The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-06-09
JAS. A. GARFIELD, OF OHIO
"A Brief Skstct ufths Life Of a ssIf-hads
Han-Ths RepabIielu konla q for
President Of the unitsa States

James Abraham Garfield was born Nov
enber 10, 1881, in the township OF Orange
Cuyahogs county, Ohio. about fifteen
miles from Cleveland. His father, Abrs-
ham Garfield, came from New York, but,
like his mother, was Of New England
stock. James was the youngest Of four
children. The father died in 1888, lesv.
the family dependent upon q small farm
and the eIertions Of the mother. There
was nothing about the elder Garfield TO
distinguish him from the other plodding
farmers Of the rather sterile township Of
Orange. No one could discern any quail.
ties in him which, transmitted TO the next
generation, might help TO make q states
man, unless ii was industry; but his vile,
who is still living At IN advanced age,
was always fond Of reading when she
could get leisure from her hard house.
hold duties, and was 4 thoroughly capable
wonas, Of strong viii, stern principles
and more than average force Of character.
OF the children no one besides James has
made the slightest mark in the world.
The older brother is farmer in Michi-
gan, and the two sisters are, ] believe.
farmers wives. James had = tough time
Of it IS boy. He toiled hard on the farm
early and late in summer and worked al
the earpenter's bench in winter. The best
of it was that he liked work. There va.
not lazy hair on his head. He had an
absorbing ambition to get an education,
and the only road open TO this end seem
ed that OF manual labor. Ready money
was hard 70 get in those days The OHIO
Canal rAn not far from where he lived,
and, finding that the boatmen got their
pay in cash and earned better wages than
he could make At farming or carpentry, he
hired out Is q driver on the tow-path and
soon got up TO the dignity OF holding the
helm Of boat Then be determined 70
ship a sailor on the lakes, but an attack
Of fever and sgue inter4ered with his plans
He vas i'll three months, and when he re,
covered be decided 70 80 TO school called
Gesugs Academy, in An adjoining county.
GARFIELD AT COLLEGE.
When he was twenty-three years Of age
he concluded he had got about all there
was 70 be had in the obscure cross roads
academy. Hecalculated that he had saved
about bali enough money to get through
college, provided he could begin, Is be
hoped, with the junior year. he got q
life insurance policy and assigned 70 q
gentleman as security for loan 70 make
up the amount he lacked In the fall oi
1854 be entered the junior class Of Will.
ilms College, Massachusetts,, aud grsdu
Ated in 1858 with the metaphysical honors
OF his class. have seen daguerreotype
Of him taken about this time. 1t repre-.
sents . rather awkward youth, with .
shock OF light hair standing straight up
from big forehead, and Afrsnk, thought
tul lace, Of 8 very marked German type.
There Is not drop Of German blood in
the Garfield family. but this picture would
be taken for some Fritz or Carl just over
from the FAtherl2nd
Before be went 70 college Garfield had
connected himself with the Disciples, 8
sect having 4 numerous membership in
Eastern and Southern Ohio, West Vir.
ginia and Kentucky, where It's founder,
Alexander Campbell, had travelled and
preachsd. The principal peculiarines Of
the denomination are their refusal 70 form
uIAte their beliefs into creed, the inde-
pendence Of each congregation, the hos
pitAlity and frsternAl feeling Of the mem
bers and the lack Of regular ministry.
When Garfield returned 70 Ohio it was
natural that he should soon grAvitAte 70
the struggling little college OF the young
sect at Hiram, Portage county, near bis
boy hoods home. He became professor oi
Lain and Greek, and threw himself with
the energy and industry which are lead.
ing traits Of his character into the work Oi
building up the institution. Before he
had been two yeArs in his professorsnip
be was appointed president Of the college.
HH MARRIAGE
During bis proIessorship Garfield mar.
ried Miss Luereda Rudolph, daughter Of
farmer in the neighborhood, whose &C.
quaintance he had made while 1t the
academy, where she was also q pupil.
She was quiet, thoughtful girl, Of singur.
larry sweet and refined disposition, fond
Of study and reading, Possessing warm
heart and : mind with the capacity oi
steady growth. The marriage was : loTe
affair on both sides and has been thor.
oughly happy one. Much Of General
GGr6eld's subsequent success IN lie may
be attributed % the never-tLiltpg sympA'
thy and intslleCiual companionship Of bus
wife and the stimulus Of loving home
circle. The young couple bought 3 neat
linls cottage fronting on the college camp,
us and began their welded lie poor and
b A.hf- hsir With hraIe hesEtA