judge Falke and Mr. Boyd became interested. Mr. Spindel sunk a shaft eighty-five feet and ran a tunnel eleven hundred feet long, but lost both time and money. He returned to Angels Camp and, one day, with a few hours' work, took out one hundred and eight dollars and found a nugget worth ninety-six dollars, but the average was not much over five to six dollars per day. In 1866 he came to Virginia City to work for Mr. Fair, who was then superintendent of the Ophir, and they became very warm personal friends. Mr. Spindel attended Mr. Fair's wedding. Mr. Spindel tended the bridge which crossed the river to the town of Ophir and also assisted in building a mill at Silver City. He then returned to California to visit his wife. In a few months he went to the Comstock mines, in which he worked during 1868-9 and 1870 as shaft boss on the Hale & Norcross mine, having two hundred and fifty men under him. A large amount of bullion was produced. While working in the Consolidated California and Virginia he struck the first ore in the bottom, one thousand and sixty feet under ground, and following it found the ledge, to which they sunk a shaft and met with very remarkable results. Mr. Spindel continued with this company and also with the Ophir as long as Mr. Fair was superintendent. He also was connected with the Salem City mine, owned by Mr. Saunders, out of which he took thirty thousand dollars. His present position was assumed under Colonel L. H. Kinkaed, and he is regarded as one of the most efficient and thoroughly reliable men in his particular line in the entire state.

In 1858 Mr. Spindel was happily married to Agnes Davis, a native of Paisley. Scotland, who was brought to Maysville, California, when three years of age and was reared and educated in California. Two children were born to this marriage, namely: Almira, who married Mr. Thomas Dolan and died when twenty-three years old, leaving Alfred and Willard Dolan, both of whom are in California with their father; Ida, who died aged eight years. Mrs. Spindel died in 1880, aged fifty years, deeply lamented by her husband and children. The loved ones are interred at Angels Camp, California. Mr. Spindel was made a member of the Masonic fraternity, Lodge No. 3, in Virginia City, in 1872. Having been a stanch Republican, he has served his party faithfully, and in 1897 was elected to the state assembly, where he served two terms. He was also elected to the state senate, but his seat was denied him. Mr. Spindel is one of the solid, responsible men of Virginia City, in whose integrity and uprightness all who know him have the utmost confidence. Personally he has a pleasant, genial manner which wins friends, whom his sterling qualities retain.

Source:
A History of the State of Nevada: Its Resources and People
By Thomas Wren, Lewis Publishing Company
Published by The Lewis publishing company, 1904