Woolsey Hopkins Field was named for Theodore Woolsey, the President of Yale University, and for Mark Hopkins, a railroad investor and a life time friend of Woolsey's grandfather, Cyrus Field. Woolsey was born in August 1882 in Irvington, Westchester County, New York, just north of New York City, in a house that was part of Cyrus' estate with houses for his children. This house unfortunately later burned down. Woolsey's education included attending Lawrenceville Academy in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, a college prep school, for one semester in 1900. He then went on to Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts and graduated from there in 1904 with an engineering degree.
Four years later in July 1908, Woolsey married Estelle Grace Reed. Grace, as she was called, lived in Manhattan on the census of 1900 with her brother and sister and she and Woolsey no doubt met in New York. Grace was born in April 1877 in Pennsylvania and was 5 years older than Woolsey. Grace and Woolsey had no children. To clarify, Estelle Grace Reed was the aunt of Woolsey's second wife, Estelle Gwendoline Masser, who was the daughter of Sarah Ellen Reed, who married William Masser. But going back to Grace and Woolsey, from 1914-1915 they lived in New Jersey. Soon thereafter they physically supported the allied effort during World War I by going to Europe. Woolsey was in the intelligence service and because he spoke fluent German, he took the part of a German soldier and crossed the English Channel at night, spying for the British. He also spoke fluent French and Spanish and was a good friend of Edward, the Duke of Windsor, who abdicated the throne. Grace did her part as well and was a nurse, for which she was decorated by the French government and also received a medal for her Red Cross work. She died in February 1919 in Summit, Union County, New Jersey, across the river from New York City, and family lore suggests she "worked herself to death" while serving as a nurse; she was just 41. Woolsey was 5 feet, 11 3/4 inches tall with blue eyes, dark brown hair and oval face as described on his passport application. In a World War I draft card in 1918, he states he is an exporter-importer and employed by a company in New York City. On the 1920 census, we find him living with his mother on East 17th St. in New York City and he lists himself as an independent worker working on his own accord. But he has met Estelle Gwendoline Masser and they marry on 9 June 1920 in Philadelphia, PA.; this marriage took place despite the fact Woolsey had just had serious surgery for a ruptured appendix the week before. Estelle Gwendoline Masser was born in 1896 in Muncy, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, located in the middle of the state. This time, Woolsey's wife is 14 years younger. Estelle was educated as a teacher at Barnard College in New York City and Hunter College in New York and taught 2nd & 3rd grade at a home for orphan boys for a year. She was most proud of having taught the boys to knit! She continued her own schooling and received a BS degree in Education on 15 June 1920 from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia the day before she married Woolsey. Estelle and Woolsey lived from 1921 to 1924 at both the Chatham Hotel (later the Gladstone Hotel) and the Lafayette Hotel or Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. It is unknown how they decided which place they would live during those years, but their only child, Rhoda Estelle Field, was born in 1922 in New York City and they used a drawer in a dresser for her bassinet in their hotel room, depending on which hotel they were in. Woolsey was probably still working on his own accord. From 1924 to 1925, Woolsey, Estelle and Rhoda lived in Caracas, Venezuela. Woolsey was handling oil agreements for the US government and coordinating the transfers between the two countries. In 1925, on their way home from Venezuela, they stopped to see friends there, who influenced Woolsey to stay and help with the Central Highway Project there. They lived in a hotel in Cuba from 1925 to 1932, while Woolsey oversaw the construction of this 700 mile concrete highway that went from one end of the country to the other. The Republic of Cuba had awarded the highway contract to Warren Brothers Company of Boston, Massachusetts with a sub contract to Kaiser Paving Company. They used the first asphalt (Bitcha Vert) on the highway, which was first tried on the Philadelphia post office roof for a helicopter pad. The total cost of the highway project was about $75 million and the actual work started in March 1927. After the highway was finished, Woolsey became