Apprenticeship of Lutory Fields in 1896 Reflects Historical Family Dynamics
On July 4, 1896, Loutoria Fields, a six-year-old girl, was apprenticed to her grandfather, George W. Fields, by the Clerk of Superior Court J.D. Bardin. This arrangement was to last until she turned 18. The apprenticeship is seen as a form of intrafamily adoption, likely following the death of her mother, Jane Fields. Census records from 1880 to 1950 provide a detailed account of the Fields family, illustrating the living conditions and family structure over several decades. The records also document Loutoria's marriage to John H. Battle and their subsequent family life. 
