Kentucky Historical Marker No. 640
The home of former Congressman and Governor William Jason "Honest Bill"
Fields
is located on US 60, at Olive Hill, Ky. Gov. Fields was born
December 19, 1874, near Willard, the son of Christopher C. Fields
and Alice Rucker and was named for his grandfather, Confederate
leader of Fields' Partisan Rangers. Honest Bill began his
political career by serving early as a constable.
He ran for Congress from Ky.'s 9th District in 1910
and was elected seven consecutive times. In 1923, he was nominated
for Governor and won. He married October 28, 1893, Dora McDavid.
Their children were Forrest G., Robert Forde, Everett G., Frank C., William
Earle , and Elizabeth Alice (Johnson). Gov. Fields
died October 21, 1954. Mrs. Fields lived to be more than 100
years of age and died at Morehead, where a university dormitory was named
in her honor.
On September 5, 1953, the Carter Co. Teachers' Association sponsored "Governor Fields Day" at Grayson and a large bronze plaque was unveiled on the courthouse lawn (see picture).
In 1964, a Historical marker was placed in the yard of the former home of Governor Fields and reads as follows:
HOME OF GOV. FIELDS
"Honest Bill from Olive Hill." Home of Gov. William Jason Fields, 34th Governor of Kentucky, 1923-27. Promoted Kentucky's first grant of Federal aid for road construction, consolidation of schools, teacher-training colleges at Murray and Morehead. Member U.S. Congress, 1911-23. Commonwealth Attorney, 1932-33. Born 1874 and died 1954 in Carter Co. Buried Olive Hill."
In 1972, a portrait of the governor was unveiled and hung in the Caveland Lodge of Carter Caves State Park.
Submitted by Garrett and Sherry Lowe