Historical California Stone Carvers, Stone Cutters, & Monument Dealers

• October 12, 1820 - Frederick Field born in Dorset, Vermont (Parents: Alfred & Sophronia (Gilbert) Field of Dorset, Vermont.)
• 1820s thru the 1840s - Frederick & Charles Field in the Marble Business in Chicago, Illinois, and Niles, Michigan.

  The following excerpt is from the Field Houses in Dorset, by Anna E. Gilbert, an unpublished manuscript in the Manuscript Collection of the Dorset Historical Society, Dorset, Vermont. Used with permission.) (You can read a transcription of the letter from Alfred Field to his son Frederick Field described below.)

  “There were two sons who went to Albion, N.Y. where they were prominent in marble and other business. A grandson, Benjamin Field, was well known in business and politics built railroads and invented the Pullman sleeping car...By the time Alfred’s children, Frederick, Charles, Janette and Ellen came along in the 1820s, the quarrying of marble was becoming very important in Dorset. Every young fellow learned to cut marble and little marble shops were common. Frederick first went out to Albion where his cousins were and soon after established the first marble shop in Chicago. He and his brother Charles traveled through Illinois, Indiana and Michigan selling marble for many years. I have a letter from their father to Frederick telling how he had filled his order. He had driven to Castleton and had bought $162 worth of stones and was shipping them by canal and the Lakes from Whitehall to him in Chicago. They had an office in Niles, Michigan, because Frederick had malaria in Chicago....”

• December 6, 1833 - Mary Hannah (Bacon) Field born in Niles, Berrien County, Michigan (Parents: Nathaniel & Jane Savage (Sweetman) Bacon.)
• Late 1840s thru early 1860s - Frederick Field & his brother, Charles Field

  Following is a portion of the account Field Genealogy published in 1901 about Charles Field. (The entire account can be found amongst the Field family summaries . Use browser back button to return to this place.)

  “When about twenty-five years of age he, like so many other young men of New England, went west and entered into the marble business in Chicago with his elder brother Frederick, who had preceded him. Their place of business was on La Salle street near the river. They established a branch of their business at Niles, Mich., which at that time proved to be so much better a point for their business than Chicago that they removed to Niles. Mr. (Charles) Field married in 1851 Henrietta Armstrong, daughter of Cyrus Armstrong, of Dorset, Vt., and in 1852 returned to Vermont and became a member of the firm of Holly, Field & Kent, who up to the time of the Rebellion operated the Dorset marble quarries. In this firm were among the early developers of the well known Vermont marbles. Meeting with very heavy financial losses on account of the war, the firm in which Mr. Field was a partner suspended business.”

  Hon. Charles Field	Residence of Hon. Charles Field, Dorset, Vt.

• Late 1840s - Charles Field

  The following excerpt is from “Charles Field 1824-1886,” by Kitty Field Hotchihkiss, September 3, 1963. A copy of this document is available in the Dorset Historical Society collection in Dorset, Vermont. (The entire text for this document is available in the section on Frederick Field and his family. Use browser back button to return to this menu.)

  “Charles Field, my grandfather, son of Alfred on Sohronia (sic) (Gilbert) Field, was born on Thanksgiving Day, December 1, 1824, in the ‘Old Field Place’ now the home of Mr. & Mrs. Ray Putnam Foote. My grandmother wrote:

  “‘He was born in the ancestral farm house that had such a lovely view of the very-varying hills circling the little valley dotted with farm houses, and with its roads all centering in the little village - the ‘Corners’ as it was then called - a mile and a half distant. He grew up a delicate thoughtful boy...a rare student...at Pawlet, Castleton and Burr Seminary... at 14 he was nearly fitted for college. Owing to delicate health this cherished hope was abandoned; but at 16 he donned the stovepipe hat and the dignity becoming a country schoolmaster. At 18 he united with the Congregational Church, and was for some years a Sunday school teacher, and always ready with substantial aid to help and honor the Church.

  “‘At 19 he traveled west, explored mines, crossed the Mississippi river, encountering horse thieves and meeting with incidents common to such a wild, unsettled and then little-known country, and giving opportunity for adventure and romance. Two years later he went again to Chicago, and assisted his brother Frederick in finishing and disposing of the first boatload of marble ever sent round the Lakes from Vermont to that city. They later removed to Niles, Michigan, where he remained four years in successful business.’

