David was born in May 1781 to Timothy Field and Anna Dudley in East Guilford (now Madison), New Haven County, Connecticut in the house that his grandfather built. That county is the second county on Long Island Sound from New York state and Madison is right on the water. David graduated from Yale University in 1802 with honors, having studied theology. He was ordained a Congregational minister in April 1803 and was licensed in September 1803 to preach. He married Submit Dickinson II in October of that same year in Somers, Tolland County, Connecticut in the northeast corner of the state. She was born there in October 1782, the daughter of Noah Dickinson Sr. and Hannah Skinner. I have often wondered how Submit and David met. Her name is associated with the "II" because she was the second daughter named Submit; the first one was born in 1776 and died in 1777. Submit II was described as "a lady of delicate and slender frame, moving about the house with a light step, singing as she went. Her life was a devotion to her husband and her children and she was her husband's truest friend and wise counselor." They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1853 with a large family gathering. Submit was dressed in a new gown purchased by her sons for the event and was forbidden to enter the kitchen. Her granddaughter, Isabella Field Judson, wrote "the lady was crawling on hands and knees, under the table and between the legs of seated guests, to see what was cooking on the stove and whether the kitchen staff was operating as it should."
Submit and David had 10 children, that will be mentioned here because most were exceptional individuals and all but one lived to adulthood. David Jr. was the oldest and an attorney in New York City, who reformed the legal practice of the United States by preparing a Civil Code of procedure that is still used today. Emilia married Rev. Josiah Brewer and they founded several seminary schools for females and were missionaries in Smyrna (now Izmir), Turkey. Timothy was a midshipman in the US Navy, but later resigned his commission and became a sailor on merchant ships; he died at sea. Matthew was a self taught bridge and railroad engineer, who was known for his bridge designs across the Cumberland River in Nashville and across the Kentucky River in Frankfort. Jonathan was an attorney and a Massachusetts state senator. Stephen 1st died in infancy, but his younger brother of the same name was an attorney, California state assemblyman, California Chief Justice of the state Supreme Court and Associate Justice on the US Supreme Court; he also made an unsuccessful run for President of the US. Cyrus was the next child and famous for his work on the Atlanta Cable endeavor. Henry was born next and was a Presbyterian pastor and author; he married Henriette Des Portes, who was involved in a notorious murder trial in Paris, the story of which was made into a film, "All This And Heaven Too". This murder & trial helped instigate the French Revolution of 1848. The last child was Mary Elizabeth, the wife of Joseph Stone, who worked with her brother, Cyrus, in his early paper making business.
David of this biography served the Congregational Church in Haddam, Middlesex County, Connecticut starting in 1804. Middlesex County is also on Long Island Sound, but just east of New Haven County; Haddam is located in the middle of the county. In 1818, David was called to serve as a missionary in the western part of New York. Then from 1819 to 1837, he was the pastor of the First Congregational Church in Stockbridge, Berkshire County, Massachusetts. Stockbridge is half way north on the Massachusetts/Connecticut border. In 1837, David received a honorary doctor of divinity degree from Williams College in Massachusetts and he was called back to Haddam to serve there once again until 1844. In 1844, the Haddam church was divided in two and David went to serve the new church in Higganum, Middlesex County, Connecticut until 1851. He and Submit are found on the 1850 census in Haddam, so they must have remained in the same home rather than moving to Higganum, which was just 3 miles up the way from Haddam. David retired from preaching in May 1851 and they moved back to Stockbridge, where they are found on the 1860 census. David was also an author, having written a history about the towns of Haddam and East Haddam. Submit died in August 1861 in Stockbridge at age 78 and David died in April 1867 also in Stockbridge at age 85; they are both buried in the Stockbridge Town Cemetery in Stockbridge. In 1878, their sons, Cyrus, David, Stephen and Henry, purchased the Meeting House Green of 11 acres in Haddam, Connecticut and converted it into a public park, which is named Field Park. In 1995 it was re-dedicated by the town of Haddam and was put on the Register of National Historic Places. Also, the parsonage in Stockbridge is currently owned by a family that feels privileged to own it and share its history.