Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 04.djvu/99

 FIELD

FIELD

as " Peg Woffiiigton," an attack of stage fright came over her and she soon after abandoned the stage. She wrote from Paris and London for the New York Tribune and IleraUl, awX contributed to the leading magazines, 1860-80. In 1878 she as- sisted Professor Bell to introduce his telephone in London, singing through it for the Queen and writing editorials on the subject for the London Times and other leading journals. In 1881 she founded a co-operative dress association in New York, mainly to extend employment to women. The enterprise failed after two years' trial, caus- ing Miss Field some financial loss. In 1883-84 she visited Salt Lake City where she made a study of the special phases of Mormonism, and this knowledge became the basis of her jiopular lect- ' ures on the subject, delivered in every state in the United States, 188.5-90. She appeared before a congressional committee to relate her observa- tions and views. This led to legislation intended for the extermination of polygamy. In 1890 she founded Kate Field's Washington, a national re- view. In its columns she agitated the subject of free art and secured the remission of the duty. For this achievement the Frencli government dec- orated her with the " Palms of the Academy " and conferred upon her the title of " Officier de rinstruction publique. " In the spring of 189.5 she accepted a commission from the Times-Her- ald of Chicago to visit Hawaii and study the con- ditions. She sailed from San Francisco, Nov. !•!, 189.5, and her letters from Hawaii were eagerly read. She secured tlie first press interview ever granted by President Dole and her letters to the Times-Herald were read in cabinet meetings in Honolulu. Exposure in a storm brought on pneu- monia which caused her death. Her body was brought to San Francisco and there cremated and the ashes deposited by the graves of her parents in Mount Auburn cemetery near Boston, Mass. Her friend and biographer, Lilian Whiting, placed over her grave a cross of the purest Italian marble bearing the inscription "Kate Field," and the lines

'* Spirits are not finely touch'd But to fine issues,"

and her own favorite words "Pax Vobiscum." Her books are Plnnchette's Diary (1868) ; Adelaide Bistort (1868) ; Mad on Purpose, a comedy (1868) ; Pen Photographs from Cfiarles Dickens's Readings (1868) ; Hup-Haxard (1873) ; Ten Days in Spain (1875); History of Bell's Telephone (1878) ; Life of Fechter (1883) ; and her review, Kate Field's Wash- ington (8 vols). She died in Honolulu, Hawaii, May 19, 1896.

FIELD, Marshall, merchant, was born in Con- way, Mass., in August, 1835: son of ,Tnhn and Fidelia (Nasli) Field. He grew up on a farm re- ceiving a common school and academic educa-

y-^Mi^t^/(^°n.ty^^

tion. At the age of seventeen lie entered upon a mercantile career as clerk in a dry goods store at Pittsfield, Mass., but in 1856 removed to Chicago and secured emijloyment with Messrs. Cooley, Wadsworth & Co. ; in 1860 was admitted into partnership, the firm becoming Cooley, Far- well c& Co., and still later Farwell, Field &, Co. The last named firm was dissolved and that of Field, Pahirer & Leiter or- ganized in 1865. Mr. Pabner having retired in 1867, the firm was continued under the name of Field, Leiter & Co., until 1881, when Mr. Leiter retired, and the concern became

known as Marshall Field & Co. The growth of the business of this establishment is shown by the fact that, wliereas its sales amoimted before the fire to some §12,000,000 an- nually, in 1895 they aggregated §40,000,000. Mr. Field's business career was remarkable for its success in a city famous for its successful busi- ness men and the vastness of their commercial operations. He was a generous and discriminat- ing patron of important pubb'c enterprises. Among his conspicuous donations are the gifts of a tract of land valued at 5300,000, and §100,000 in cash to the Chicago university, and §1,000,000 to the endowment of the Field Columbian mu- seum, as a sequel to the World's Columbian musemn. The latter, chiefly through the munifi- cence of Mr. Field, became one of the leading institutions of its kind in the United States. Besides his mercantile interests, Mr. Field ac- quired extensive interests in various financial and manufacturing enterprises, including the Pullman palace car company and the Rock Island & Pacific railroad, in each of which he became a director.

FIELD, Maunsell Bradhurst, lawj-er, was born in New York city, March 26, 1822 ; son of Moses and Susan Kittredge (Osgood) Field; grandson of John and Lydia (Hazard) Field, and of Samuel Osgood, U.S. postmastei'-general ; and a cousin of Benjamin Hazard Field. He was graduated from Yale in 1.841, and was admitted to the bar in 1847, beginning practice in partnership with John Jay. In 1854 he was appointed secretary to the American legation in Paris, and after- ward held a similar position with the Spanish legation. He was president of the American com- missioners to the Paris exposition of 1855. In