Field, Marshall, I (1834-1906), an American merchant, established Marshall Field and Company, a world-famous Chicago department store. His family was prominent in merchandising, publishing, and philanthropy.
His life.
Marshall Field I was born in Conway Township, Massachusetts, probably on Sept. 18, 1834. He came to Chicago in 1856 and obtained a job with a dry goods firm. In 1865, Field bought an interest in a rival business. By 1881, he gained control of the firm, and it became known as Marshall Field and Company.
Field introduced many new merchandising strategies. For instance, he marked prices on the merchandise and let customers exchange goods if they were dissatisfied. Field’s slogan was “Give the Lady What She Wants,” and he made an effort to attract women to his store. Marshall Field and Company developed new advertising methods and window displays to attract customers. It was the first store to sell bargain goods in its basement. Marshall Field and Company grew to become a major chain before being acquired by Macy’s, Inc., in 2005. The chain was renamed Macy’s in 2006.
Field’s philanthropic activities included a gift of land as a site for a new University of Chicago. He also contributed about $9 million to establish the Field Museum in Chicago, one of the world’s largest natural history museums. Field died on Jan. 16, 1906.
His family.
Marshall Field II, the son of Marshall Field I, did not take part in the family enterprises because of poor health and a lack of interest in the business.
Marshall Field III, the son of Marshall Field II, began the family publishing business. In 1940, he helped found PM, a New York City daily newspaper. He founded The Chicago Sun in 1941 and purchased control of another Chicago paper, the Daily Times, in 1947. The next year, he merged the two papers into the Chicago Sun-Times. Field’s other communications activities included World Book and Childcraft, which became Field Enterprises Educational Corporation (now World Book, Inc.); the book-publishing houses of Simon & Schuster and Pocket Books; and several radio stations. Field established Field Enterprises, Inc., to consolidate his business activities. In 1940, he established the Field Foundation, which focused on solving social problems. Field was born on Sept. 28, 1893, in Chicago and died on Nov. 8, 1956.
Marshall Field IV, the son of Marshall Field III, expanded the Field publishing enterprises. He became editor and publisher of the Chicago Sun-Times in 1950 and was named president of Field Enterprises in 1956. He later became chairman of the board. In 1959, Field bought the Chicago Daily News. In 1963, Field formed Publishers Newspaper Syndicate. Field was born on June 15, 1916, in New York City and died on Sept. 18, 1965.
Marshall Field V, son of Marshall Field IV, served as chairman of the board of Field Enterprises from 1972 to 1984. Field served as publisher of the Sun-Times and of the Daily News. In 1978, Field Enterprises sold World Book, Inc., to the Scott & Fetzer (now Scott Fetzer) Company. In 1984, Field Enterprises sold the Sun-Times. That same year, Field and his half brother, Frederick W. Field, who co-owned Field Enterprises, dissolved the company. Marshall Field V then founded the Field Corporation to manage his businesses. Field was born on May 13, 1941, in Charlottesville, Virginia.
