Fields

 Joseph Fields: A Soldier of Brandywine and a Settler of Kentucky

 

In the twisting limbs of my family tree stands Joseph Fields, my maternal fourth great-grandfather, born in 1756 in St. Mary’s County, Maryland—a region steeped in tobacco, tradition, and Catholic faith. By the time he came of age, the rumblings of revolution were echoing through the colonies. Joseph didn’t sit out the fight. He shouldered a musket, left the fields of Maryland, and marched into history.

Joseph fought in the Battle of Brandywine on September 11, 1777, one of the largest battles of the Revolutionary War. It was there, under the command of Captain Ramsey, that Joseph joined thousands of American troops trying to block the British advance on Philadelphia. The battle ended in retreat for Washington’s army, but for men like Joseph, it was a test of resolve. They didn't fight for glory—they fought because the cause was right, and the alternative was servitude.

After the war, like many Catholic veterans from Maryland, Joseph moved westward. By the early 1800s, he had settled in Nelson County, Kentucky, near Bardstown, which was fast becoming a center for Catholic families seeking fertile ground and religious freedom. Bardstown was wild country back then—just a scattering of homesteads, rough churches, and brave souls. But it was also a place of promise, and Joseph helped shape it.

He married Elizabeth Willingham, born in 1757. Together, they likely raised children and worked the land through hardship and hope. Elizabeth passed in 1799, but Joseph lived on—outliving her and, by some accounts, several other wives. That fact alone tells you something about the toughness of life back then—and the quiet endurance of the man who kept going.

Joseph Fields lived to the remarkable age of 90, passing away in 1846. He’s buried at St. Rose Cemetery, not far from the St. Rose Priory, the first Dominican foundation in the United States. If you ever find yourself near Springfield, Kentucky, you can walk those grounds and feel the whisper of early settlers like Joseph, who laid down more than roots—they laid down legacy.

As I reflect on his life, I’m reminded that history isn’t just about famous names in textbooks. It’s also about the people whose stories live on through us. My fourth great-grandfather stood at Brandywine, carved out a life on the Kentucky frontier, and helped build a nation. I’m proud to carry his name forward—not in marble, but in memory.