Henry FIELDS

  General Notes:

Obituary: The 1915 obituary for Henry Fields provides genealogically-valuable information and describes interesting milestones in his life. Among other things, it documents his date and location of birth, names of his parents, names of his children, his two wives, and the fact that he had been employed at a recruiting station during the Civil War where he played fife and violin.

Henry's obituary also informs us that he had married half-sisters Elizabeth McCarroll and--after Elizabeth's death--Louisa McCarroll. At this time, the relationship between the two women has not been definitively documented, but it is known with certainty from census records that Louisa was a daughter of Thomas McCarroll and Irena Lindley. Because second wife Louisa survived Henry, she is logically the person to have provided information for his obituary.

Obituary, from DeeAnna Allum Granston, originates with the DAILY REPORTER, Washington, Washington County, Pennsylvania



1818 BIRTH of Henry Fields (on January 1 or June 1)

1820 CENSUS

1830 CENSUS, Pennsylvania, Greene County, Richhill Township (Henry would have been in the household of his father "John Fields")

1840 CENSUS, Pennsylvania, Greene County, Richhill Township (Henry is presumed to have been in the household of his father "John Fields")

1842 MARRIAGE (approximate) of Henry Fields to first wife, Elizabeth McCarroll (who had been born in either Pennsylvania or Ohio) (census discrepancy)

1850 CENSUS, Pennsylvania, Washington County, West Finley Township (October 16) ("Henry," age 33, "Farmer") (wife "Elizabeth," age 31)

1855 DEATH (approximate) of father, John Fields

1860 CENSUS, Iowa, Iowa County, Marengo Township, P. O. Marengo (August 13) ("Henry," age 42, "Farmer") (wife "Elizabeth," age 40)

1861-1862 DEATH of first wife, Elizabeth (McCarroll) Fields (buried in Iowa) at approximately 41 years

1862 RETURNED to Pennsylvania from Iowa (after the death of first wife, Elizabeth)

1863 MARRIAGE (approximate) of Henry Fields to second wife, Louisa McCarroll (younger half-sister of Henry's first wife Elizabeth)

1865 DEATH (approximate) of mother, Rachel (Phippen) Fields

1870 CENSUS, Pennsylvania, Washington County, West Finley Township, P. O. Claysville (July 6) ("Henry," age 45, "Miller") (wife "Louisa," age 31) (ages for Henry and Louisa are incorrect)

1880 CENSUS, (probably) Pennsylvania, Washington County, West Finley Township, but have not located in 1880 census

1900 CENSUS, Pennsylvania, Washington County, Morris Township (June 18) ("Henry," age 81, no occupation, born "June, 1818 in Pennsylvania") (wife "Louisa," age 61, born "October, 1838 in Pennsylvania) (Louisa is shown as the mother of 1 child, 0 children living in the year 1900; she and Henry had been married 37 years) ("Fileds" in some census indexes)

1910 CENSUS, Pennsylvania, Washington County, Morris Township (April 30) ("Henry," age 92, "Retired") (wife "Louise," age 72) (Louisa is documented as the mother of 0 children; she and Henry had been married 47 years)

1915 DEATH, Henry Fields at 97 years 10 months 8 days

Cause of death: "Acute cystitis" --Death Certificate

1920 CENSUS, Pennsylvania, Washington County, Washington borough (January 2) ("Louisa," age 82, widow, is designated "Lodger" in the household of William and Florence Lindsey)




MILITARY SERVICE: None, but played fife and violin at recruiting stations, according to obituary

OCCUPATIONS: Farmer; carpenter; miller

LOCATIONS: (Near) Coon Island, Donegal Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania; East Finley Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania (1822); Richhill Township, Greene County, Pennsylvania (by 1830); West Finley, Washington County, Pennsylvania (by 1850); Marengo, Iowa County, Iowa (by 1860); Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa; West Finley Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania (by 1870); Morris Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania (in 1915)

THE REPORTER, Washington County, Pennsylvania, Tuesday, April 27, 1915:

HAVE REMOVED TO MORRIS TOWNSHIP

Mr. and Mrs. Henry Fields, who the past winter resided on the Walker W. Moore farm in South Franklin township, have removed to the Young place at the headwaters of Dry Run, in Morris township, where Mrs. Fields was born and spent her girlhood days. They made the trip to their new home by automobile last week. Mr. Fields, aged 97 years, was critically ill for a few weeks last winter, but he has recuperated wonderfully in health and strength. Neighbors who came to carry him from the home to the auto were somewhat taken aback when Mr. Fields started ahead of them without assistance, boarding the machine easily."

