About James Abram Garfield

James A. Garfield at age 16 — James A. Garfield at 16 (Library of Congress)

Major General James A. Garfield (Library of Congress)

James A. Garfield 1870s (Library of Congress)

James A. Garfield takes the oath of office — James A. Garfield receiving the oath of office (Library of Congress)

Charles Guiteau, assassin — Charles Guiteau assassinated President Garfield (Library of Congress)

James A. Garfield
20th President of the United States

Timeline

1831: Born in Cuyahoga County, Ohio.
1856: Graduate of Williams College.
1857-1861: Teacher and head of Hiram College, Ohio.
1861: Colonel, Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment.
1862: Brigadier General.
1863: Major General.
1863-1880: U.S. House of Representatives.
1869-1871: Chairman, Banking Committee.
1880: Elected President of the United States.
1881: Shot by Charles Guiteau on July 2nd.
1881: Died from infections brought on by gunshot wounds, September 19th.

Some Interesting Facts

Garfield was the first left-handed president.
James A. Garfield could write Latin with one hand and Greek with the other -- at the same time.
He was the last of seven presidents born in a log cabin, and weighed 10 pounds at birth.
He was the first president to campaign in two languages, English and German.
Garfield was a member of the House, Senator-elect and President-elect at the same time (on election day, November 2, 1880).
Garfield's mother was the first president's mother to attend her son's inauguration.
At the age of only twenty-six, Garfield had become president of Hiram College. Although, at the time the school only had five faculty members.
After Garfield was shot, doctors repeatedly probed for the bullet with non-sterile instruments. This would result in blood poisoning and would eventually kill him.

To find out more about our namesake, James A. Garfield,
visit the following sites:

James A. Garfield from the official White House Site
American President: James Abram Garfield from the University of Virginia
James A. Garfield Monument from the Capitol Complex
James Abram Garfield from POTUS (Presidents of the United States) at the Internet Public Library
A President Felled by an Assassin and 1880s Medical Care (New York Times): By Amanda Schaffer, July 25, 2006.
The Nation - The One Who Made It; After 36 Ballots - Garfield! (New York Times): April 3, 1988.
The Dirty, Painful Death of President James A. Garfield (PBS)
James A. Garfield: A Resource Guide (Library of Congress): This will guide you to the items found in the Library of Congress relating to President James A. Garfield.
James A. Garfield Inaugural Address (Bartleby.com): His inaugural speech from Friday, March 4, 1881.

"Next in importance to freedom and justice is popular education, without which neither freedom nor justice can be permanently maintained."
- James A. Garfield