James A Garfield Facts - 20th President of USA

Twentieth President of the united states of America James A Garfield Facts. James was born in a log cabin in Orange Township, Ohio on November 19, 1831.

James A Garfield Life

James A Garfield Facts - He was of Welsh ancestry, and his father, Abram Garfield, died when James was only 17 months old, so he was raised with the efforts of his mother Eliza Ballou, uncle, and sisters.

James A Garfield Educated

While in Orange Township, Garfield attended Orange City Schools. He then went to the Western Reserve Eclectic Institute in Hiram, Ohio.

He transferred to Williams College located in Williamstown, Massachusetts. He was an outstanding well-rounded student who graduated in 1856 only disliking one subject, chemistry.

James A Garfield Career

James Garfield spent a short time preaching at Franklin Circle Christian Church, and then considered becoming a principal of a high school in New York. He did not get the job, so he taught at the Eclectic Institute. He taught classical languages and was made the principal from 1857 until 1860.

James A Garfield Marriage

He married Lucretia Rudolph in 1858, and they had seven children: Eliza Arabella Garfield, Harry Augustus Garfield, James Rudolph Garfield, Mary Garfield, Irvin M. Garfield, Abram Garfield, and Edward Garfield.

In the middle of the 1860s, Garfield admitted to an affair with Lucia Calhoun, and his wife forgave him. Garfield decided not to remain in academic life and ended up studying law. He joined the Ohio bar in 1860.

Garfield served in the Union Army. He also served in the United States House of Representatives. He remained a Republican throughout his career.

President James A Garfield Facts

Garfield was inaugurated as President of the United States on March 4, 1881. Garfield was shot by Charles J. Guiteau. One of the bullets just grazed the president's arm, but the other bullet was lodged into his spine and was unable to be found. Scientists now believe it was near his lung.

A metal detector was devised by Alexander Graham Bell to find the bullet, but it malfunctioned due to the metal bed Garfield was lying on.

Garfield became more ill over the next few weeks because of infection, and his heart became weakened. He was bedridden and had extreme pains and fevers. He was moved to the Jersey shore on September 6 with the hope that it would help him to aid his recovery.

James A Garfield Death

Garfield died from a massive heart attack or it was a ruptured splenic artery aneurysm, which followed bronchial pneumonia and blood poisoning. He died two months prior to turning fifty years old and there had been eighty days between his shooting and his death.

Today it is believed that the president probably would have lived if the doctors who were taking care of him had been more capable doctors.

For example, several of them inserted their unsterilized fingers in the wound in order to probe for the bullet. In doing so, one doctor even punctured Garfield's liver.

The doctor likely introduced the Streptococcus bacteria into the body of the President, causing blood poisoning. Guiteau was sentenced to death and was executed by being hung on June 30, 1882, in Washington, D.C.

Read James Garfield Facts

NICKNAME
Preacher President

BIRTH
James Abram Garfield was born on November 19, 1831
in Orange Township, Cuyahoga County, Ohio

MOTHER
Eliza Ballou

FATHER
Abram Garfield

SISTERS
Mehitabel and Mary

BROTHERS
Thomas and James Ballou

MARRIAGE
Lucretia (Crete) Rudolph on November 11, 1858
in Hiram, Ohio

CHILDREN
Eliza Arabella, Harry Augustus, James Rudolph,
Mary, Irvin McDowell, Abram and Edward

HOME
Lawnfield, Mentor, Ohio

EDUCATION
District school, Orange Township Ohio
Geauga Seminary, Chester, Ohio (1849-1850)
Eclectic Institute at Hiram, Ohio (1851-1854)
Williams College, Williamstown Mass., graduated (1856)
Independent Law Study

RELIGION
Disciples of Christ

PRE-PRESIDENCY PROFESSION
School Teacher, soldier, lawyer

MILITARY SERVICE
Civil War (1861-1863): Colonel in Ohio 42nd Regiment in 1861
Resigned in 1863 to take a seat in Congress

POLITICAL LIFE

Ohio State Senator (1859-1861)
US Representative (1863-1880)
US President one term (March 4, 1881-Sept. 19, 1881)

POLITICAL PARTY
Republican

INAUGURATION
March 4, 1881, the Capitol Washington D.C.
at the age of 49
James Abram Garfield - Inaugural Address

James Garfield Administration

PRESIDENCY
One term (March 4, 1881-September 19, 1881)

VICE PRESIDENT
Chester A. Arthur (1881)

FIRST LADY
Lucretia Garfield (1881)
Facts about Lucretia Garfield
Biography of Lucretia Garfield

SUPREME COURT APPOINTMENTS
Stanley Matthews (1881)

James Garfield Cabinet
SECRETARY OF STATE
James G. Blaine (1881)

SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY
William Windom (1881)

SECRETARY OF WAR
Robert Lincoln (1881)

ATTORNEY GENERAL
I. Wayne McVeigh (1881)

POSTMASTER GENERAL
Thomas L. James (1881)

SECRETARY OF THE NAVY
William H. Hunt (1881)

SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
Samuel J. Kirkwood (1881)

POST PRESIDENCY LIFE

President James Garfield was shot on July 2, 1881, and died of his wound on September 19.
More about the assassination of James Garfield

DEATH
September 19, 1881, in Elberon, New Jersey at the age of 49

BURIAL PLACE
Lake View Cemetery, Cleveland, Ohio

LANDMARKS
Lawnfield, Garfield National Historic Site, Mentor, Ohio birthplace and replica homestead)
Lake View Cemetery, Cleveland, Ohio