  “In October 1851, he married Miss Henrietta Armstrong, daughter of Cyrus and Semantha (sic) ( Baldwin ) Armstrong of Dorset. They spent most of that winter in Niles, traveling there by the Erie Canal and by carriage and sleigh with a good team of horses. Later they returned to Dorset, and Mr. Field carried on an extensive business in marble monuments finished in Dorset mills and sold throughout Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. In 1853 he and his partners became interested in the Vermont Italian Quarries in East Dorset and the West Side Quarry in Dorset, and the Company (Holley, Field & Kent) did an extensive business until the outbreak of the Civil War....”

• Circa 1841 - Frederick Field (The entire account can be found amongst the Field family summaries near the beginning of the menu to this section.)

  Frederick Field moved to Chicago, Illinois. According to the Field Genealogy published in 1901: Frederick Field “brought the first marble to Chicago, and opened the first marble factory....He found the climate of Chicago, or its water, poisonous to him, and moved to Niles, Mich., where he was in the marble business seven years. He then took $9,000 - his earnings - and bought an interest in a marble quarry in Dorset, Vt., and returned to his beloved Vermont. Here the children were born, and here they lived for seventeen years....”

• Winter of 1843 or 1844 - Frederick Field taught school.
• April 1844 - Transcription of a Letter to Frederick Field from his father, Alfred Field, and Frederick’s sister Jannette. (The photocopy of this letter is in the Dorset Historical Society collection and is used with permission. I retyped the transcription of the letter as the photocopy was too faint in places to read. I tried to type the letter as is without adding periods or changing any of the spelling or punctuation. Peggy B. Perazzo)

  “Sunday Evening April 28 1844

  “To my Absent Son

  “We rec(e)iv(e)d your letter Friday, 18 th which we read with much interest The account you gave us of your health and your winters work was verry Gratifying, The more so Because you were Satisfied with it yourself and had also Decided on your business for the Present Season

  “Although we had been long looking for your letter it reach(e)d us in a time of uncommon hurry and Confusion You will Probably hear before you receive This from a letter which Charles sent out by Mr. B. Sykes of the Sickness of Mary Chilson which proved fatal a few days after. She Died Saturday The 13 and was buried Sunday following. We Sent after her Mother and She arrived in time to See her Expire and bury her.

  “We are fixing Jannette of (out?) for Mt. Morris which produces much Labour in Thi(s) house and a great deal of running abroad in addition to This we are raising Sixteen Calves Commencing a new dairy (with all of our old on hand) So you Can readily See we had our hands and heads more Than full. I have Since disposed of my Cheese for five Cints pr lb. I am under The necessity of Keeping my Cows This year. because(e) I Cannot dispose of Them to advantage but I Think This will be The Last Now for the business part of your letter I shall be as Concise as possible it is now ten oclock and what I do must be done to night I was not verry well prepared to meet your Call. because it was Somewhat unexpected Your delaying so long to write Lead me to Conclude That you had Given it up. But fortunately for me, Norman, arrived here Saturday with 4 Horses to buy Stone, he remaned here until Tuesday noon, we took one pair and went to Castleton The other are Still here fiting for Market Wednesday morning we Called on Mr. Hyde Said he had Stone aplenty 2 ½ Miles from The Village took us into his wagon and Carried us to his mill and we look(e)d over ten or twelve Thousand foot and found nothing we wanted. There was all Grades of Colour from pale to blue black but not a white Stone to be found we return(e)d to The Village and Call(e)d on The Messrs Sherman’s They were all absent but would be home at Evening we Call(e)d again and found They had Stone ten or 12 Thousand but They were all at Whitehall 15 Miles I found by Enquiring They were Edged only on one Side I Then told Them what I wanted and That was The privilege of Selecting. They said at once They Could not allow me to do So They had done it years past for one dollar pr ft at the Mill but They found it was injuring The (Cost?) of their Stone (wist?) and Came to The Conclusion last year That They would do it no mor(e) and They must abide by it Every man must take an average lot of Sutch as They Selected for their first Quality The next Question of Course was how Soon Can you Saw Edge and box 300 ft of Stone, and what will you tax Extra for Edging and boxing 7 or 8 Cints was The reply and Could have Them Ready in Eight or ten days I asked Norman what The Expense of Edging and he Said five Cents pr foot and Thought There would be no difficulty in obtaining Stone Cutters to do The work and advis(e)d to Send Them on as They were The next morning we went to Whitehall and after Labouring hard from ten oclock to ½ past 4 P. M. we succeded in selecting 41 headStone which measure(e)d 300 ft and put aboard The Boat for which I pay fifty Cents pr ft. foot Stone 30 cts a piece Edged all Round whole amount $162.30 payable one year from date If you want to make it Larger you may allow me 6.00 for The Three days I was out I Expect you will be Some disappointed That you Cant have all The first rate Stone But I have Certainly done the best for you That I Could I think we have been verry fortunate in our Selectoin (Selection). Norman Says it is twenty pr Cent Better Than an average lot we think it good Enough to begin with if you Should Continue The business any length of time. I shall not Expect to Get another as good

