b. 17 March 1820, d. 21 August 1896
Birth | 17 Mar 1820 | James Fields was born on 17 Mar 1820 in Abingdon, Washington County, Virginia.1 |
Childhood | | James's father William Fields died in 1829, leaving 7 children and a pregnant wife. Although James was only 9 years at the time, he and his siblings helped their mother carry-on the family brick masonry business. |
Marriage | 1847 | He married Susan Ellen Owen, daughter of Jesse Owen and Juliette Sappho Willoughby, in 1847 in Blountville, Sullivan County, Tennessee.1 |
Cens-1850 | 8 Oct 1850 | In 1850 James and Susan were enumerated residing in Abingdon. James at age 30 was already a well established brick mason whose household included 2 other brick masons in addition to Susan and their infant son Thomas. Three members of the Owens family (Sarah, 18, Joseph, 14 and James, 12) were also enumerated with James and Susan.3 |
Cens-1860 | 17 Aug 1860 | Ten years later James reported that he owned real estate worth $8,250 and personal property worth $6,300. James and Susan's family had grown to include 5 children: Thomas, 9; Lavinia, 7; Mary, 5; George, 3; Samuel, 1. Sixty year old Jane Lynch was also part of the household.4 |
Military | | During the Civil War James served with the 48th Virginia Infantry. He held the rank of captain and served as Commissary.5 |
Public Serv | 1865 | Following the war the people of Washington County elected James to the position of county sheriff.6 |
Cens-1870 | 26 Sep 1870 | James also returned to his masonry business. The make up of his household in 1870 indicates that the business had flourished. Two apprentice brick masons lived with the family which also included a brick yard boy and several servants. James and Susan's adult children were also employed: Thomas served as sheriff and Lavinia taught school, while the younger members of the family were students themselves.7 |
| | James left his mark on the Washington County landscape in ways that are still visible today. He and his brother William, also a well known Washington County brickmason and contractor, built many beautiful homes and buildings in the area. James and his brother David (who later migrated to Texas) were the plastering contractors for the present Washington County Courthouse in Abingdon (the earlier courthouse, built by William Fields, was destroyed during the Civil War). James was also the masonry contractor for the Abingdon Academy when it was rebuilt in 1872.6 |
Death | 21 Aug 1896 | James died on 21 Aug 1896 at age 76.1 |
Burial | | He was buried at Sinking Spring Cemetery in Abingdon.1 |