Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-02-05
Col. J. A. Garfield.

\ cOITeSpOuuGll Vi TIC DOSlOl OaZcllc
furnishes hat paper with the following
sketch of Colonel Garfield, which is gem
orally correct:
Col. Garfield was born of respectable
parents, in Cuyahoga county, Ohio, in
1881, making him at the present time
thirty-one years Of age. In his early years
of boyhood he formed so strong a love for
horses, and independent control of his
own actions, that he ran away from home
and became a driver on the canal. Pos
sessing remarkable strength and physical
endurance, with no small amount of COM
battive spirit, he soon became famous as a
shoulder hitter" whipping all opponents
who were anywhere near his own age, and
becoming a terror to the quarrelsome row
dies who had previously 'ruled the ditch"
During the highth of this wild career
he attended O revival meeting, become
converted, found new and wealthy friends,
who supplied him with funds to attend
college, and in 1856 he graduated at Will
liams College, Mass, with the highest
honors.
Returning to Ohio, he at once became
settled as a clergyman and President of
the college at Hiram, Portage county
He here became so popular rs an eloquent
divine, as a lecturer before lyceums, and
as a profound scholar, that the success of
his school was without a precedent in the
State.
Two years ago he was elected by an
overwhelming majority as a member of
the State Senate, where he at once rose to
the highest degree of popularity by his
brilliant oratory and sound craftsmanship.
T,,eT IafOpa fha aODnnaannanoanf &c fhn
present wal he withdrew from the college
at Hiram and commenced the practice Of
law, but at the first call for troops he at
once entered the field, and rallied around
him some of the ablest boys TO be found
in the Buckeye State.
Col. Garfield stands FIVE feet nine and
a half inches in his stockings, weighs 100
pounds has a pair of large blue eyes, yell
lowish white Greedy hair a large express
i've mouth, the outlines of which denote
both good nature and answering deter
mination, and is withall what the ladies
have always called a handsome man."
1t was prophesied at once after his en-
listment that, "let Rev. Mr. Garfield have
a chance at the rebels, and he would die
in the field or win a victory" He has
had his chance" and the victory has
been won.
1t has been claimed by some of his
friends for a number of years that he was
the strongest man in Ohio, if not ii the
United States, and the following anecdote
is related of him as illustrative of his Won
derful muscular ability. 1t is said that at
n of his outdoor religious meetings,
while be was eloquently protraying the
patience of Job, a big two listed rowdy,
who had long been the terror of the oun
try, and had broken up a numbero of meet
ings, leaped into the circle of weeping
christians, and with a wild Indian war
whoop exclaimed: Pm ready for a fight
If yer white-headed minister is so mighty
strong as yer talk of, let him jump his
length inter the old hyenal"
Without eYincing the slightest anger,
Mr.. Garfield exclaimed, Yes, my friends,
Job was a pattern of patience, and yet
if he was here at the present moment,
l doubt not he would do as l am about to
and walking up to the bully, with a
movement almost as quick as lightning,
he turned him half way round, knocked
off his cap, and, grasping him by the hair,
hoisted him at arms length from the
ground, as easily as it he had been an in
FAINT. The fellow being a coward-as all
rowdies re-wa almost frightened to
death, and screamed out in a most frantic
manner. Let go my hari For Gods
sake let go! I'll never trouble you agin !
Let go my har! After making the fellow
promise to occupy a front seat during the
rest of the meeting Mr.. Garfield let him
drop. 1t is needless to say that outdoor
meeting in that section were neve after
ward disturbed, if Rev. Mr.. Garfield was
the clergyman present.