New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-07

same type as his famous son, but handsomer man,
according to the verdict Of his wife. lie had
sunny, genial temper like most men of great physi-
cal strength, was great favOrte with his associ-
ates and was a natural leader and master OF the
rude characters with whom he was thrown IN his
forest-cearing work and his later labors in build
ing the Ohio Canal. His education was confined to
few terms in the Worcester district school, and
the only two specimens OF his writing extsnt show
that II was not thorough enough to give him much
knowledge of the science OF photography. lie was
fond of reading but the hard life of poor man in
new country gave him little time to read books,
if he had had the money to buy them The
weekly newspapers and few volumes borrowed
from neighbors formed his intellectual diet 1t was
only natural that the stout handsome young man
should speedily fail in love with his old schoolmate,
Eliza, at whose mothers home in Muskngum
County he was warmly welcomed. She was sen-
der girl short of stature with blue eyes and fair har
like his own, active. healthy, industrious, trained
in all household labors. expert at the spinning
wheel and the loom and able in spite OF her delicate
looking frame, to lend vigorous hand to help her
brothers in the harvestfeld. girls used TO do In
the pioneer days. In word, she was just the wife
for young fellow like Abram Garfield, VINO had MS
way to make in the world.
Short courtshps and early marriages were therule
in those days. Life was too serious and laborous
to spend much time in love-making. On the Sd OF
February 1920 Abram Garfield and Eliza Ballou
were married in the village of GAINESVILLE. by JUS
tice of the Peace named Richard III. Ho-
gan. The bridegroom lacked nine months OF
being twenty-one years OF age, ana the
bride was only eighteen. They went 10
Newburg, Cuyahoga County, Ohio-now part OF
the City of Cleveland-and began life in small
log house on new farm of eighty acres. In Janu-
airy, 1921, their first child, Mehetabel, was born
In October 1922. Thomas was born, and Mary In
October 1924. In 1926, the family removed TO New
Philadelphia Tuscarawas County, where the father
had a contract to construct three miles Of canal
Men who worked for HIM are still living and re-
member his great strength and energy and his re-
markable control over the force of workmen in his
employ. Three years were were spent in New-Phil-
adelpha. In 1927, the fourth child. James B.. was
born. This was the the only one of the children
that the parents lost He died in 1880. after the
family returned TO the lake country. In January
1880 Abram went 10 Orange Township Cuyahoga
County. where lived Amos BOynton, his half
brother-the son of his mother by her second hus-
band-and bought eighty acres of land at ~ an
acre. The county nearly all wild. and
tho new farm had TO be carved out OF
the forest BoyntOn purchased at the same
families lived together for few weeks in log house
built by the Joint labors of the men. Soon second
cabin was reared across the road. The dwelling of
the Gareds was built after the standard pattern of
the houses of poor Ohio farmers in that day. Its
walls were oflogs lis roof of shinge split with
an axe and its floor Of rude thick planking split
out of tree trunks with wedge and maui. 1t bad
only single room, at one end of which was the big,
cavernons chimney, where the cooking was done.
and at the other a bed. The younger children slept
in a rrundle-bed which was pushed under the bed
stead of their parents in the daytime to get 1t out
of the way for there was room to spare; the
older ones climbed ladder to the loft under the
steep roof In this house James 4. Garfield was
born, November 10. 1881.
The father worked hard early and late to clear
his land and plant and "a. her his crops No man
in all the region around could WELD an axe like him.
Fenced fields soon took the place Of the forest: an
orchard was planted, barn built. and tie family
was full Of hope for the future, when death Re-
moved its strong support. One day III May. 1888
fire broke out III the woods. aud AbTam Garfield.
after heating his blood and exertng his strength to
keep the flames from his fences and fields sat down
TO fest where a cold wind blew, and was seized
with violent sore throat. country doctor put
blister his neck, which bad the effect OF choking
him TO death. Just before he died, pointing TO
his children, he said TO his wife: Eliza. i have
planted fOur sapllngs III these woods. leave them
VUur care" lie WAS buried In n corner OF
wleat-iield on his farm.
James the baby. was eighteen months old a. the
time. His mother remember; that the father, a few
DAYS before he died. was reading Volume OF Piu-
tarch's Lives and holding the boy on one knee
James had just begun to say papa and mamma"
and the two words were his whole vocabulary
stopping his reading moment 10 listen 10 the
chiids pratte, the father said: Say Plntarch
James, The boy pronounced the word plainly and
rencated Il several times Eliza" sad the tather
This boy viii be great scholar some day"
The loss of the father threw the family into great
distress. They IN debt, and there seemed no
wav out of their trouble but TO give up the home
stead The neIghbors advised the mother 10 break
and get some sort Of employment TO support herself
and the baby, but she determined TO make
gu effort to keep the household together
Thomas, the oldest boy. was ten years old.
and soon become the main stay OF the family lie
was a brave affectonate. industrious lad, stawaTt
OF frame and devoted to his mother and the younger
Children Fifty acres of the farm were sold TO pay
the debts and on the remaining thirty Mrs. Garfield
managed by the hardest toll aud the closest econ
ouy 10 rear her family. Thomas did not marry
MI he was thirty when James had got his education
and begun his career, and the load of poverty had
been lifted from the mother. He now lives II Mich
igan. The two sisters are married and live III Salem
in this State.
Abram Garfield was Wing in politics and great
admirer of Henry Clay. He joined the Disciples
Church with ms wife soon after his marriage, and
not long after the denomination was formed, under
the influence of the preaching OF Alexander Camp
hell OF the home life of the Garlelds after his
death and the childhood and early education of
James will write IN another letter. E.vs.
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