involved in gold mining there. They moved back to the US in 1932 and lived with Estelle's parents in Philadelphia; they also purchased a vacation cabin in Eagles Mere, Sullivan County, PA., where they spent their summers. In April 1935, they bought 3 lots in Wyncote, PA., a suburb of Philadelphia, and built a house on each lot. They lived in one and sold two; one of the ones they sold was to Eaton & Grace Lloyd and Rhoda would eventually marry Grace's son, Garland. Estelle joined the Calvary Presbyterian Church in Wyncote, but Woolsey joined the Episcopal Church in Wyncote; the Episcopal Church in Irvington, New York being his home church growing up. Woolsey died from a heart attack, caused by a blood clot in his leg, which when the doctors tried to remove it, it went the wrong way to the heart. This was on 8 September 1939 in Abington, Pennsylvania, another suburb of Philadelphia; Woolsey was just 57. Woolsey was buried in the Stockbridge Cemetery next to his first wife. Estelle is found as a widow on the 1940 census in their home in Wyncote. In 1949, Estelle decided it was time to move closer to her daughter, Rhoda, who was living in Sacramento, California at the time with her family. Estelle not only moved herself, but both of her parents as well. They lived on Atlas Avenue in a duplex, so that they each had their own space. After the death of her mother in 1953, Estelle, moved her father and herself into a house on Francis Court in Sacramento. Estelle's father died in 1956, but she continued to live there until 1963. In 1963 she bought a house a block away from her daughter in Lodi, California. Six years later, she was admitted to a convalescent home in Lodi and died there on 8 Sept 1974 from dementia. She was buried in the Stockbridge Cemetery on the other side of Woolsey.
Four years later in July 1908, Woolsey married Estelle Grace Reed. Grace, as she was called, lived in Manhattan on the census of 1900 with her brother and sister and she and Woolsey no doubt met in New York. Grace was born in April 1877 in Pennsylvania and was 5 years older than Woolsey. Grace and Woolsey had no children. To clarify, Estelle Grace Reed was the aunt of Woolsey's second wife, Estelle Gwendoline Masser, who was the daughter of Sarah Ellen Reed, who married William Masser. But going back to Grace and Woolsey, from 1914-1915 they lived in New Jersey. Soon thereafter they physically supported the allied effort during World War I by going to Europe. Woolsey was in the intelligence service and because he spoke fluent German, he took the part of a German soldier and crossed the English Channel at night, spying for the British. He also spoke fluent French and Spanish and was a good friend of Edward, the Duke of Windsor, who abdicated the throne. Grace did her part as well and was a nurse, for which she was decorated by the French government and also received a medal for her Red Cross work. She died in February 1919 in Summit, Union County, New Jersey, across the river from New York City, and family lore suggests she "worked herself to death" while serving as a nurse; she was just 41. Woolsey was 5 feet, 11 3/4 inches tall with blue eyes, dark brown hair and oval face as described on his passport application. In a World War I draft card in 1918, he states he is an exporter-importer and employed by a company in New York City. On the 1920 census, we find him living with his mother on East 17th St. in New York City and he lists himself as an independent worker working on his own accord. But he has met Estelle Gwendoline Masser and they marry on 9 June 1920 in Philadelphia, PA.; this marriage took place despite the fact Woolsey had just had serious surgery for a ruptured appendix the week before. Estelle Gwendoline Masser was born in 1896 in Muncy, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, located in the middle of the state. This time, Woolsey's wife is 14 years younger. Estelle was educated as a teacher at Barnard College in New York City and Hunter College in New York and taught 2nd & 3rd grade at a home for orphan boys for a year. She was most proud of having taught the boys to knit! She continued her own schooling and received a BS degree in Education on 15 June 1920 from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia the day before she married Woolsey. Estelle and Woolsey lived from 1921 to 1924 at both the Chatham Hotel (later the Gladstone Hotel) and the Lafayette Hotel or Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. It is unknown how they decided which place they would live during those years, but their only child, Rhoda Estelle Field, was born in 1922 in New York City and they used a drawer in a dresser for