  “In regard to transportation you have ben verry particular in your directions which I am Glad to see. Though you require Something more of Boatman Than men in This region are in The habit of I have always been in the habit of trusting to much to other peoples honesty and perhaps in This Case I have Come farther Short of propriety and reason Than you have Exceeded

  “The Stone are mark(e)d F Field and Co Chi(c)ago Ill Care of Newbury & Dale. I Spoke also of having Them Deliver(e)d to Holt & Palmer But The Capt Said Their Landing place was inconvenient to Get at, and mentioned another which he Thought more Commodious and furthermore he Said if Thaire was a vessel in The Harbour waiting for Loading He would See it put on board and Save Some Expense for Stoage. They were Ship(pe)d in The name of Sherman Brother & Son, the Gentleman which I Bot of Their usual practice of taking Rupt (?) was to mention The number of Pieces Ru? (Reported?) in Good order to Deliver at Sutch place and They Consider(e)d Them accountable for all damages arising from Their Carlessness The rason of its being Ship(pe)d in Their Name. They Loaded the boat and I might Look to Them in Case of Damage No. of pieces 82. No. of tons 5 1/3 at Seven dollars or ton to Buffalo The Cheapest we Could (get) it You See I have varied materially from your directions. if it does not Come out right I Shall Expect to suffer The Consequences and do Better next time Monument Stuf at Castleton is worth from 2.50 to $3.50 per Cubic foot. Table one dollar Board measure Hiram Holley has Return(e)d to Dorset is Going west Soon with a Quantity of Dorset Marble. expresses Some Surprise That That you prefer Castleton

  “I have almost Concluded to Send you 300 ft of Dorset Marble But Think I Shall wait till I hear from you

  “it would be much more Conveneint buying here Than at Castleton. The responsibility in Selecting is not one Quarter as Great you will See by The blunders you find in Reading my Letter That my head is Somewhat Confused The Transportation on The Stone will mak(e) a tremendous hole in your hundred dollars - but never mind that tell them your Partner down East has money Enough

  “My Sheet you See is full and I have not written half that I meant to. but you you take This and wait for The remainder till next time Charles Says he will (see) you Soon

  A. Field

  “Monday morning. Pa is just doing up his letter: and since you would like to know my place of residence, I put in a line with his from which you will readily infer that I am yet an inhabitant of Dorset . But if you will go out to Mount Morris some time next month you may perhaps find me there. WE expect your friend Goodrich here as soon as next week, possibly this week. You shall sertainly have a long letter from me within a month.

  Jannette”

• October 16, 1856 - Frederick Field and Mary Hannah (Bacon) married. (Mary’s parents, Judge Nathaniel and Mary (Sweetman) Bacon, lived in Niles, Berrien County, Michigan.)
• Late 1850s - Frederick & Charles Field

  The following excerpt is from The Story of Dorset, by Zephine Humphrey, Elizabeth Sykes Lee Collaborating, with Occasional drawings by Katherine Field White, The Tuttle Company, Rutland, Vermont, pp. 202.

  “Through all their branches, the Fields seem to have been delightful people. The sons, Frederick and Charles, were away from Dorset a good deal at one time, doing business ‘in the far west,’ at Niles, Michigan. But they eventually settled down here and went into the marble industry, Frederick living in East Dorset and Charles at ‘the Corner.’ The latter, with his cousins Edson Holley and Duane Kent, formed a marble firm. It was he who laid our first marble sidewalk.”

  (pp. 227)

  “The decade of the ‘70s was marked by a number of events, significant either in themselves or in their consequences. The marble business declined so seriously that four quarries were closed; the Frederick Fields removed to California....”

