Born: November 19, 1831, Orange Township, Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Nickname: None
Education: Western Reserve Eclectic Institute (now Hiram College), Williams College (graduated 1856)
Religion: Disciples of Christ
Marriage: November 11, 1858, to Lucretia Rudolph (1832-1918)
Children: Eliza A. (1860-1863), Harry A. (1863-1942), James R. (1865-1950), Mary (1867-1947), Irvin M. (1870-1951), Abram (1872-1958), Edward (1874-1876)
Career: Teacher, Public Official
Political Party: Republican
Writings:Diary, 1848-1874 (2 vols., 1967), ed. by H. J. Brown and F. D. Williams
Died: September 19, 1881, Elberon, New Jersey
Buried: Lake View Cemetery, Cleveland, Ohio
James Garfield Trivia:
Graduated Williams College (1856). Only 131 days after taking office, on July 12, 1881, while entering a Washington, D.C. railroad station, he was shot by Charles J. Guiteau, a disappointed office-seeker in Garfield's new administration. Garfield was the first left-handed president. He was the last of seven presidents born in a log cabin. On election day, November 2, 1880, he was at the same time, a member of the House, Senator-elect and President-elect. After Garfield's shooting, repeated probing for the bullet with non-sterile instruments resulted in blood poisoning which eventually killed him on September 19, 1881.