James T. Fields
James T. Fields (1817-1882) was an influential American publisher, poet, and editor known for his significant contributions to the literary scene of the 19th century. Born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, he faced early adversity when he lost his father and was raised by his mother. At just thirteen, Fields moved to Boston to work in a bookstore, where he developed a passion for literature and forged connections with other self-taught individuals. By 1840, he was publishing works of prominent English authors at the Allen and Ticknor Publishing Firm, eventually becoming a junior partner and later, senior partner as the firm evolved into Ticknor and Fields.
Fields also served as the editor of the Atlantic Monthly from 1861 to 1864, further solidifying his role in shaping American literature. His published works included poetry and notable nonfiction, with "Yesterdays with Authors" being particularly acclaimed. Fields experienced personal loss, mourning the deaths of two wives, which deeply affected him. His enduring friendships with the authors he published reflect his commitment to literature and its creators, making him a memorable figure in American literary history.
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James T. Fields
Publisher
- Born: December 31, 1817
- Birthplace: Portsmouth, New Hampshire
- Died: April 24, 1881
Biography
The first of two sons born to Michael Fields, a ship captain, and Margaret Beck Fields, James T. Fields and his brother were raised by their widowed mother after their father died of a fever. Fields finished high school in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, at the age of thirteen and moved to Boston, Massachusetts, to work at a bookstore. He furthered his education by reading a wide range of books and making friends with other self-educated young men.
By 1840, Fields was signing and successfully publishing many English authors at the Allen and Ticknor Publishing Firm. William D. Ticknor was so impressed by Fields’s work that he made Fields his junior partner in 1843. By 1849, the company had changed its name to Ticknor, Reed, and Fields; in 1854, the name was changed again to Ticknor and Fields. Fields continued to publish major authors for the firm during the 1850’s, and in 1858, he received a M.A. degree from Harvard University. Fields became editor of the Atlantic Monthly Magazine in 1861 and held the position until 1864, when he was made senior partner at the publishing firm. Fields retired from his publishing career and started lecturing in 1870.
The initial publication of Fields’s own work occurred during his first decade in Boston; several of his poems were issued in various New York magazines. In 1949, the published Poems was a success, but his greatest achievement was his nonfiction work Yesterdays with Authors (1872). Fields married Eliza Willard, the younger sister of Fields’s first fiancée (who died of tuberculosis) in 1850. She died a year later, leaving Fields to mourn, for the second time, the death of a woman he loved. In 1854, Fields married Annie Adams, the daughter of a Boston doctor and the cousin of Eliza Willard. Fields kept close personal friendships with the writers he published; evidence of such ties is in his book Yesterdays with Authors. His enthusiasm for literature and those who created it motivated his accomplishments and make Fields memorable.