A Massachusetts Boy
"Howe's Adventures & Achievements of Americans," 1858
Cyrus W. Field had humble beginnings in Massachusetts. He left his home at just fifteen years old in 1834 to try to earn a living. After Field realized he could not afford to go to college, he got a job as an errand-boy.
"In 1844 I was not worth a dollar."
- Cyrus W. Field (Cowan)
After working hard to become a successful paper merchant, Field retired at the age of thirty-four. With his wealth, he became adventurous, taking expeditions to far-flung places around the world. One adventure to South America would influence his life and history forever.
A young Cyrus W. Field.
Barker, William J. & Kuhns, R. K. "Chart of the Submarine Atlantic Telegraph," 1858
Gisborne as he appeared in Gleason's Weekly newspaper.
Gleason, Frederick. 1859
Frederick N. Gisborne founded the Newfoundland Electric Telegraph Company in 1852 to lay a submarine telegraph cable between Halifax and St. Johns in Newfoundland. Gisborne had no expectation to make a longer cable than that. Field met Gisborne on a trip to South America in 1854, who entertained him with the story of his cable. Field picked up Gisborne's idea to connect the world with cables and send messages faster than ever before.
"Why stop where you do? Why link America with only Newfoundland? Why not lay a cable on across the Atlantic Ocean and link us with Europe?"
~ Cyrus W. Field (Oslin)