The Columbus journal., 1881-03-16
Gen. Garfield's Mother.

Every mother should read re
Gently published volume entities
"From the Log Cabin to the White
House," by William M. Thayer
which is dedicated to the boys of tn,
United States. 1t is familiar say
ing that the mother molds the man,
and this book proves it. Those who
read it--and it should be read BY
every boy as well as his mother
will not be at all surprised that the
son Of such mother should, by in
heritence and example, possess the
noble character, the indomitable en-.
ergy and courage, and the purity oI
life that has characterized General
Garfield from his youth up to this
time. Mrs. Garfield's maiden name
was Eliza RallOu. She was a de.
cendant of Msturin Ballou, Hu'
genot of France, driven from his
country upon the revocation Of the
edict of Mates.
He joined the colony of Roger
Williams, came to America, and set
tied in Cumberland, r. |. There he
built a church which is still care.
fully preserved as relic of the past
Ii is known as the Elder Ballou
meeting house. When il was built
there were no saw-mills, no nails,
and few tools in the country. Its
galleries and pews, even its floor, are
hewn out of solid logs, and put to-
gether with wooden pegs. Here
Maturin Bsllou preached the gospel,
and his son, and grandson, and great
grsndsons after him to the tenth
generation. A race Of preachers
sprsng from this pioneer minister
as well as many lawyers, doctors,
and other public men, eminent for
their talents and force of character.
Some of them figured in the Amer
ican revolution, as heroic in war as
they were renowned in peace.
Abrsm Garfield and Eliza Bsllou,
both emigrants from the state of New
York, were married in 1921. They
had gone, in 1880, to Orange, Guy
shogs county, Ohio, where a year
later their son James wasp orn, be-
ing their fourth child. Their log
house was built when the heavy for
est was but partly cleared away.
The fences were not yet made about
the fields when the father, in fight
ing forest fire that threatened the
destruction of their home, overhead
ed himself, was suddenly chilled, and
in a few days died. His last words
to his wife, as he looked upon his
children, we're: 81 have planted four
saplings here in this forest. / must
now leave them to your care"
A happier family never dwelt in
q palace than had been in that cabin
home. Little James was bnt Is
months old when his father died
too young to understand his irrepar-
able loss or feel the pangs of grief
that well nigh crushed other hearts.
The neighbors came--only four or
five families in radius of ten miles
and wept with the widow and
fstherless. With their assistance the
lifeless form was inclosed in rough
coffin and buried in the corner of the
wheat field near by. No sermon, no
prayer except the silent prayers that
went up from aching hearts. Win
ter was approaching. Could human
exper:ssHace be more dresry than a
woman left a widow with her chill
dren in wilderness swept by win
try storms? The howl of the wolves
and the cry of ofpanthers never sound
ed so terrible as during those long
desolate winter nights. 1t seemed
to the weary ones that spring would
never come again. But at last it did
come, and swept away the snow and
ice. The dead things of the field and
forest returned to life, save only the
dead in the cerner Of the wheat field,
and hope was not revived i'm the
cabin. There was no money in the
house, there was debt on the farm,
and the food supply was limited.
Then Mrs. Garfield sought the ad-
vice of neighbor, who had been
kind in her time of trouble. He ad-
yised her to sell the hrm, pay the
debt, and retarn to her friends, be-
lieving IL ippossible fer her to sup
port herself and children there. Her
reply was characteristic:
al can never. throw, myself and
my children upon the charity of my
friends. So long q ! have health
believe my Heavenly Father will
bless these two hands and make
them able to support my children.
Ny dear husband made this hone.
at the sacrifice Of bis life, and every
log in this cabin is sacred to me
now. II seems to me like q holy
trust that I must preserve as faith
fully as l would guard his grave"
Her neighbors left her and she
went to the friend that never fails,
and asked God to make the way of
duty clear to her; and when she
came from her place of prayer she
felt that new light and strength had
been given In har Che collad ha.