James Addison and Sarah McKinne Fields
Photo contributed by Alene Baker

James Addison Fields was born Aug 7, 1828 in Greene County, NC and died Sep 8, 1913 in Wayne County, Brogden Township, NC. He appeared in the following 1850 Greene County census age 22, head of household, occupation farmer with a real estate value of 1,000. His mother Elizabeth Fields age 59, brothers Bennet Fields age 20 and Robert Fields age 15 were members of the household. It is thought there was a daughter, Margaret who married Nicholas Smith before the 1850 census. One of the neighbors of this family in this census was Nicholas Smith age 35 and wife Margaret D. Smith age 24. Addison and Sarah were married in Wayne County at "Nicholas Smiths".

It is thought this family was the second family of Jeremiah Fields of Greene County. Following are clues about a possible connection:

Jeremiah and wife were in the Greene County, NC 1800 census ages "up to 20" and born 1780 or before. In the 1830 census his age was 50-59 years and his wife's age 30-39 years, she being born 1791 or later. This second's wife age matches that of Elizabeth Fields.

In the 1840 Greene county census one of Jeremiah's neighbors was Parrott Mewborn. Jeremiah died sometime before the 1850 census in which a Parrott Mewborn was one of Addison's family's neighbors.

Greene County, NC Estate Records 1839-1845 by Bill Murphrey
[assuming Addison's mother Elizabeth was a Bryan or Bryant]
Page 333, Aug Term 1843: Jeremiah Fields Guardian to his Bryan children in Account current.
Page 320 - February Term 1843 - Pursuant to an order issued from Feb'y Term 1843 appointing a committee to audit and settle the accounts of Jas. B. Pridgen Exc'r of Joel Bryant Dec'd. After examining the accounts we find the hole remaining in hand $733.49 1/2 of which $200 and its interest is to go to Robert Bryant, the balance to the children of Jeremiah Fields as the will directs. Recorded May Term 1843.

Jeremiah had two sons in his first family named Henry and Matthew. In the 1850 Greene County census, a Henry and Matthew Fields were neighbors of Addison's family and their ages match those in Jeremiah Fields first family's Bible Record.

Jeremiah's three other sons in his first family were Josiah, Lemuel and William B. Fields. The same names appear in Wayne County Fields' deeds by 1841. Josiah and William B.'s ages in the Wayne County 1860 census match those in Jeremiah Fields first family's Bible Record.

Ancestry DNA Thrulines

It's possible the following deed indicates when Addison's family arrived in Wayne County:
On September 25, 1852 Matthew Casey of Wayne County sold 183 3/4 acres for $643 to James A. Fields and Bennet C. Fields "of the county of Greene", land adjacent to Josiah Field's corner and head of Yellow Marsh.

State of North Carolina - Wayne County
To any regular Minister of the gospel having the care of souls, of whatever denomination, or any Justice of the Peace for said County: You, or any of you, are hereby licensed and authorized to celebrate and solemnize the rites of matrimony between James A. Fields and Sarah McKinne and join them together as man and wife. Witness, Benj. Aycock Clerk of the County Court for said County this 1st day of Sep. A. D. 1853.

State of North Carolina - Wayne County
I hereby certify that I solemnized the rites of matrimony between James A. Fields and Sarah McKinne at Nicholas Smiths on the 1st day of Sep. 1853. Wm Hollowell JP.

FamilySearch.org

Addison and Sarah had the following children:
John Franklin Fields married Cynthia Ann Potts
Smity Mckenna Fields married Major Lewis
Mary Abstella Fields married Newman Potts Jr.
William R. Fields

1860 Wayne County, NC Census - Indian Springs
J. A. Fields, 33
Sarah Fields, 37
John Fields, 5
Smithy Fields, 2
Wm. R. Fields, 10/12 does not appear in any further records
Neighbors Elizabeth Fields, Benjamin Jones, John Capps, J. W. Edwards, Nicholas Smith, Newman Potts Sr.

Elizabeth Fields, 67
Neighbors J. A. Fields, John Capps, Nicholas & Margaret Smith, Newman Potts Sr.
(No further record is found for her)

By 1860 Addison and Sarah were living adjacent to Newman Potts Sr. who bought land described as "a certain tract or parcel of land, situated, lying & being in the County & State aforesaid on the south side of Neuse River and on the east side of Wilmington & Weldon Rail Road, adjoining the lands of James A. Fields & others". [Today the land would have been along both sides a one mile road called Potts Road in Brogden Township].

The two families intermarried with Addison's two children (John Franklin and Mary Abstella) marrying two of Newman Sr.'s children (Cynthia Ann and Newman Jr.). After Newman Sr.'s death in 1884 his land was divided between the children and all of them, except for Newman Jr., eventually sold their shares and moved on. Addison and Sarah bought a number of these shares.

Addison appeared in a photo of nearby Emmaus Baptist Church sometime after 1893 when the land for the church was purchased. His daughter Mary and husband Newman Potts Jr. are also in the picture. The photo is studio quality but has no studio name. Perhaps the occassion was the dedication of this first Emmaus Church.

Front row L-R: Possibly Frances Lawhon, wife of Urban Potts, Hannah Potts Stafford, Susan Potts Jones, possibly Urban Potts, Addison Fields, Matthew Jones and Lucius Potts
Back row L-R: Unknown, Sarah McKinne Fields
Hannah, Susan, Urban and Lucius were children of Newman Potts Sr.

Civil War Service and Pension

Addison Fields submitted a Pension Application based on his service on July 6, 1908. It stated he enlisted in Co. E, 20 Reg. N.C. State Troups, on or about the [blank] day of Oct. 1864, to serve in the armies of the late Confederate States, and that while in said service at Monk Neck Bridge, in the State of VA, on or about the [blank] day of [blank], 1864, he received a wound or wounds, etc. He also complains of pain in elbow from wound received in the war, right knee joint is broken in half and inverted, left leg sore, chronic exzema, general break down - his disability constitures at least 3/4. Application was approved. Application (text) - Images

Addison and Sarah are buried in Potts Cemetery, Brogden Township, Wayne County, NC. Images

Addison's brother Robert C. Fields lived nearby and is buried in Casey Cemetery about a mile from Potts Road. Brother Bennit Curby Fields settled in Goldsboro and is buried in Willowdale Cemetery in that city.

Email any questions or comments you may have to Guy Potts