Dr. Joseph E. Mayfield was born about 1843 in Tennessee. In the 1850's his family moved to Nacogdoches, Texas, where his father, Walter E. C. Mayfield, served as Sheriff and District Clerk. In 1862 Dr. Mayfield enlisted in Co. G of the 12th Regiment of Texas Volunteers and served in the Confederate Army until 1865. A physician, he was also a stockholder of the First National Bank in Nacogdoches which operated from 1890 to 1899. He held the offices of Deputy Sheriff, District Clerk, and Deputy County Clerk there in the 1860's and 1870's. In his last years he resided in San Antonio and contributed a column of historical reminiscences captioned "Nacogdoches Traditions" to the DAILY SENTINEL in Nacogdoches.  Dr. Mayfield died on October 23, 1924.