Changes

Along with [[Fred Preaus]], a Farmerville businessman who ran for governor in 1956, and  state Senator B. R. Patton, Fields worked to make Lake D'Arbonne in Farmerville a reality. Popular with fisherman and boaters, the large man-made lake opened in 1963.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lakedarbonnelife.com/2013/01/18/in-the-beginning/|title=In the Beginning|publisher=Lake D'Arbonne Life|date=January 18, 2013|accessdate=February 3, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://bab.stparchive.com/Archive/BAB/BAB11072013P05.php|title=Lake D'Arbonne Celebrating 50th Year|publisher=''The Bernice (Louisiana) Banner''|date=November 7, 2013|page=5|author=Kinny Haddox|accessdate=February 3, 2021}}</ref> Both Patton and Fields were unseated in the 1963-64 election cycle after Lake D'Arbonne had already been opened.

Along with [[Fred Preaus]], a Farmerville businessman who ran for governor in 1956, and  state Senator B. R. Patton, Fields worked to make Lake D'Arbonne in Farmerville a reality. Popular with fisherman and boaters, the large man-made lake opened in 1963.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lakedarbonnelife.com/2013/01/18/in-the-beginning/|title=In the Beginning|publisher=Lake D'Arbonne Life|date=January 18, 2013|accessdate=February 3, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://bab.stparchive.com/Archive/BAB/BAB11072013P05.php|title=Lake D'Arbonne Celebrating 50th Year|publisher=''The Bernice (Louisiana) Banner''|date=November 7, 2013|page=5|author=Kinny Haddox|accessdate=February 3, 2021}}</ref> Both Patton and Fields were unseated in the 1963-64 election cycle after Lake D'Arbonne had already been opened.

After three terms in the state House, Fields four years later won a comeback bid in the [[general election]] held on February 6, 1968. He and former intraparty rival, James Peyton Smith, defeated the lone [[Republican Party|Republican]] candidate, [[Edwards Barham]] of Oak Ridge in Morehouse Parish, who polled 44 percent of the vote in a three-candidate field in which two were  elected.<ref>''The Monroe News-Star,'' February 7, 1968.</ref> In 1975, Barham became the first Republican since [[Reconstruction]] to be elected to the Louisiana Senate. He served only one term until his defeat in 1979 by the Democrat David 'Bo' Ginn of Bastrop in Morehouse Parish.<ref>''[[Shreveport Journal]],'' October 29, 1979.</ref>

After three terms in the state House, Fields four years later won a comeback bid in the [[general election]] held on February 6, 1968. He and former intraparty rival, James Peyton Smith, defeated the lone [[Republican Party|Republican]] candidate, [[Edwards Barham]] of Oak Ridge in Morehouse Parish, who polled 44 percent of the vote in a three-candidate field in which two were  elected.<ref>''[[Monroe News Star\\,'' February 7, 1968.</ref> In 1975, Barham became the first Republican since [[Reconstruction]] to be elected to the Louisiana Senate. He served only one term until his defeat in 1979 by the Democrat David 'Bo' Ginn of Bastrop in Morehouse Parish.<ref>''[[Shreveport Journal]],'' October 29, 1979.</ref>

Fields was married to Ruth Atcheson "Katie" Fields (1914-1993), whom he outlived by eight months. The couple and other family members are interred at Farmerville Cemetery in Farmerville.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/38084490|title=Ruth "Katie" Atcheson Fields|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=February 3, 2021}}</ref>

Fields was married to Ruth Atcheson "Katie" Fields (1914-1993), whom he outlived by eight months. The couple and other family members are interred at Farmerville Cemetery in Farmerville.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/38084490|title=Ruth "Katie" Atcheson Fields|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=February 3, 2021}}</ref>