Draft:J. J. Mayfield

James Jefferson Mayfield (March 22, 1861 – January 1, 1927) was a justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama from 1908 to 1920.

Born in Moores Bridge, Alabama.

His father, James Jefferson Mayfield, was born at Sipsey Turnpike, Tuscaloosa county, Ala., May 1, 1834, and died March 24, 1901, at Moores Bridge, Ala. He was a teacher in that county the greater part of his life; was captain of the "Plough Boy company" of Alabama during the war of 1861-65, and was twice wounded in the battle of Shiloh. (The "Plough Boy company" was one of the largest companies organized in Alabama for the Confederacy.) The judge's mother, Amanda C. (South) Mayfield, was the daughter of Ransom and Elizabeth South, of Davis Creek, Fayette county, Ala. His grandfather, Obadiah Mayfield, and wife, Harriet Mayfield, were residents of Hughes' Mill, Ala. Just in the prime of life, Judge Mayfield has achieved honors highly creditable to one of his years. He entered the private schools of Tuscaloosa at the age of twenty, and for two years attended the preparatory school of W. D. Fonville; entered the University of Alabama, September 18, 1883, graduating from there June 23, 1885; was on the honor roll and speaking list of his class both years; studied law at the university during the time he was acting tutor and graduated in law in June, 1888. He taught school from his graduation until 1887, when he was elected tutor of physics and astronomy at the University of Alabama. The practice of his profession began in August, 1888, in the office of Gen. S. A. M. Wood, in Tuscaloosa. He was elected to the legislature of his State for the session of 1894-95. In 1896 he was elected judge of the law and equity court of Tuscaloosa county, occupying this position until October 1, 1903, when he resigned to accept the office of code commissioner, to which he was elected by the legislature of Alabama. Judge Mayfield was on the Democratic State electoral ticket in 1896. The legal works of the judge include "Mayficld's Digest of Alabama Reports," four volumes of which are now out of press and the fifth in course of preparation; also in course of publication, "Constitutions of Alabama, Paralleled, Annotated and Indexed." He is also preparing "Annotations of the Decisions of the Supreme Court of Alabama" and "The Justice's Manual for Alabama." While in the legislature he was appointed on a committee to draft a bill providing for the codification and compilation of the Code of 1896, and assisted Hon. W. L. Martin, code commissioner, in the perfection of the Code of 1896, and is now engaged in preparing a Code of 1906.

On June 30, 1897, Mayfield was married Susie Fitts Martin at Little Rock, Arkansas.

Mayfield's son, James Jefferson Mayfield, also served as a justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama, in the 1950s.

"In 1908, Justice Simpson was reelected and J.J. Mayfield was elected as an Associate Justice".

"Justice Mayfield resigned in 1919 and was succeeded by Joel B. Brown".

"On November 12, 1954, James J. Mayfield, the son of former Justice J.J. Mayfield, took office as an Associate Justice pursuant to his election to succeed Justice Clayton".

References

Category:1861 births Category:1927 deaths Category:Justices of the Supreme Court of Alabama

This open draft remains in progress as of July 5, 2023.