her bassinet in their hotel room, depending on which hotel they were in. Woolsey was probably still working on his own accord. From 1924 to 1925, Woolsey, Estelle and Rhoda lived in Caracas, Venezuela. Woolsey was handling oil agreements for the US government and coordinating the transfers between the two countries. In 1925, on their way home from Venezuela, they stopped to see friends there, who influenced Woolsey to stay and help with the Central Highway Project there. They lived in a hotel in Cuba from 1925 to 1932, while Woolsey oversaw the construction of this 700 mile concrete highway that went from one end of the country to the other. The Republic of Cuba had awarded the highway contract to Warren Brothers Company of Boston, Massachusetts with a sub contract to Kaiser Paving Company. They used the first asphalt (Bitcha Vert) on the highway, which was first tried on the Philadelphia post office roof for a helicopter pad. The total cost of the highway project was about $75 million and the actual work started in March 1927. After the highway was finished, Woolsey became involved in gold mining there. They moved back to the US in 1932 and lived with Estelle's parents in Philadelphia; they also purchased a vacation cabin in Eagles Mere, Sullivan County, PA., where they spent their summers. In April 1935, they bought 3 lots in Wyncote, PA., a suburb of Philadelphia, and built a house on each lot. They lived in one and sold two; one of the ones they sold was to Eaton & Grace Lloyd and Rhoda would eventually marry Grace's son, Garland. Estelle joined the Calvary Presbyterian Church in Wyncote, but Woolsey joined the Episcopal Church in Wyncote; the Episcopal Church in Irvington, New York being his home church growing up. Woolsey died from a heart attack, caused by a blood clot in his leg, which when the doctors tried to remove it, it went the wrong way to the heart. This was on 8 September 1939 in Abington, Pennsylvania, another suburb of Philadelphia; Woolsey was just 57. Woolsey was buried in the Stockbridge Cemetery next to his first wife. Estelle is found as a widow on the 1940 census in their home in Wyncote. In 1949, Estelle decided it was time to move closer to her daughter, Rhoda, who was living in Sacramento, California at the time with her family. Estelle not only moved herself, but both of her parents as well. They lived on Atlas Avenue in a duplex, so that they each had their own space. After the death of her mother in 1953, Estelle, moved her father and herself into a house on Francis Court in Sacramento. Estelle's father died in 1956, but she continued to live there until 1963. In 1963 she bought a house a block away from her daughter in Lodi, California. Six years later, she was admitted to a convalescent home in Lodi and died there on 8 Sept 1974 from dementia. She was buried in the Stockbridge Cemetery on the other side of Woolsey.
Woolsey Hopkins Field was named for Theodore Woolsey, the President of Yale University, and for Mark Hopkins, a railroad investor and a life time friend of Woolsey's grandfather, Cyrus Field. Woolsey was born in August 1882 in Irvington, Westchester County, New York, just north of New York City, in a house that was part of Cyrus' estate with houses for his children. This house unfortunately later burned down. Woolsey's education included attending Lawrenceville Academy in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, a college prep school, for one semester in 1900. He then went on to Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts and graduated from there in 1904 with an engineering degree.
Four years later in July 1908, Woolsey married Estelle Grace Reed. Grace, as she was called, lived in Manhattan on the census of 1900 with her brother and sister and she and Woolsey no doubt met in New York. Grace was born in April 1877 in Pennsylvania and was 5 years older than Woolsey. Grace and Woolsey had no children. To clarify, Estelle Grace Reed was the aunt of Woolsey's second wife, Estelle Gwendoline Masser, who was the daughter of Sarah Ellen Reed, who married William Masser. But going back to Grace and Woolsey, from 1914-1915 they lived in New Jersey. Soon thereafter they physically supported the allied effort during World War I by going to Europe. Woolsey was in the intelligence service and because he spoke fluent German, he took the part of a German soldier and crossed the English Channel at night, spying for the British. He also spoke fluent French and Spanish and was a good friend of Edward, the Duke of Windsor, who abdicated the throne. Grace did her part as well and was a nurse, for which she was decorated by the French government and also received a medal for