Stephen J. Field

Stephen Johnson Field was born and raised in Connecticut. He attended Williams College and then read law. Field's family was remarkably accomplished. His three brothers were David Dudley Field (New York lawyer and politician), Cyrus W. Field (who promoted the first telegraph cable under the Atlantic Ocean), and Henry M. Field (a leading clergyman and author). Field's nephew was David Brewer, who was a Supreme Court justice; he and Field served together during Field's last 7 years on the bench; and Field's niece (Anita Whitney) was a litigant in a significant free speech case decided by the Court in 1927.

Field moved to California where he was elected as a Democrat to state legislative office and, later, to the state supreme court. Field was nominated by Lincoln in 1863 to fill a newly created tenth seat on the High Court. Field's appointment as a Democrat was based on his staunch support of the Union cause.

Field wanted to be chief justice, but that was not to be. He remained on the Court well after his faculties started to wane. Field's 34 years and 9+ months on the Court surpassed John Marshall's service by a mere five months.