Joseph Field was born in 1774 in Culpepper County, Virginia. His older brother Reuben was born in 1772. They were raised in Kentucky and so were considered to be part of the "nine young men from Kentucky" in the Lewis and Clark Expedition which they joined on August 1, 1803. Both men were considered to be fine woodsmen and hunters. The brothers returned to Kentucky in 1806. Joseph is thought to have died sometime between June 27 and October 20, 1807.