her Red Cross work. She died in February 1919 in Summit, Union County, New Jersey, across the river from New York City, and family lore suggests she "worked herself to death" while serving as a nurse; she was just 41. Woolsey was 5 feet, 11 3/4 inches tall with blue eyes, dark brown hair and oval face as described on his passport application. In a World War I draft card in 1918, he states he is an exporter-importer and employed by a company in New York City. On the 1920 census, we find him living with his mother on East 17th St. in New York City and he lists himself as an independent worker working on his own accord. But he has met Estelle Gwendoline Masser and they marry on 9 June 1920 in Philadelphia, PA.; this marriage took place despite the fact Woolsey had just had serious surgery for a ruptured appendix the week before. Estelle Gwendoline Masser was born in 1896 in Muncy, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, located in the middle of the state. This time, Woolsey's wife is 14 years younger. Estelle was educated as a teacher at Barnard College in New York City and Hunter College in New York and taught 2nd & 3rd grade at a home for orphan boys for a year. She was most proud of having taught the boys to knit! She continued her own schooling and received a BS degree in Education on 15 June 1920 from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia the day before she married Woolsey. Estelle and Woolsey lived from 1921 to 1924 at both the Chatham Hotel (later the Gladstone Hotel) and the Lafayette Hotel or Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. It is unknown how they decided which place they would live during those years, but their only child, Rhoda Estelle Field, was born in 1922 in New York City and they used a drawer in a dresser for her bassinet in their hotel room, depending on which hotel they were in. Woolsey was probably still working on his own accord. From 1924 to 1925, Woolsey, Estelle and Rhoda lived in Caracas, Venezuela. Woolsey was handling oil agreements for the US government and coordinating the transfers between the two countries. In 1925, on their way home from Venezuela, they stopped to see friends there, who influenced Woolsey to stay and help with the Central Highway Project there. They lived in a hotel in Cuba from 1925 to 1932, while Woolsey oversaw the construction of this 700 mile concrete highway that went from one end of the country to the other. The Republic of Cuba had awarded the highway contract to Warren Brothers Company of Boston, Massachusetts with a sub contract to Kaiser Paving Company. They used the first asphalt (Bitcha Vert) on the highway, which was first tried on the Philadelphia post office roof for a helicopter pad. The total cost of the highway project was about $75 million and the actual work started in March 1927. After the highway was finished, Woolsey became involved in gold mining there. They moved back to the US in 1932 and lived with Estelle's parents in Philadelphia; they also purchased a vacation cabin in Eagles Mere, Sullivan County, PA., where they spent their summers. In April 1935, they bought 3 lots in Wyncote, PA., a suburb of Philadelphia, and built a house on each lot. They lived in one and sold two; one of the ones they sold was to Eaton & Grace Lloyd and Rhoda would eventually marry Grace's son, Garland. Estelle joined the Calvary Presbyterian Church in Wyncote, but Woolsey joined the Episcopal Church in Wyncote; the Episcopal Church in Irvington, New York being his home church growing up. Woolsey died from a heart attack, caused by a blood clot in his leg, which when the doctors tried to remove it, it went the wrong way to the heart. This was on 8 September 1939 in Abington, Pennsylvania, another suburb of Philadelphia; Woolsey was just 57. Woolsey was buried in the Stockbridge Cemetery next to his first wife. Estelle is found as a widow on the 1940 census in their home in Wyncote. In 1949, Estelle decided it was time to move closer to her daughter, Rhoda, who was living in Sacramento, California at the time with her family. Estelle not only moved herself, but both of her parents as well. They lived on Atlas Avenue in a duplex, so that they each had their own space. After the death of her mother in 1953, Estelle, moved her father and herself into a house on Francis Court in Sacramento. Estelle's father died in 1956, but she continued to live there until 1963. In 1963 she bought a house a block away from her daughter in Lodi, California. Six years later, she was admitted to a convalescent home in Lodi and died there on 8 Sept 1974 from dementia. She was buried in the Stockbridge Cemetery on the other side of Woolsey.
