My Genealogy Hound

John W. Fields, a well-known and prominent resident of this section of the country, is a native of this county, born on March 19, 1852, a son of Aaron T. and Eliza I. (Blackburn) Fields, the former born in Cass County, S. C, June 16, 1814, and the latter in Alabama, February 7, 1829, their union taking place in the State of Mississippi in 1846. Mr. Fields was a farmer throughout life, and when a young man he went to Mississippi and there made his home until 1849, when he determined to “pitch his tent “in the State of Arkansas, and until his death, which occurred in 1870, he was an honored resident of Columbia County. To them a family of eleven children were born, only three of whom survive: Robert I. and John W. (who are twins), and Eli (a farmer of this county). The father was a member of the Masonic order, and his widow, who makes her home with the subject of this sketch, is a consistent member of the Baptist Church. The paternal grandparents were Eli and Elizabeth (Mann) Fields, and the great-grand father also bore the name of Eli, and was of Irish descent. The mother’s parents were William M. and Mary M. (Caseinger) Blackburn, natives of Alabama and North Carolina, respectively, the former’s parents being natives of England. John W. Fields, whose name heads this sketch has resided all his life in Columbia County, Ark., and in 1870 began doing for himself, tilling his father’s old farm. Thinking to better his condition, he moved to Texas in 1874, but after a three years’ residence in that State he returned to his native county. The following year he purchased his present farm, which consists of 240 acres, and now has about 100 acres under the plow. He was married on December 21, 1869, to Miss Sally Hancock, who was born in Randolph County, Ala., in 1851, a daughter of Herod and Nancy (Rowell) Hancock. Mr. and Mrs. Fields have had a family of three children born to them, William M. and Nora L. being the only ones living. Mr. Fields is a Democrat, a member of the County Wheel, and his wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.