Houston Fields was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 Democratic Party

Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

 politician

Politician

A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...

 who served as sheriff

Sheriff

A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....

 of Monmouth County, New Jersey

Monmouth County, New Jersey

Monmouth County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey, within the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 630,380, up from 615,301 at the 2000 census. Its county seat is Freehold Borough. The most populous municipality is Middletown Township with...

.

Background

Fields was born on October 23, 1861 near Eatontown, New Jersey

Eatontown, New Jersey

Eatontown is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 12,709.What is now Eatontown was originally incorporated as Eatontown Township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 4, 1873, from portions of Ocean Township and...

. He was educated in the Manasquan Public Schools

Manasquan Public Schools

The Manasquan Public Schools are a comprehensive community public school district that serves students from Kindergarten through twelfth grade from Manasquan, in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States....

, at the Freehold Institute, and in the Long Branch Public Schools

Long Branch Public Schools

Long Branch Public Schools is a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in prekindergarten through twelfth grade in the city of Long Branch, in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States...

. He was admitted to the bar in June 1894, and as a Master in Chancery in 1896.

After working for five years for the Pennsylvania Railroad

Pennsylvania Railroad

The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....

, Houston Fields was appointed in 1887 as Undersheriff and warden of the county jail

Jail

A jail is a short-term detention facility in the United States and Canada.Jail may also refer to:In entertainment:*Jail , a 1966 Malayalam movie*Jail , a 2009 Bollywood movie...

 by his father, Sheriff Theodore Fields

Theodore Fields

Theodore Fields was an American Democratic Party politician who served as a freeholder, and as sheriff of Monmouth County, New Jersey.-Background:Theodore Fields was born near Eatontown, New Jersey...

. He would continue to serve under sheriffs of both parties before being elected to a three year term as sheriff in 1896.

Houston Fields was active in many Masonic and fraternal organizations in Monmouth County.