Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-08-13
Cyrus w. Field and his Family.

laying OF the Atlantic telegraph cable, the
public is interested to know what manner of
man he is, and to learn the chief incidents of
his history. His family is one of the most
honorable in Massachusetts,, with members
distinguished in nearly every department. of
active life. Rev. d. d. Field, native of
East Guilford. Conn, a graduate of Yale
College. in 1902, first settled in Haddam,
Conn. There, most OF his children were born,
seven sons aud two daughters. Of the for
mer are, David Dudley Field, one of the first
lawyers of New York city; Jonathan e.
Field, a member of the Berkshire bar. and
resident of Stockbrdge Cyrus w. Field,
whose name is now household word Mat
thew d. Field of Southwiek, in thus county,
civil engineer, and one of the Repu blican
senator's from Hampden county in 1857 /;
Stephen l. Field, judge of the Supreme
Court of California and Rev. H. M Field
formerly pastor of the Congregational church
in West Springfield, and now one of the con.
ductors of the New York Evangelist. The
seventh and oldest son, Timothy, went to sea
thirty or more years ago, and has never been
heard from since. One of the daughters
married the brother of Mr. Cyrus w. Fields
wife, and died at Paris within few years
The other daughter married Rev. Josiah Brew
er, and became with 'him a missionary in
reside at the family home in Stockbrigde, in
this State.
In 1918, Rev. DR.. Field removed from
Haddam to Stockbridge, when his children
were young, and became pastor of the village
church there, relation which he continued
till 1887, when it was discovered, and he re.
turned to his old charge at Haddam for a few
years; but he retired from the ministry some
ten ears since, and came to Stockbrldge
again, where, amo g his old friends, and with
aportion of his children, he is now living out
in peace and honor the few remaining DAYS of
a long and useful life. Thus Stockbridge
may fairly claim to be the family home here
the father passed his most active ana impor-
tant years, and here his sons were reared and
prepared for the important lines of action into
which they have nearly all since fallen. Da.
vid Dudley Field and Rev. Henry NJ are
graduates of Williams College in the same
county.
Mr.. Cyrus W. Field engaged early as clerk
for his older brother Matthew, who was a pa
per manufacturer at Lee. About the period
of his majority, perhaps before, he engaged in
the same business on his own account in
Westield, in this county, but failed about
1887. He subsequently went to New York,
and established paper commission house,
one CT the first OF the large modern establish
ments OF that description. Iii success over
took him here again but it did not conquer
its victim. Nerved to new labor, he contin-
ued the same business commanded fortune,
paid off all his old debts, and became rich
man. Liberal in dispensing the blessings OF
his wealth, he was the patron of art, and sur
rounded his father at Stockbrdge, with all
the comforts and luxunes that old age covets.
Some five or SIX years ago, he seems to have
conceived the purpose of constructing the
ocean telegraph, and at once threw into its
cousummaton all his native enthusiasm, all
his acquired knowledge of men and things,
all his energy and perseverance, and all his
peeuniary means. He interested others-he
negotiated with goveTnments-he aroused the
press to diseussions-he crossed and re-crossed
the Atlantic, and fired the intelligence of both
continents with hope and zeal in behalf of the
great scheme. First, he obtained grants from
the provincial governments of eastern British
America, and secured the construction of the
telegraph to Halifax, across the sea to New
foundland, and through that dreary island to
its eastern shore. Then, the chief link-Ire-
land to Newfoundland-wa to be forged
but we need not repeat the story. The Enc.
lish and American governments heard his
earnest appeals, and granted money lid ships;
and British private capital was freely yielded
to his enthusiasm and confidence. The long
history of experiments on land and ocean of
last years trial, and the great revulsion in
popular faith after its failure, are fresh in ev-
cry mind. But the master spirit was not dis
couraged, nor dismayed-hs New York house
went down under "the crash of worlds" last
fall, and rum stared him in the face. People
began to talk of him as they would of friend
losing his mind-sympathizingy sorro owing
ly, sadly. But, undaunted, he kept on--once
twice, thrice, the cable parted-the public ut
tered its last sigh, and forgot the whole enter
prise; yet again, the vessels sailed, marshaled
by this Yankee leader of undying pluck, to
mid ocean, and connecting once more the
ends of their respective wires, they parted on
their paths TO glory. The world was startled,
as by clap of thunder in clear sky, by the
plain, business dispatch that announced the
successful completion of the great enterprise,
and the name that closed that dispatch was
imprinted by lightning stroke upon the face of
the earth forever. The cable was laid, and
CYRUS w. FIELD was a hero.
There seems to be no divided honor in this
enterprise-no possibility OF question as to
the author of the great achievement of mod
ern civilization. Hundreds may have dreamed
and suggested the idea; but Mr.. Field was
the first to set seriously at work for its realiz-
alton, and the first to accomplish it. Fortu-
nate is he in having completed his own work.
No Fulton can come in to rob him of the
honor.
Mr.. Field is about forty years old, and
looks younger. He has light, 1.-THE body,
all muscle and nerves, and no flesh, five feet
eight inches high, and weighs perhaps 14O
pounds. His features are sharp and promi-
nent nose that almost exhausts his face I;
eyes, small, sunken, gray or blue, and appa-
rently half closed a large forehead, and a
full head of auburn hair. There is youth
full, almost boysh appearance about him, that
makes him seem younger than he really is.
There is little OF the impressiveness Of figure
and manner about him, that distinguish his
brother Dudley OF the New York bar.
We do not know that these facts in the his
tory of this new moral hero of the christian
civilization are exact to date and letter; but
they trace the outline of his life and charac-
ter with correctness. Our Stockbridge cor
respondent, who ought to know, claims that
he was born there; but the record of the ia
theirs ministry would indicate otherwise. y
lie is the marked man of a marked fam
lily. The annals of father and sons would
make an interesting volume, full of Incl.
dent, anecdote, and positive characteristics.
Matthew Field, the older brother, has been
associated with Mr.. Cyrus Field in the details
OF his great work, from the start and others Of
the family have contributed by pen and speech
and other labor to the success that has filled
their hearts with peculiar joy. OF the self
sacrificing devotion to duty and business, that
have distinguished Mr.. Cyrus Field, we have
some illustrations. Whatever hour of day OF
night that his presence was useful to his pur.
pose, then he was on hand. For weeks and