Figure 1.--Here we see a burgandy velvet sailor suit purchased at Marshall Fields. We are not sure when it was purchased, but suspect sime time around the turn of the 20th century.
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Figure 1.--Here we see a burgandy velvet sailor suit purchased at Marshall Fields. We are not sure when it was purchased, but suspect sime time around the turn of the 20th century. |
The Marshal Fields Department Store in Chicago was named after its founder Marshall Fields (1834-1906). He was one of the great American merchant princes who in his later life became a noted philanthropist. He was a real life Horatio Alger growing up from humble origins. He was born near Conway, Massachusetts. He grew up on a farm. As a youing may he went west just before the Civil War (1856). Rather than finding land for farming, he went to the rising mid-Western metroplis--Chicago. He opened a dry goods store. He was a shy man which his first empoyee thought was not the best dispositiion to become a successful retailer. He formed a firm with associates--Field, Palmer, and Leiter. He had bought them out by 1882, changing the name of the firm to Marshall Fields. He managed to survive the financil panic of 1873 and the Great Chicago Fire. Chicago grew into the greates city of the Mid West, becoming a central railroad hub. Fields and other Chicago businesses bebefitted by the growth of Chicago. Rather than meerly becoming a retailer, Field actually began manufacturing merchasndise sold in his store. He opened manufacturing operations both in America and around the world (including Spain, Germany, Italy, Australia, and China). Field would not here of credit and instituted a strict cash only system. Fields became a major force in American retailing. He succeeded in accumulating one of the largest private fortunes in America and played a significant role in developing modern retailing practices.
The Marshal Fields Department Store in Chicago was named after its founder Marshall Fields (1834-1906). He was one of the great American merchant princes who in his later life became a noted philanthropist. He was a real life Horatio Alger growing up from humble origins. He was born near Conway, Massachusetts. He grew up on a farm. He did not, however, like farming. He worked for 5 years as a an apprentice in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. He then went west just before the Civil War (1856). Rather than finding land for farming, he went to the rising mid-Western metropolis--Chicago. There he was hired as a clerk in Cooley, Wadsworth & Co., an important dry-goods firm. He showed promise and was made a junior partner (1862). He then joined others to form their own firm, Field, Palmer, and Leiter (1865). He opened a dry goods store. He was a shy man which his first empoyee thought was not the best dispositiion to become a successful retailer. He had bouught out his partners by 1882 and changing the name of the firm to Marshall Fields.
Fields managed to survive the financil panic of 1873 and the Great Chicago Fire. Chicago grew into the greates city of the Mid West, becoming a central railroad hub. Fields and other Chicago businesses bebefitted by the growth of Chicago. Other important business names emerged from Chicgo, including the Armours, Pullmans, and McCormicks,
Fields became a major force in American retailing. He succeeded in accumulating one of the largest private fortunes in America and played a significant role in developing modern retailing practices. Rather than meerly becoming a retailer, Field actually began manufacturing merchasndise sold in his store. He opened manufacturing operations both in America and around the world (including Spain, Germany, Italy, Australia, and China). Field would not here of credit and his wholesale from his retail business. His central focus was his store which he call, and concentrated on "The Grand Emporium". He believed in the power od adverising and had large latouts in the Chicago newspapets. He offered his Chicagpo customers one-price, deliveries, consistently high-quality merchandise, and the ability to return merchandize. He turned shoping trips intgo pleasant, almost social events. The store was lushly decorated and a dining room was added. There was a ticket office where theater and sporyts tickets could be purchased, saving a trip. Special attention were given to window displays. He had eight basic business eukles, chief among them were never borrow, never speculate, and pay cash.
Field paid his workers low wages. There was at the time many who wiyhout unions were forced to accept what was offered. He offered much higher wages to supervisors and his immediate subordinates. He had good instinct abour hiring good managers.
He married Nannie Douglas Scott when he was 29 years old. It appears to have been a snap decession. They had two children. He and Nannie were nit well suited for each other. They separated and she moved to France where she died (1896). He married again to Arthur Delia Caton (1894). His son Marshall Fields II (1868-1905) died of a gun shot ruin, probably suiside, but was ruled accidental. His grandson Marshall Fields III (1893-56) had a destinguished careen of his own.
He was educated in England at Eton College and at Cambridge University. He served in France during World War I. He dabled in a variety of business activities, but in 1936 during the Depression began working on social efforts. He then took an interest in publishing, He helped help found PM, a liberal New York newspaper (1940). He also founded the Chicago Sun (1941). After World war II he purchased the Chicago Times which he merged with the Sun.
He formed Field Enterprises, Inc. (1944) and published the Like most early industrialists, he objected to unions. He did think his or any other workers had a right to organize and bargin collectively. He sw this as an unwarnted interference with commerce. Labor leaders began calling the National Guard "Marshall Field's boys" after they were used against Pullman railroad strikers (1894). Fields had urged state officials to use them.
While he didn't believe in higjh wages or unions, Fields did have a community spirit and was a notable philanthropist. He helped to finance the Chicago World's Fair (1893). He contributed to many charities. He also played a major role in the Art Institute of Chicago, University of Chicago (donating the land for the University), and the Field Museum of Natural History.
Tebbel, John. The Marshall Fields: A Study in Wealth (1947).
Twyman, Robert W. The History of Marshall Field & Company (1954).
Wendt L. and H. Kogan, Give the Lady What She Wants: The Story of Marshall Field and Co. (1952).
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Created: 5:13 AM 2/11/2006
Last updated: 5:13 AM 2/11/2006