JAMES A. GARFIELD
James A. Garfield was born in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, in 1831. His
father died in 1833, when Garfield was only two years old and so his mother
had to carry on working the family farm by herself. With the death of his
father, the family feel into poverty. Even though they had very little money,
his mother made sure that her children went to the neighborhood school to get
a good education. He belonged to the Desciples of Christ Church.
While growing up, James drove canal boat teams, and earned enough
money to further his education at college. He attended Western Reserve
Eclectic Institute at Hiram, Ohio, and was graduated from Williams College
in 1856. He returned to Western Eclectic Institute and became a classics
professor. Later, he became the president of the College.
In 1858, he was married to Lucretia Rudolph and had seven kids.
English: Pres. James Garfield
Lucretia Garfield. Library of Congress description...
English: James A. GarfieldEliza, Harry, James, Mary, Irvin, Abram, and Edward.
James Garfield was an advocate for free-soil principles and soon
became a supporter of the newly organized Republican Party. And in 1859,
he was elected to the Ohio Legislature. During the succession crisis, he
advocated coercing the seceding states back into the Union.
During the Civil War, he helped to recruit the 42nd Ohio Volunteer
Infantry and became the infantry's colonel. He fought at Shiloh in April 1862,
served as a chief of staff in the Army of the Cumberland, saw action at
Chickamauga in September of 1863.
When the Union victories had been few in 1862, he successfully led a
brigade at Middle Creek, Kentucky, against Confederate troops. And in
1862, at the age of 31, he became brigader general, only to be made a major
general in 1863.
Meanwhile, in 1862, he was elected by fellow Ohioans to The United...