Four years later in July 1908, Woolsey married Estelle Grace Reed. Grace, as she was called, lived in Manhattan on the census of 1900 with her brother and sister and she and Woolsey no doubt met in New York. Grace was born in April 1877 in Pennsylvania and was 5 years older than Woolsey. Grace and Woolsey had no children. To clarify, Estelle Grace Reed was the aunt of Woolsey's second wife, Estelle Gwendoline Masser, who was the daughter of Sarah Ellen Reed, who married William Masser. But going back to Grace and Woolsey, from 1914-1915 they lived in New Jersey. Soon thereafter they physically supported the allied effort during World War I by going to Europe. Woolsey was in the intelligence service and because he spoke fluent German, he took the part of a German soldier and crossed the English Channel at night, spying for the British. He also spoke fluent French and Spanish and was a good friend of Edward, the Duke of Windsor, who abdicated the throne. Grace did her part as well and was a nurse, for which she was decorated by the French government and also received a medal for her Red Cross work. She died in February 1919 in Summit, Union County, New Jersey, across the river from New York City, and family lore suggests she "worked herself to death" while serving as a nurse; she was just 41. Woolsey was 5 feet, 11 3/4 inches tall with blue eyes, dark brown hair and oval face as described on his passport application. In a World War I draft card in 1918, he states he is an exporter-importer and employed by a company in New York City. On the 1920 census, we find him living with his mother on East 17th St. in New York City and he lists himself as an independent worker working on his own accord. But he has met Estelle Gwendoline Masser and they marry on 9 June 1920 in Philadelphia, PA.; this marriage took place despite the fact Woolsey had just had serious surgery for a ruptured appendix the week before. Estelle Gwendoline Masser was born in 1896 in Muncy, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, located in the middle of the state. This time, Woolsey's wife is 14 years younger. Estelle was educated as a teacher at Barnard College in New York City and Hunter College in New York and taught 2nd & 3rd grade at a home for orphan boys for a year. She was most proud of having taught the boys to knit! She continued her own schooling and received a BS degree in Education on 15 June 1920 from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia the day before she married Woolsey. Estelle and Woolsey lived from 1921 to 1924 at both the Chatham Hotel (later the Gladstone Hotel) and the Lafayette Hotel or Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. It is unknown how they decided which place they would live during those years, but their only child, Rhoda Estelle Field, was born in 1922 in New York City and they used a drawer in a dresser for her bassinet in their hotel room, depending on which hotel they were in. Woolsey was probably still working on his own accord. From 1924 to 1925, Woolsey, Estelle and Rhoda lived in Caracas, Venezuela. Woolsey was handling oil agreements for the US government and coordinating the transfers between the two countries. In 1925, on their way home from Venezuela, they stopped to see friends there, who influenced Woolsey to stay and help with the Central Highway Project there. They lived in a hotel in Cuba from 1925 to 1932, while Woolsey oversaw the construction of this 700 mile concrete highway that went from one end of the country to the other. The Republic of Cuba had awarded the highway contract to Warren Brothers Company of Boston, Massachusetts with a sub contract to Kaiser Paving Company. They used the first asphalt (Bitcha Vert) on the highway, which was first tried on the Philadelphia post office roof for a helicopter pad. The total cost of the highway project was about $75 million and the actual work started in March 1927. After the highway was finished, Woolsey became involved in gold mining there. They moved back to the US in 1932 and lived with Estelle's parents in Philadelphia; they also purchased a vacation cabin in Eagles Mere, Sullivan County, PA., where they spent their summers. In April 1935, they bought 3 lots in Wyncote, PA., a suburb of Philadelphia, and built a house on each lot. They lived in one and sold two; one of the ones they sold was to Eaton & Grace Lloyd and Rhoda would eventually marry Grace's son, Garland. Estelle joined the Calvary Presbyterian Church in Wyncote, but Woolsey joined the Episcopal Church in Wyncote; the Episcopal Church in Irvington, New York being his home church growing up. Woolsey died from a heart attack, caused by a blood clot in his leg, which when the doctors tried to remove it, it went the wrong way to the heart. This was on 8 September 1939 in Abington, Pennsylvania, another suburb of Philadelphia; Woolsey was just 57. Woolsey was buried in the Stockbridge Cemetery next to his first wife. Estelle is found as a widow on the 1940 census in their home in Wyncote. In 1949, Estelle decided it was time to move closer to her daughter, Rhoda, who was living in Sacramento, California at the time with her family. Estelle not only moved herself, but both of her parents as well. They lived on Atlas Avenue in a duplex, so that they each had their own space. After the death of her mother in 1953, Estelle, moved her father and herself into a house on Francis Court in Sacramento. Estelle's father died in 1956, but she continued to live there until 1963. In 1963 she bought a house a block away from her daughter in Lodi, California. Six years later, she was admitted to a convalescent home in Lodi and died there on 8 Sept 1974 from dementia. She was buried in the Stockbridge Cemetery on the other side of Woolsey.
Inscription
Woolsey H. Field
1882 - 1939
