My Genealogy Hound

SAMUEL FIELDS, justice of the peace, McKeesport, was born in Cambria county, Pa., May 15, 1822, a son of Felix and Sarah (McBride) Fields. Felix was a native of Ireland, a blacksmith by trade, and settled in Pittsburgh in 1824, where he worked at his trade as a journeyman in the first glass house erected in Birmingham, and resided there until his death. He had ten children: Margaret, Hannah, Mary, Robert, John, George, George (second), William, Samuel and Ellen. Our subject was reared in Pittsburgh from two years of age; is a carpenter by trade, and for a number of years was a member of the carpenter firm of McKee & Fields, and had a shop on Diamond street, near the old courthouse. He came to McKeesport in 1852, where he carried on a shop until the breaking out of the war of the rebellion. In 1861 he enlisted in Company I, Sixty-third Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, participated in several engagements, and was honorably discharged on account of disability after two years’ service. After his return home he resumed business, in which he was engaged until 1881, when he was elected justice of the peace, and is now serving his second term. He was married, in 1849, to Ann M., daughter of John and Elizabeth (Muse) Harrison, of McKeesport, and has seven children living: William, Harry, Sarah E., Martha, Anna Bell, Ettie and Sterling. Mr. Fields has served as justice of the peace of McKeesport, and one term as burgess. He is a member of Samuel Black Post, No. 59, G. A. R., and the I. O. O. F.; in politics he is a republican.