Stephen Field | |
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Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States | |
In office March 10, 1863 – December 1, 1897 |
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Nominated by | Abraham Lincoln |
Preceded by | Seat established |
Succeeded by | Joseph McKenna |
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of California | |
In office September 20, 1859 – March 10, 1863 |
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Appointed by | John Weller |
Preceded by | David Terry |
Succeeded by | Warner Cope |
Personal details | |
Born |
Stephen Johnson Field November 4, 1816 Haddam, Connecticut, U.S. |
Died | April 9, 1899 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
(aged 82)
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse(s) | Sue Virginia Field |
Education | Williams College (BA) |
Stephen Johnson Field (November 4, 1816 – April 9, 1899) was an American jurist. He was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court from March 10, 1863, to December 1, 1897. Prior to this appointment, he was the fifth Chief Justice of California.
Born in Haddam, Connecticut, he was the sixth of the nine children of David Dudley Field I, a Congregationalist minister, and his wife Submit Dickinson. His family produced three other children of major prominence in 19th Century America: David Dudley Field II the prominent attorney, Cyrus Field the millionaire investor and creator of the Atlantic Cable, and Rev. Henry Martyn Field a prominent clergyman and travel writer. He grew up in , and went to Turkey at thirteen with his sister Emilia and her missionary husband, Rev. Josiah Brewer. He received a BA from Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts, in 1837. While attending Williams College he was one of the original Founders of Delta Upsilon Fraternity. After reading law in Albany with Harmanus Bleecker and New York City with his brother David Dudley II, Stephen and David practiced law together until 1848 when Stephen went west to California in the Gold Rush.