Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1881-10-27
GEN. GARFIELD'S BROTHER.
He IL Found Living Obscurely in the
Back GODS OF Michigan


STRUGGLES For BREAD.
A drive of sixteen miles from the
brisi; city of Grand Rapids down the
road to Grandville and beyond leads
one to the northeast corner of Ottawa
county, Michigan, a country beautiful
enough in the main, and covered with
a heavy growth Of beech and hickory
above which the tops of the pine appear,
solitary or in clumps. Our mission was
to find brother OF the late President
Garfield, said to be living in comparative
obscurity somewhere in that neighbor-
hood
Before starting, political friends of
Gen. Garfield, in Grand Rapids were
sought out and questioned, and but few
had heard of the brother. Major A. B.
Watson, however, President of the
Farmers and Mechanics Bank, recalled
the fact that three years ago the Gen
eral had cancelled an engagement to
speak near Grand Rapids in order to
drive southwest to his brothers house
Major Watson was asked to accompany
him, but could not, and hence knew
nothing of the brothers exact where
abouts. Other people were equally I'M
informed, and majority of citizens had
never heard that the President had q
relative in the State. The mission of
your correspondent, therefore, was one
almost of discovery, and right glad was
he to learn from Postmaster Blake, of
Grandville, that Thomas Garfield, a
bona fide brother of the President lived
some six miles beyond, on the Griffith"
place, purchased by him number of
years before. The road from Grand
vile to Garfeld's is followed with diff
Guilty, for at almost every cross-road you
turn south or west, until the highway is
left far behind, and you reach the house
of Thomas Garfield by a road so obsure
as to resemble bride path.
Inquiries made of neighbors met
along the way developed the facts that
Mr.. Garfield was at home, and that he
was
A WORTHY MAN,
in moderate circumstances, noted
neither for superior intelligence nor
thrift. But his home was reached
shortly, and ! climbed the hilly door
yard to the front door of one story
house, built of wide pine boards, nailed
upright and implanted. Through the
window of the principal room, which
occupied half of the house. spinning
wheel, decked with fillets of wool, look
ed out.
A knock brought Mrs. Garfield, a
stout, pleasant lady OF 40 odd years to
the door. "Was Mr.. Garfield imp
NO." but she would call him from the
field. The reporter offered ts save her
that trouble, and was directed to his
whereabouts, Gin the corn across the
swamp" and so at the end of a hillside
field beside shock of corn was found
sitting the brother of the late amented
President of the United States. He was
husking corn into green barrow.
AS Thomas Garfield looked up from
under his broken straw hat his face
disclosed little to remind one of the il
lustrious relative. His complexion is
light, and hair turning from brown to
gray, while the beard which grows full
and thick entirely covers the lower part
of the face, and all but hides the brok-
en- teeth.
"Yes," said he, 81 am
JAMES A. GARFIELD's OLDEST BROTHER.
| am glad you have come to see me,
and we'll go into the house and have a
talk, and he led the way with a vigor-
Gus stride that seemed at variance with
his age and stopped shoulders.
81 have been engaged all my life as
you see me now, grubbing roots and
splitting rails, and with these hands,"
holding them out, 81 have had to do
the best | could in my humble way"
AT the house the reporter was intro.
duced to Mrs. Garfield, and all was
soon at ease in the sittingroom. The
interior suggested the tidy housewife
who makes the most Of her surround
ings. The room was plainly and cheap
ly furnished, to be sure, and among the
few pictures that hung on the walls
Autograph or painting of General Gar
field there was none.
81 shall be 50" said Mr.. Garfield, con
the 10th of this month, and am the old
est son of Araham Garfield, and the
oldest child but one, sister, Mrs.
Trowbri1ge. In 1849 we were married
at Warrensvile, Cuyhoga county, Ohio.
My wife's name was Mary j. Harper. a
native Of Maine"
HIS STORY.
Fourteen years ago | sold what per-
sonal property | had and came out
to seek a new home, and after going
back again returned the next year and
purchased forty acres. There were but
few openings III the woods then, the
only one here being on the spot where
this house stands. We had at frs, to
settle at-where was that, dear?"
"Owasso," rejoined his wife.
eyes, Owasso; but | finally came here
and began clearing the woods from the
place which | bought, paying for it as /
could. | frequently had fits which
weakened my constitution and mind,
so that my memory now is poor Ey- |
erything seemed to go against me.
Four years ago our house burned and
we were able to save but few things |
from the flames, and, worse than all, we
had no insurance"
Odd not yplJr brother Jamps at that |