Henry Martyn Field (minister)
Encyclopedia
Henry Martyn Field was an American
author
and clergyman.
Brother of Cyrus West Field
, David Dudley Field II, and Stephen Johnson Field
, he was born at Stockbridge, Massachusetts
; he graduated at Williams College
in 1838, and was pastor of a Presbyterian church in St Louis, Missouri, from 1842 to 1847, and of a Congregational church
in West Springfield, Massachusetts
, from 1850 to 1854. The interval between his two pastorates he spent in Europe.
From 1854 to 1898 he was editor and for many years he was also sole proprietor of The Evangelist
, a New York periodical devoted to the interests of the Presbyterian church. He spent the last years of his life in retirement at Stockbridge, where he died in 1907.
He was the author of a series of books of travel, which achieved unusual popularity. His two volumes descriptive of a trip round the world in 1875-1876, entitled From the Lakes of Kularney to the Golden Horn (1876) and From Egypt to Japan (1877), are almost classic in their way, and have passed through more than twenty editions. Among his other publications are The Irish Confederates and the Rebellion of 1798 (1850), The History of the Atlantic Telegraph (1866), Faith or Agnosticism? the Field-Ingersoll Discussion (1888), Old Spain and New Spain (1888), Bright Skies and Dark Shadows (1890), and Life of David Dudley Field (1898). Writing about race in Bright Skies and Dark Shadows, Field claimed that segregation was part of human instinct which could not be overcome through legislation.
Although in his day he was known as a member of a remarkable quartet of brothers, today Rev. Field is best recalled because of his marriage in the 1850s to Mlle. Henrietta Deluzy-Desportes, the one-time governess to the ill-fated Charles de Choiseul-Praslin
, Duc de Praslin whose murder of his wife Fanny
(daughter of Marshal Horace Sebastiani) and apparent suicide help set off the events leading to the overthrow of King Louis Philippe
's reign in 1848. The marriage of Henry and Henrietta was a successful one, and she died in the 1870s in New York City.
Henry Martyn Field was portrayed by actor Jeffrey Lynn
in the 1940 film of All This and Heaven Too
based on the novel by Field's collateral descendant Rachel Field
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and clergyman.
Brother of Cyrus West Field
Cyrus West Field
Cyrus West Field was an American businessman and financier who, along with other entrepreneurs, created the Atlantic Telegraph Company and laid the first telegraph cable across the Atlantic Ocean in 1858.-Life and career:...
, David Dudley Field II, and Stephen Johnson Field
Stephen Johnson Field
Stephen Johnson Field was an American jurist. He was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court of the United States Supreme Court from May 20, 1863, to December 1, 1897...
, he was born at Stockbridge, Massachusetts
Stockbridge, Massachusetts
Stockbridge is a town in Berkshire County in Western Massachusetts. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,947 at the 2010 census...
; he graduated at Williams College
Williams College
Williams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Originally a men's college, Williams became co-educational in 1970. Fraternities were also phased out during this...
in 1838, and was pastor of a Presbyterian church in St Louis, Missouri, from 1842 to 1847, and of a Congregational church
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
in West Springfield, Massachusetts
West Springfield, Massachusetts
The Town of West Springfield is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 28,391 at the 2010 census...
, from 1850 to 1854. The interval between his two pastorates he spent in Europe.
From 1854 to 1898 he was editor and for many years he was also sole proprietor of The Evangelist
The Evangelist
The Evangelist is the fifth album by Robert Forster. It was released by YepRoc in 2008.-Track listing:#"If It Rains" – 3:47#"Demon Days" – 3:40#"Pandanus" – 3:59#"Did She Overtake You" – 3:24#"The Evangelist" – 4:30...
, a New York periodical devoted to the interests of the Presbyterian church. He spent the last years of his life in retirement at Stockbridge, where he died in 1907.
He was the author of a series of books of travel, which achieved unusual popularity. His two volumes descriptive of a trip round the world in 1875-1876, entitled From the Lakes of Kularney to the Golden Horn (1876) and From Egypt to Japan (1877), are almost classic in their way, and have passed through more than twenty editions. Among his other publications are The Irish Confederates and the Rebellion of 1798 (1850), The History of the Atlantic Telegraph (1866), Faith or Agnosticism? the Field-Ingersoll Discussion (1888), Old Spain and New Spain (1888), Bright Skies and Dark Shadows (1890), and Life of David Dudley Field (1898). Writing about race in Bright Skies and Dark Shadows, Field claimed that segregation was part of human instinct which could not be overcome through legislation.
Although in his day he was known as a member of a remarkable quartet of brothers, today Rev. Field is best recalled because of his marriage in the 1850s to Mlle. Henrietta Deluzy-Desportes, the one-time governess to the ill-fated Charles de Choiseul-Praslin
Charles de Choiseul-Praslin
Charles Laure Hugues Théobald, duc de Choiseul-Praslin was a French nobleman and politician, who served as a member of the Chamber of Deputies in 1838–1842...
, Duc de Praslin whose murder of his wife Fanny
(daughter of Marshal Horace Sebastiani) and apparent suicide help set off the events leading to the overthrow of King Louis Philippe
Louis Philippe
Louis Philippe may refer to:*Louis-Philippe I, King of the French, last King of France*Prince Philippe, Count of Paris, called King Louis Philippe II by some factions*Louis Philippe I, Duke of Orléans*Louis Philippe II, Duke of Orléans...
's reign in 1848. The marriage of Henry and Henrietta was a successful one, and she died in the 1870s in New York City.
Henry Martyn Field was portrayed by actor Jeffrey Lynn
Jeffrey Lynn
Jeffrey Lynn was an American actor.Born Ragnar Lind in Auburn, Massachusetts, Lynn was a school teacher before he began his acting career. He came to Hollywood and made his film debut in Out Where the Stars Begin...
in the 1940 film of All This and Heaven Too
All This and Heaven Too
All This, and Heaven Too is a 1940 American drama film made by Warner Bros.-First National Pictures, produced and directed by Anatole Litvak with Hal B. Wallis as executive producer. The screenplay was adapted by Casey Robinson from the novel by Rachel Field...
based on the novel by Field's collateral descendant Rachel Field
Rachel Field
Rachel Lyman Field was an American novelist, poet, and author of children's fiction. She is best known for her Newbery Medal–winning novel for young adults, Hitty, Her First Hundred Years, published in 1929. She won the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award twice...
.
External links
- Works by Henry Martyn Field, at Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
. Scanned books.