FIELD, Nelson Curtis

FIELD, SELLERS, BRADWAY, BUFFINGTON

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 11/22/2013 at 09:47:28

One of the most colorful and successful editors of the Mills County Tribune was Nelson Curtis "Nancy" Field. Born in Pottawattamie County, on 13 Apr 1868, he was a son of Arminius J. and Aurelia (Sellers) Field. He worked on the farm until he entered the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor where he graduated from the literary department with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1890. After graduation he taught school for a year before becoming a journalist and establishing the Mills County Tribune with N.T. Bradway, In 1895 he became the sole owner.

On the 7th of January, 1890, he married Miss Jennie Buffington, a member of an old and influential family in Mills County, but their marriage was short as Mrs. Field died the following May.

He was defeated as a candidate for state senator on the Democratic ticket from the largely Republican senatorial district composed of Mills and Montgomery counties. He began business with no capital, but through his paper and other investments he acquired seven farms totaling 1015 acres.

According to The History of Mills County, 1985, "Mr. Field published all of the news he could find, including the filing of divorce suits. In those days marriages were not dissolved unless there were adequate grounds, such suits often made lurid charges. Sometimes the litigants were offended by such publicity and for many years it was legendary that Editor Field occasionally had to dodge dissatisfied parties, some of whom came after him with a horse whip, a favorite non-lethal weapon of that day."

Source: 1901 Fremont-Mills History and The History of Mills County, 1985