CHURCH AFFILIATION: Windy Gap Presbyterian Church, West Finley, Washington County, Pennsylvania

BURIAL (Elizabeth McCarroll Fields): Koszta Cemetery, Koszta, Iowa County, Iowa, Lot 50

DOCUMENT: Certificate of Death for Henry from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania



OBITUARY (Henry) from an undocumented newspaper, November 9, 1915:

HENRY FIELDS DEAD AT AGE OF 97 YEARS

Passes Away at McCarroll Homestead in Morris Township After Illness of Three Years--Was Twice Married

Prosperity, Nov. 9--Henry Fields, one of the oldest and best known residents of Washington county, died this morning at the old McCarroll homestead near here. He was 97 years old. For the past three years Mr. Fields had been in failing health, death coming as the end of a physical decline due to great age. Short funeral services will be held at the McCarroll home Thursday morning at 11 o'clock. Other services will be held immediately following at the Mt. Zion Methodist Episcopal church in charge of the Rev. U. W. McMillan, pastor of the Old Concord Presbyterian church. Interment will be in the Mt. Zion burying ground.

The son of John and Rachel Fippin (sic) Fields, Henry Fields was born near Coon Island January 1, 1818. When he was four years of age his parents went to live on a farm near No. (unreadable) school house in East Finley township. Later they moved to Ackleys. In early youth he learned the carpenter and miller trades.

Mr. Fields was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth McCarroll of Morris township and in 1860 went to live at Oskaloosa, Ia., returning from there in 1862. He then resided in West Finley township until the death of his wife a few years later.

After she had been dead for some time Mr. Fields married Miss Louisa McCarroll, a half-sister of his first wife. The second wife is still living and besides her there survive three children: H. Clinton Fields of Porta, Neb.; Leroy W. Fields of West Finley; and Mrs. Ada McFarland of Oskaloosa. Mrs. Frank Day, of Washington, is a granddaughter.

At the outbreak of the Civil war Mr. Fields had passed the age limit for volunteers. Through his ability as a fife and violin player, however, Mr. Fields was employed at recruiting stations to cheer the hearts of recruits with music. He retained his skill as a violinist until but a few years ago and was a familiar figure at musical and other entertainments throughout this vicinity.

In early life Mr. Fields united with the Windy Gap Cumberland Presbyterian church, now the Windy Gap Presbyterian church, and was a member of this congregation at the time of his death. He was widely known throughout this section and through the county generally.




OBITUARY (Henry) from an undocumented newspaper:


DEATH OF HENRY FIELDS

The death of Henry Fields, one of the oldest residents of the southwest part of the county, died at old McCarroll homestead near Prosperity, Tuesday morning, Nov. 9, 1915, aged 97 years 10 months and 9 days. The funeral service was held at 11 o'clock Thursday forenoon at Mt. Zion M.E. church, preceded by a brief service at the McCarroll house. Rev. U. W. McMellan had charge. Interment in Mt. Zion burial ground.

Mr. Fields was born near Coon Island, January 1, 1818, son of John and Rachel Fippin (sic) Fields. When he was four years of age his parents went to live on a farm near No. 8 school house in East Finley township. Later they moved to Ackleys. In early youth he learned the carpenter and miller trades.

Mr. Fields was united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth McCarroll, of Morris township and in 1856 went to live at Oskaloosa, Ia., returning from there in 1863. He then resided in West Finley township until the death of his wife a few years later.

After she had been dead for some time Mr. Fields married Miss Louisa McCarroll, a half-sister of his first wife. The second wife is still living and, besides her, there survive three children: H. Clinton Fields of Porta, Neb.; Leroy W. Fields of West Finley; and Mrs. Ada McFarland (sic) of Oskaloosa. Mrs. Frank Day of Washington is a granddaughter.

At the outbreak of the Civil War Mr. Fields had passed the age limit for volunteers. Through his ability as a fife and violin player, however, Mr. Fields was employed at recruiting stations to cheer the hearts of recruits with music. He retained his skill as a violinist until but a few years ago and was a familiar figure at musical and other entertainments throughout this vicinity.

In early life Mr. Fields united with the Windy Gap Cumberland Presbyterian church, now Presbyterian, and was a member of this congregation at the time of his death. He was widely known throughout this section and through the country generally.



CONTRIBUTORS:

Margaret Smith Brennan (first obituary above)

Betty Flournoy (second obituary above)

Nancy Boals Heisel (photographs, Henry-Louisa gravestone, view from Mount Zion Cemetery, Windy Gap Presbyterian Church)

Henry married Elizabeth McCARROLL, daughter of Thomas McCARROLL and Margaret CRAIG, about 1842. (Elizabeth McCARROLL was born in 1820 in Pennsylvania Or Ohio, died in 1861-1862 in Iowa County, Iowa and was buried in Koszta Cemetery, Iowa County, Iowa.)

Henry next married Louisa McCARROLL, daughter of Thomas McCARROLL and Irena LINDLEY, about 1863. (Louisa McCARROLL was born on October 23, 1838 in Washington County, Pennsylvania, died after 1920 and was buried in Mount Zion Cemetery, Prosperity, Washington County, Pennsylvania.)