Biographical Sketches

HON. R. H. FIELD

Attorney at law, of Kansas City, ranking among the leading men of his profession, is a native of Cherokee county, Georgia, born December 27, 1853, and a son of Elijah M. and Cornelia (Harrison) Field, natives of South Carolina and of English and Irish descent. The paternal grandfather, Jeremiah Field, married a Miss Murphy in South Carolina, and at an early day emigrated to Georgia, where he carried on farming, cultivating his land by the aid of slaves. He died in Cherokee county, Georgia. The father of our subject was a farmer and capitalist. He removed from Cherokee county to Bartow county, Georgia, where he lived until the breaking out of the war, when he took up his residence in Jefferson county, Georgia, his death occurring there in October, 1864. He was a very prominent and influential citizen, and when a young man represented Cherokee county in the state legislature. He was a close personal and political friend of Senator Joseph E. Brown, the war governor of Georgia, and Mr. Field served as quartermaster in the Confederate service, with the rank of captain. Being a Douglas democrat, he disapproved of secession; but when the final die was cast he gave his allegiance to the section of the country which had always been his home.

Mrs. Field, the mother of our subject, still survives her husband, and is now living in Cartersville, Bartow county, Georgia. She is a descendant of the prominent Harrison family of Virginia, and the presidents of the same name were also descendants of the same ancestry. She is also a granddaughter of the well-known Chancellor Waddy Thompson of South Carolina, whose son served as minister to Mexico under President Pierce. In the family of Elijah M. and Cornelia Field were 7 children, 5 of whom are still living, namely: Richard H.; Jerre; James M.; Eliza, widow of James C. Tumlin; and Maxey, wife of Herbert A. Camp, of Lumberton, Mississippi.

The subject of this sketch, Hon. Richard H. Field, was educated in the common schools of Georgia, and was partially reared upon a farm. His father died when he was very young, and being thus left without paternal guidance he did not make much use of his educational privileges during his boyhood years, caring more to please and amuse himself according to his own inclinations; but the mother's hope that her boy would make something of himself remained firm and unshaken, and her belief in a true manliness underlying his tendency in his youth always continued, until now she has reason to be proud of the son who has added honor to the name. When about 19 years of age he became deeply interested in the law, occasioned by lawsuits brought against his mother by a brother-in-law. He began reading, and after a thorough preparation was admitted to the bar in March, 1875, at Cartersville, Georgia, being at that time 21 years of age. He opened an office in that place, where he continued for a year, and on the expiration of that period came to Kansas City, in May, 1876. He at once opened an office and had the experience of most practitioners. For 2 years his practice was small, but those 2 years were not wasted, for he devoted himself assiduously and untiringly to study, making up for the neglected opportunities of his youth; and he found that as his knowledge increased his practice increased, and he has since been a close student, not only of his profession, but also has been a broad and varied reader, and is today one of the best informed members of the bar of Kansas City. His clientage steadily increased, and he enjoyed an exceedingly prosperous business from 1878 until October, 1888, when he was appointed judge of the circuit court of Jackson county, being the youngest judge that ever sat on the bench in Jackson county up to that time. This honor came to him entirely unsought. He was first appointed by the governor, and was then elected for a term of 4 years. On his retirement from office he resumed the practice of law. Judge Field has been employed in some of the most noted and conspicuous cases that have been tried in the Missouri courts, and he today ranks among the ablest attorneys in the state. He has made judicious investments of his capital in real estate, and now owns considerable property in the city.

On the 23rd of March, 1880, Mr. Field was united in marriage with Miss Annie Camp, of Marietta, Georgia, daughter of G. H. Camp, and they now have 5 children: Annie M., Edna, Cornelia, Harrison and Kathryn.

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This page was last updated August 2, 2006.