Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1881-09-22
COLD IN DEATH.


President Garfield is dead This
brief and startling, though not unlocked
for announcement was clicked in I'M
feeling tones, Monday night, at fifteen
minutes after eleven O'Clock, from the
ocean retreat of the presidents suffer
ing family. Sad, indeed, is the duty Of
the chronicler of a nations loss. In a
time when it is waiting in deep solicit
tude upon the doubtful balance of life
and death, our nation is stricken with
the heaviest of blows upon its very
heart. Although not unexpected, it
shock, and all the effect of wound
upon the tenderest affection. His loss
causes the heart of the nation to culver.
This is not the time to speak of him
at length that belongs to him. In this
hour of mourning, and under the
shock of intense grief, it may be said
that his death is a nations calamity,
and is lamented by every true citizen.
James Abraham Garfield was born
in the township of Orange, Cuyahoga
county, Ohio, Nov. 10, 1881. He was
the youngest of four children, and his
father died when he was but two years
old. His father, Abraham Garfield,
was farmer in rather poor circum-
stances, but was highly respected in
the neighborhood for his industry and
integrity. His wife, the mother of
James, was considered woman of
more than ordinary talent, and devoted
all the time she could take from her
daily toll to reading history and litera-
ture. The other three children have
never become at all prominent. The
oldest is farmer in Michigan. and
the two sisters are wives of farmers in
Ohio. For the first sixteen years of
the life OF James he worked on the lit
tie farm left by his father, and went to
school when it was possible for his
mother to send him. He was an apt
scholar and had great desire to get an
education, consequently he made good
progress. At the age of sixteen he
went from home to work, first at chop
ping cordwood and later at harvesting
and other farm work until he had
earned little money. With this he
went to Cleveland, only nineteen miles
away, to obtain employment on lake
vessel. Falling to obtain such posi-
ton he sought and obtained place on
the Ohio canal. tits not easy to under
stand why this canal boat portion ofGar-
fields life should have been singled out
as especially bright by the friends of
his cause when candidate for presi-
dent, as there does not seem to be any
thing in it that would distinguish him
from the other canal hands, and it was
but short time before he was COM
PEELED to return home sick of ague,
from which he would not have recov-
cred except with that care which only
mother can give. On his recovery
| from the ague he was sent to school 10y
his mother and the love of an education
took the place of his desire for being a
sailor, In 1S49, whe,, Is years old, Gar
| field entered Geauga academy, teach
ing school in the winter, and working
at the carpenters trade in the sum-
mer, to assist himself financially
In 1854 he entered the junior class at
Williams college and two years later
graduated with an honor He soon
obtained n professorship in Hiram col
lege Ohio, and afterwards became
president of the college In 1858 he
married Lucretia Rudolph, the daugh-
ter of "A farmer near by, with whom he
| had became acquainted while at Geau-
ga academy. She proved to be a rea
helpmeet and Garfield and his earnest
friends ascribe much of his success il
later life to the devotion and gooC
judgment of his wife In 1889, he wa'
elected to the Ohio state senate. Here
begun the political life of James A
Garfield. 1t is generally Supposed tina
he was once IA clergyman; this however
| is q mistake. While at Hiram colleg,
he sometimes preached, but was nevei
an ordained minister. In the OhiC
State Senate, Garfield soon becam'
prominent. He was ready talker anC
led the republican minority against tn,
adoption of .he constitutional amend
ments proposed by Congress forbiddinj
states from legislating upon the subjec
of slavery.
Garfield Is described as n large, well
fed, rudy-faced brown-bearded man
weighing 200 pounds, with broad shout
ders, large nose, light blue eyes, an,
high foreh cad, with little tendency t,
being bald. He dresses and acts in
manner showing that he was born ant
bred a farmer. 1t is related of hin
that he always sought to make friends
and during his long service in congress
was doubtless one of the most popula
men IN that body among his colleagues
At the end OF two years in the stat
senate Garfield notified Gov. Denistol
that he desired 10 enter the militar
service. He was first sent by the gov
ernor to New York for arms for Obi
troops, and in August, 1861 he wa
commissioned Lieut.. Colonel of tn
forty-second regiment of Ohio volur
teers. The regiment was sent int