T. T. Fields

Thomas Theodore Fields, Jr., known as T. T. Fields (October 12, 1912 – January 17, 1994),[1] was a Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from his native Farmerville in Union Parish in north Louisiana. He served from 1952 to 1964 and again from a combined Union and Morehouse parish district from 1968 to 1972. His service extended under Governors Robert F. Kennon, Earl Kemp Long, Jimmie Davis, and the second administration of John McKeithen.[2]

Theodore Thomas "T. T." Fields, Jr.
Fields in his early years
Louisiana State Representative for Union Parish
In office 1952–1964
Preceded by	Robert S. Kennedy
Succeeded by	James Peyton Smith
Louisiana State Representative for Union and Morehouse parishes
In office 1968–1972
Preceded by	James Peyton Smith
Succeeded by	Two-member district: John C. Ensminger Louise B. Johnson
Personal details
Born	(1912-10-12)October 12, 1912 Union Parish, Louisiana, USA
Died	January 17, 1994(1994-01-17) (aged 81) Union Parish, Louisiana
Resting place	Farmerville Cemetery in Farmerville in Union Parish
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Ruth Atheson "Katie" Fields
Children	Thomas Theodore Fields, III, known as Thomas Fields, Jr.
Parents	Harvey Fields Evelyn Sanders Fields Grandfather: Thomas Theodore Fields, I
Residence	Farmerville, Louisiana

Fields's namesake grandfather, Theodore Thomas Fields, I (1846-1921), was a newspaper editor in Avoyelles Parish in South Louisiana and a native of Danville in Boyle County, Kentucky.[3] Fields' father, Harvey Fields, a Marksville native, was a state senator for Union and Morehouse parishes from 1916 to 1920, a member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission from 1927 to 1936, and briefly a law partner of Huey Pierce Long, Jr.[4]

Along with Fred Preaus, a Farmerville businessman who ran for governor in 1956, and State Senator B. R. Patton, Fields worked to make Lake D'Arbonne in Farmerville a reality. Popular with fisherman and boaters, the large man-made lake opened in 1963.[5][6] Both Patton and Fields were unseated in the 1963-64 election cycle after Lake D'Arbonne had already opened.

After three terms in the state House, Fields four years later won a comeback bid in the general election held on February 6, 1968. He and former intraparty rival, James Peyton Smith, defeated the lone Republican candidate, Edwards Barham of Oak Ridge in Morehouse Parish, who polled 44 percent of the vote in a three-candidate field in which two were elected.[7] In 1975, Barham became the first Republican since Reconstruction to be elected to the Louisiana Senate. He served only one term until his defeat in 1979 by the Democrat David 'Bo' Ginn of Bastrop in Morehouse Parish.[8]

Fields was married to Ruth Atcheson "Katie" Fields (1914-1993), whom he outlived by eight months. The couple and other family members are interred at Farmerville Cemetery in Farmerville.[9]

References

1. "Thomas Theodore Fields, Jr". findagrave.com. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
2. "Membership in the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2016: Union and Morehouse parishes" (PDF). house.louisiana.gov. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
3. "Theodore Thomas Fields, I". findagrave.com. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
4. "Harvey Goodwyn Fields, Sr". findagrave.com. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
5. "In the Beginning". Lake D'Arbonne Life. January 18, 2013. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
6. Kinny Haddox (November 7, 2013). "Lake D'Arbonne Celebrating 50th Year". Bernice, Louisiana: The Bernice Banner. p. 5. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
7. Monroe News-s tar, February 7, 1968
8. Shreveport Journal, October 29, 1979
9. "Ruth "Katie" Atcheson Fields". findagrave.com. Retrieved October 24, 2014.

Political offices
Preceded by Robert S. Kennedy	Louisiana State Representative for Union Parish Thomas Theodore Fields, Jr. 1952 – 1964	Succeeded by James Peyton Smith
Preceded by James Peyton Smith	Louisiana State Representative for Union and Morehouse parishes (altered district) Thomas Theodore Fields, Jr. 1968 – 1972	Succeeded by John C. Ensminger Louise B. Johnson