Early Life
A native of Massachusetts, Atherton was born of an established New England family with roots in the colonial period of the United States. He was educated in his native state and went into the shipping and merchant business at the age of 15. He was charged with the operation of vessels plying between Boston - Valparaíso, Chile and Monterey, California, gaining him wide and varied experience.
In 1834 Atherton traveled to Valparaíso, Chile where he would later establish a ship chandler's store, trading in tallow, hides and merchandise. In Valparaíso in 1843 he married Dominiga de Goñi.
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