Scott Field (Texas politician)
Encyclopedia
Scott Field was an American
politician who represented Texas
in the United States House of Representatives
from 1903-1907.
. He attended the McKee School in Madison County, Mississippi
.
, Field enlisted in the Confederate States Army
as a member of the Harvey Scouts. Later, he served in Major General W.H. Jackson’s division, Forrest's Command, composed of Ross's Texas Brigade and Armstrong's Tennessee Brigade (cavalry). According to C.E. Holmes in an affidavit in Field's pension application, Field served in the Atlanta Campaign
of 1864 commanded by John Bell Hood
.
Scott Field moved to Calvert, Texas
in 1872 and opened a private law practice.
1887-1891 and was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention
in 1892. During his term in the Texas State Senate, he was the lead sponsor of a law to ban convict labor, a practice thought of as a second incarnation of slavery, as it routinely involved rounding up minorities on false misdemeanor charges and putting them to work during harvest season.
Field was elected as a Democrat to the Fifty-eighth and Fifty-ninth Congresses (March 4, 1903-March 3, 1907). He was not a candidate for reelection in 1906 to the Fiftieth Congress. After leaving Congress, he resumed the practice of law until 1913, when he engaged in extensive agricultural pursuits.
and served from September 1863 until the end of the war. The application contains a letter from Joe Y. McNutt, County Judge of Robertson County, to the Hon. Geo. H. Sheppard, Comptroller of Public Accounts, Austin, Texas, July 11, 1931, stating that Field was completely blind and aided by an attendant. McNutt testified to Field's character and stated that Field had suffered financial reverses in recent years.
He married three times. Field married Victoria Lucky on December 13, 1874, and she died on February 21, 1877,
at the age of 26. He married Lucy E. Garrett Randolph on June 6, 1878. Lucy was the widow of George F. Randolph. Scott and Lucy had three sons, Thomas, Scott and Eugene. Lucy died on August 20, 1903. Upon her death, he married the widow Maude Harlan Green. According to his application for a Confederate pension, his wife was "not living" at the time of the application. His death certificate mentions his wife at the time of death was "Mrs. Maude H. Field" and does not say she was deceased.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician who represented Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from 1903-1907.
Biography
Field was born in Canton, MississippiCanton, Mississippi
Canton is a city in Madison County, Mississippi. The population was 12,911 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Madison County, and situated in the northern part of the metropolitan area surrounding the state capital, Jackson....
. He attended the McKee School in Madison County, Mississippi
Madison County, Mississippi
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 74,674 people, 27,219 households, and 19,325 families residing in the county. The population density was 104 people per square mile . There were 28,781 housing units at an average density of 40 per square mile...
.
Military service
During the American Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Field enlisted in the Confederate States Army
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
as a member of the Harvey Scouts. Later, he served in Major General W.H. Jackson’s division, Forrest's Command, composed of Ross's Texas Brigade and Armstrong's Tennessee Brigade (cavalry). According to C.E. Holmes in an affidavit in Field's pension application, Field served in the Atlanta Campaign
Atlanta Campaign
The Atlanta Campaign was a series of battles fought in the Western Theater of the American Civil War throughout northwest Georgia and the area around Atlanta during the summer of 1864. Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman invaded Georgia from the vicinity of Chattanooga, Tennessee, beginning in May...
of 1864 commanded by John Bell Hood
John Bell Hood
John Bell Hood was a Confederate general during the American Civil War. Hood had a reputation for bravery and aggressiveness that sometimes bordered on recklessness...
.
Education and law practice
After the war, Field attended the University of Virginia at Charlottesville, where he graduated in 1868. He returned to Mississippi and taught school for two years while studying law. Field was admitted to the Mississippi Bar in 1871.Scott Field moved to Calvert, Texas
Calvert, Texas
Calvert is a city in Robertson County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,192 at the 2010 census, a 16.4% decline from the 2000 census. It is part of the Bryan-College Station metropolitan area.-Geography:...
in 1872 and opened a private law practice.
Career in public service
He was the prosecuting attorney of Robertson County, Texas 1878-1882. Field also served in the Texas SenateTexas Senate
The Texas Senate is the upper house of the Texas Legislature. There are 31 members of the Senate, representing 31 single-member districts across the state with populations of approximately 672,000 per constituency. There are no term limits, and each term is four years long. The Senate meets at the...
1887-1891 and was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention
Democratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...
in 1892. During his term in the Texas State Senate, he was the lead sponsor of a law to ban convict labor, a practice thought of as a second incarnation of slavery, as it routinely involved rounding up minorities on false misdemeanor charges and putting them to work during harvest season.
Field was elected as a Democrat to the Fifty-eighth and Fifty-ninth Congresses (March 4, 1903-March 3, 1907). He was not a candidate for reelection in 1906 to the Fiftieth Congress. After leaving Congress, he resumed the practice of law until 1913, when he engaged in extensive agricultural pursuits.
Later years and Confederate pension
Soldier's Application for a Confederate Pension, #49968, State of Texas, was filed by Scott Field, Sr., July 13, 1931. It was approved the same date. In the application, Field stated that he had enlisted from Canton, MississippiCanton, Mississippi
Canton is a city in Madison County, Mississippi. The population was 12,911 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Madison County, and situated in the northern part of the metropolitan area surrounding the state capital, Jackson....
and served from September 1863 until the end of the war. The application contains a letter from Joe Y. McNutt, County Judge of Robertson County, to the Hon. Geo. H. Sheppard, Comptroller of Public Accounts, Austin, Texas, July 11, 1931, stating that Field was completely blind and aided by an attendant. McNutt testified to Field's character and stated that Field had suffered financial reverses in recent years.
Personal life
Scott Field was the son of Henry and Jane (Bates) Field. of Canton, Mississippi.He married three times. Field married Victoria Lucky on December 13, 1874, and she died on February 21, 1877,
at the age of 26. He married Lucy E. Garrett Randolph on June 6, 1878. Lucy was the widow of George F. Randolph. Scott and Lucy had three sons, Thomas, Scott and Eugene. Lucy died on August 20, 1903. Upon her death, he married the widow Maude Harlan Green. According to his application for a Confederate pension, his wife was "not living" at the time of the application. His death certificate mentions his wife at the time of death was "Mrs. Maude H. Field" and does not say she was deceased.