Isaac Field and Enos Field his brother had stores at Harrison Square and at the junction of Dorchester Avenue and Adams Street, probably next to the house, which was located at the intersection of Dorchester Avenue and Adams Street. Originally known as Dalrymple Junction, the intersection was renamed Field’s Corner in honor of the brothers.
The 1850 map shows a building labeled Field & Drake on Exchange Street at Harrison Square. Perhaps it is this establishment that became Isaac Field’s store in 1852. There is a house on the same map labeled I. Field at the intersection of Dorchester Avenue and Field’s corner.
The Field House was later moved to the back of its lot, allowing the construction of the Field’s Corner storage building, still containing the post office.
The house still exists, although now covered with brick and looking more like a commercial building than a home. It is visible in the parking lot of the Field’s Corner Storage Building. illus 7375 Photograph owned by the Dorchester Historical Society of the Enos Field House, Field’s Corner. Wm. T. Clark, photographer, 338 Washington St., Boston.
Excerpts from: Field Genealogy: Being the Record of All the Field Family in America, Whose Ancestors Were in this Country Prior to 1700….By Frederick Clifton Pierce. (Chicago: Published by W. B. Conkey, 1901).
Digitized by Google Books on June 4, 2008, and available through www.books.google.com
Page 976
5919. Isaac Newcomb Field (Joseph, Robert, Robert, Robert, John), b. Braintree, Mass., April 27, 1765; m. April 21, 1787, Joanna Ford, b. Jne 6, 1765; d. March 13, 1839. Field’s Corner was so called for having been in the first quarter of the century and later on the place of residence of six families by the name of Field, and also the place of business of Mr. Isaac N. Field, whose large currying shop at the corner furnished employment for over forty workmen. Five of Mr. Field’s sons — Enos, Isaac, Aaron D., Thomas M. and Freeman — occupied residences there with their families and a cousin, Charles Field, all of whom were curriers. Mr. Field’s youngest son, Pearson H. was the only one of the sons who eschewed his father’s trade, and he was allowed to learn the boot and shoe business, at which he made a successful career, both in retail and wholesale, in the city of Boston, where he resided. The old mansion at the corner, where Mr. Isaac Field and his wife died still remains in a good condition, although moved back a few years ago to the rear of the postoffice [sic]. The old currying shop has long ago passed out of existence, and no one by the name of Field now lives at the Corner. The Field family was a notable on e in Dorchester for many years, as father and sons bore characters of te highest integrity. There were modest by nature and in appearance, but industrious, intelligent and kindly-natured, always esteemed by their fellow townsmen and trusted by all who knew them. Mr. Isaac W. Field settled there soon after his marriage in 1878, on the upper road. His wife born Joanna Ford, was a lineal descendant from john Alden. Her grandmother who brought her up and shared all her life her home after her marriage to Mr. Isaac Field, was a daughter of Ephraim and Sarah Thayer, a famous couple of Braintree. As she was named Priscilla after her Puritan grandmother, she was given the wedding gown worn by Priscilla Mullin, remnants of which are treasured now by living descendants. Mr. Enos Field, the eldest son, remembered perfectly his great-grandmother, who live to a great age, and the story as told by Longfellow in his poem of “The Courtship of Miles Standish” was a well known one to the Field family long before our poet gave his version to the world. Eleven children were born to Isaac and Joanna in the old house on the upper road, and which is now standing between School and Harvard streets. There were seven sons and four daughters—two of them died in infancy; none are alive now, although nearly all lived to a good old age. The elder Mr. Field was a familiar figure in the town, and, in fact, in many towns, as he did his own buying and selling, carrying on some of the time a shop on the upper road as well as the Corner. His circuit of trade was a large one, comprising towns from Portsmouth, N. H., to Cape Cod; consequently his business and social acquaintance was wide. As this was before the age of steam, the trips were accomplished in Mr. Field’s “one-horse shay,” old Judy doing faithful duty. (It is supposed by the writer that there must have been other horses, but tradition has handed down the name only of the above mentioned mare.) Mr. Field was an inimitable story-teller, and possessed of an excellent, voice, having on hand always a goodly store of anecdotes, and all the old songs and new ballads, which accomplishments made him not only a successful salesman, but a pleasant companion as well. While living on the upper road, Mr. Field attended Dr. Codman’s church. He was, however, converted to a more liberal faith by Rev. Hosea Fallow, which, added to other reasons, greatly induced him to remove to the Corner, where he might attend more conveniently the Meeting House Hill Church which he and his family joined. Mr. Field’s sons, Enos and Isaac Field, succeeded to his business after his decease, and in addition to the currying shop, they had a large shoe and leather store in the city. They occupied the double house for many years, which was moved back by Mr. Henry Field, Mr. Enos Field’s only son, who bought the property to make room for the fine block containing the postoffice and stores which he erected. This building which has been so beneficial to the neighborhood, stands as a fitting memorial to his worthy ancestors by an equally worthy descendant, and justifies the perpetuity of the name.
Page 1001:
6004. ENOS FIELD (Isaac N., Joseph, Robert, Robert, Roberti John), b. Dorchester, Mass., July 9, 1788; M. May to, 1818, Elizabeth H. Blake; she d. Sept. 21, 1871. He was a tanner and currier, and carried on the business with his brother Isaac at Field’s Corner.
6006. ISAAC F. FIELD (Isaac N., Joseph, Robert, Robert, Robert, John), b. Dorchester, Mass., March 19, 1793; m. April 22, 1821. Emeline Richards, dau. of Samuel and Mary, b. July 8, 18o1; d. Jan. 8, 1876. Was a tanner and currier, and carried on the business at Field’s Corner for about thirty years, and employed a large number of men.