Marshall Field

Marshall Field (1834 -1906) was founder of Marshall Field and Company, the Chicago based chain of department stores.

Field was born on a farm in Conway, Massachusetts. At the age of 19 he moved to Chicago and obtained employment at a dry goods store. Field rose to become a partner in the company. Field and a partner, Levi Leiter joined another dry goods store owned by Potter Palmer. The store then became known as Field, Palmer, and Leiter. Shortly thereafter, Palmer retired from retailing. In 1881 Field bought out his remaining business partner and changed the store's name to Marshall Field and Company.

Marshall Field's has since been acquired by Target in 1990, which sold it to May Department Stores in 2004.