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Benjamin Shadrach Field was born 18 December 1861 in Gibson County, Indiana. He was the ninth child of Keen Withers Field (1817-1906) and Sarah Duncan (1824-1875). He was a first cousin to George E. Field (1849-1915). His uncle was Benjamin R. Field (1828-1903) and it is most likely he was named after his uncle. His middle name of Shadrach was from his maternal grandfather, Shadrach Duncan (1826-1910). The name had been passed down from his great grandfather, also Shadrach Duncan (1790-1861). On 1 January 1885 Benjamin married Mary Alice Stewardson (1864-1931), the daughter of Thomas and Sarah Brady Stewardson. They had two children Florence (1887-1982) and Mary (1889-1987). In 1887, Benjamin and Alice moved to Rock Island, Texas. Rock Island was heavily promoted and described as a "tropical paradise near the Gulf of Mexico." Farmers from Illinois, Iowa and Missouri fell for these ads and many others besides Benjamin moved there as well. Benjamin's sister, Cynthia Ann (1858-1941) and her husband Joseph Wesley Fling (1857-1934) also went to Rock Island. During a recent visit with Mari McCaleb Harrington, a grand daughter of Benjamin S., she told me that her family would go back and forth between their house and Aunt Cynthia's house to celebrate birthdays.
Rice farming became popular and Benjamin became a rice farmer. The photo above shows Benjamin and J. Hashimoto as Colorado County rice farmers about 1905.
The photo of Benjamin Field and J. Hashimoto was given to us by the Nesbitt Memorial Library of Columbus, Texas. The library generously gave us permission to use the photo on our web site.