Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1906-01-19
MARSHALL FIELD
PASSES AWAY.
Chicago Merchant Prince Dies
in New York After Bret
Illness
DEATH DUE TO PNEUMONIA
Was Married the Second Time on
September 6, Last-Son Acciden.
tally Shot Himself and Died Last
November.

New York, Jan. 17.-Marshall Field
Of Chicago, millionaire merchant and
leader in the dry goods trade OF
the world, died at the Holland Ho.se
in this city at o'clock yesterday
afternoon. after an illness extending
over more than week, beginning
with a bad cold and developing quick
ly into pneumonia, which affected
both lungs. Mr.. Field, although 70
years of age, made fight against
the disease which the attending ply
sicians characterized as being Drawer
and stronger than would have been
expected Of man many years his
junior. Mrs. Field and other mem
bers Of the family were with him
when he lapsed into the period of un'
consciousness which ended in death.
In an adjoining room were many per-
sons prominent in the business and
social life Of Chicago, intimate as
sociates of Mr.. Field, who had come
to New York when the seriousness
Of his condition was made known to
them.
Mr. Field, who has been known as
the "Merchant Prince of Chicago" is
Il years old. He was born in Con-
way, Mass, in 1885, He spent his boy
Go tn 1QSE hn want
to Pittsfield, Mass. where he secured
a place as clerk in a dry goods store.
When he was 81 years old he went
to Chicago. At that time the city
had 10000 inhabitants and one whole
sale house, Cooley, Farwell & Co..
Young Field secured place in TINS
store and made the acquaintance Oh
Levi z. Letter, a clerk like himself.
Four years later Field and Letter
had saved enough money and acquir-
ed credit enough to buy an interest
in Potter Palmer's retail dry goods
business. Mr.. Palmer preferred real
estate transactions to purchases and
sales of calicoes and silks and was
glad to find somebody to relieve him.
The young men could not afford to
take the entire business, so a new
firm was formed. Field, Palmer &
Letter did a good business until 1862,
when Mr.. Palmer was bought out and
the style became Field, Letter & Co.
The firm prospered and in 1871, when
it's establishment at the northeast
corner of State and Washington
streets was destroyed by the great
fire, it's annual sales were in the
neighborhood of eight million dollars.
The next morning after the fire
Field, Letter & Co. were getting ready
to do business in the old car barns
at State and Twentieth streets and
had contracted for rebuilding the
burned structure Soon afterward tt
began the erection of a wholesale
house at Madison and MarEet streets.
In 1885 the present magnificent pile
was begun at Adams, Franklin and
Quincy streets and Fifth avenue. Mr..
Letter retired in 1881. Mr.. Field
then became the head of Marshall
Field & Co.
Among his philanthropic acts are
the founding of the Field Columbian
Museum of Chicago, with gift of one
million dollars, and his gift OF $780,
900 in land and money to the Univer.
sity of Chicago.
Mr.. Field has been twice married.
His second wife was Mrs. Arthur
Cation of Chicago, whom he married
in London, September 5, last year.
The marriage caused much comment
both in the United States and abroad.
Mr.. Fields fee to the rector who per-
formed the ceremony was $4,000.
Mr.. Field was mentioned as pos
sible democratic vice presidential
candidate in 1904. Many of the party
leaders were anxious to have him
announce himself as candidate, but
he steadfastly refused to allow his
name to be put before the conven.
ton. Mr.. Field was also talked of as
presidential candidate possibility.
Mr.. Field has one daughter, Ethel.
now married and residing in Lean
ington, England. His only son, the
late Marshall Field, Jr., accidentally
shot himself in his home in Chicago
November 22 1905. He died five days
later.