• October 21, 1857 - Alfred Bacon Field born in Dorset, Vermont. (First child of Frederick and Mary H. (Bacon) Field)
• May 17, 1862 - Arthur Gilbert Field (twin) born in Dorset, Vermont. (Second or third child of Frederick and Mary H. (Bacon) Field)
• May 17, 1862 - Edward Sweetman Field (twin) born in Dorset, Vermont. (Second or third child of Frederick and Mary H. (Bacon) Field)
• June 30, 1866 - Mabel Jeanette Field born in Dorset, Vermont. (Fourth child of Frederick and Mary H. (Bacon) Field)
• November 7, 1869 - Amy Gertrude Field born in Dorset, Vermont. (Fifth child of Frederick and Mary H. (Bacon) Field) (Another date given for the birth of Amy Gertrude Field is November 5, 1870.)
• November 12, 1870 - Alfred Bacon Field died in Dorset, Vermont. (First child of Frederick and Mary H. (Bacon) Field)
• February 6, 1873 - Wilfred Bacon Field born. Baptized in Dorset Vermont, November 9, 1873, according to Dorset Historical Society records; Linda French, historian. (Sixth child of Frederick and Mary H. (Bacon) Field)
• November 26, 1875 - Charles Hubert Field* born. (Seventh child of Frederick and Mary H. (Bacon) Field) (* According to Linda French at the Dorset Historical Society, this name may have been Hubert Charles Field.)
• 1850s thru the early 1870s - Frederick & Charles Field in the Marble Business in Dorset, Vermont

  The following excerpt is from the Field Houses in Dorset, by Anna E. Gilbert, an unpublished manuscript in the Manuscript Collection of the Dorset Historical Society, Dorset, Vermont. Used with permission.)

  “It is worthy of note how many of the Field family have been connected with marble and other mining operations. Frederick and Charles were important members of one of the largest marble companies here in Dorset - the Holley, Fields and Kent. When that was flourishing in the 1850s they were salesmen of this Company and traveled a great deal of the time. When the Civil War came on this Company like all the others was hard hit. But after a few years they were operating again and some of the quarries furnished the headstones for the Gettysburg Cemetery. In 1872 Frederick went to California, still in the marble business, and two or three of his sons became mining engineers. One of them went to Mexico, married a Mexican and lived there for the rest of his life operating various mines - lead, etc. His granddaughter came up here last year with her family to see the ‘Old Field Place.’ Another son, Wilfred, prospected for various companies in half a dozen countries. Charles Field’s son, Charles A. Field, sold marble for the Vermont Marble Company in countries all over the world. He came to Dorset in the 80s with trunks of curios he had collected. We were thrilled with the wonderful foreign curious. I still have a card case from Japan and a cane he brought my father. He took most of the things to California and they were burned at the time of the San Francisco earthquake and fire.”

• Frederick & Mary (Bacon) Field & Family in Vermont - the quotation is from The Story of Dorset, by Zephine Humphrey, Elizabeth Sykes Lee, Collaborating, with occasional drawings by Katherine Field white; The Tuttle Company, Rutland, VT. (This document is available at the Dorset Historical Society.)

  (pp. 202)

  “Through all of their branches, these Fields seem to have been delightful people. The sons, Frederick and Charles, were away from Dorset a good deal at one time, doing business ‘in the far west,’ at Niles, Michigan. But they eventually settled down here and went into the marble industry, Frederick living in East Dorset and Charles at ‘the Corner.’ The latter, with his cousins Edson Holley and Duane Kent , formed a marble firm. It was he who laid our first marble sidewalk.”

  (pp. 203)

  “Fredericks’ wife, Mary Bacon, of Niles , was a rarely gifted and lovable woman, a poet whose lyrics, published in various papers and magazines, are full of sweetness and vitality, revealing a warm, tender nature.”

  (pp. 214)

  “Mt. Aeolus, a name well corresponding to Mt. Equinox, near by, and appropriate because this is a region of winds, and because this lofty mountain so much affects their direction and power in the neighboring valleys. Suitable, moreover, because Aeolus dwelt in a cave - very likely in this for no one could prove that he lived anywhere else and this mountain is higher and better adapted for his residence than Stromboli , where he was fabled to dwell.

  “Frederick Field, Esq., in the name of the citizens of Dorset , expressed to the class their gratification at this visit, and their acceptance of the name bestowed upon the hoary mountain to which they all looked up with so much love and reverence.”

  (pp. 227)

  “The decade of the ‘70s was marked by a number of events, significant either in themselves or in their consequences. the marble business declined so seriously that four quarries were closed; the Frederick Fields removed to California ....”

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