The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1881-09-21

/ AFfnys 1tLA~
tor, and President.
The following biographical sketch Of
President Garfield will be read with
interest at this time:
President James Abram Garfield was
born November 10th. 1881. in the
township Of Orange, Cuyahoga county.
Ohio, about fifteen miles from Cleve-
land His father. Abram Garfield, came
from New York State, but, like his
mother, was Of New England stock.
James was the youngest of four chill
dren. The father died in 1888, leavirg
the family dependent upon q small farm
and the exertions OF the mother. There
was nothing about the elder Garfield
TO Distinguish him from the other plod
| ding farmers of the rather sterile town.
ship of Orange; but bis wife. who is
still living 81 an advanced age. was
always fond Of reading when she could
get leisure from her had household
duties, and was thoroughly capable
woman, of strong will. stern principles,
and more than average force Of char
acter. Of the children. no one besides
James as made the slightest mark in
the world. The elder brother is a
farmer in Michigan. and the two sisters
are farmers wives. James had tough
time of it as boy. He toiled hard ON
the farm. early and late in summer,
AID worked at the carpenters bench in
winter. The best of 1t was that be
liked work. There was not lazy hair
on his head. He had an absorbing am-
bition to get an education. ard the only
road open 10 this end seemed that OF
manual labor. Ready money was hard
10 get in those days. The Ohio Canal
ran not far from where be lived, and,
finding that the boatmen got their pay
10 cash and earned better wages than
he could make at farming or carpentry,
he hired out as driver OH the towpath,
and soon got up to the dignity Of holds
ing the helm of boat. Then he de-
termined TO ship as sailor on the
lakes. but an attack of fever and sgue
interfered with his plans. He was Ill
three months, and when he recovered
he decided to 60 to school called
Geauga Academy, 10 an adjoining coun-
| ty. His mother had saved q small SUN
of money, which The gave him. togeth.
or with few cooking utensils and a
stock Of provisions. He hired small
room and cooked his own food. to make
his expenses as light as possible. He
paid his own way after that, never call
ing on his mother for any more assist
ance. BY working at the carpenters
bench mornings 81 d evenings and vaca-
ton times. and teat hing country schools
during the winter. he managed to at
tend the academy during the spring
and fall terms and save q little money
toward
GOING To COLLEGE.
he had excellent health, robust frame
aud a capital memory, and the attempt
to combine mental and physical work
which has broken down many farmer
boys. ambitious to get an education
did not hurt him. When he was %
years Of age he concluded he had got
about all there was to be had in the
obscure crossroads academy. He cal
culated that he bad saved about hall
enough money to get through college,
provided he could begin. as he hoped
with the junior year. He got life in
surance policy and assigned it to gen
tleman as security forA loan to make
up the amount he lacked. In the fall
of 1854 he entered the Junior class OF
Williams College. Massachusetts,. and
graduated in 1856 with the metaphysi-
cal honors of his class. "a dagusrrreotype
of bin, taken about this time, repre-
SCENTS rather awkward youth, with a
shock Of light hair standing straight
up from big forehead. aud frank.
thoughtful face. OF a very marked Ger
man type, though there is not drop
of German blood in the Garfield fam
lily. Before he went to college, Garfield
had connected himself with the Dis
ciples. Q sect having numerous mem
bership in Eastern and Southern Ohio.
When Garfield returned to Ohio it was
natural that he should gravitate to the
struggling little college of the young
sect ct Hiram, Portage county. near bis
hoy hoods home. He became Professor
Of Latin and Greek. and threw himself
with the energy and industry which
are the leading traits of his character
into the work Of building up the in
stitution. Before be had been two
years in his professorship he was ap
pointed President Of the college. Plair
living and high thinking we're the or
der OF things ct Hiram College in those
days. The teachers were poor, the pu.
pills were poor and the institution was
poor. but there was q great deal OF
bard. faithful study done, and many
ambitious plans formed. The young
President taught. lectured and preach
ed, and all the time studied as diligent-
ly as any acolyte in the temple of
knowledge. He frequently spoke on
Sundays in the churches of the towns
in the vicinity to create an interest 10
the college. Among the Disciples any
one can preach vto has q mind to. 20
ordination being required. From these
Sunday disconrses came the story that
Garfield at one time was q minister.
He never considered himself such. and
never had any intention of finding @
Greer in the pulpit.
MS AMBITION.
il he bad any outside of the school, lay
in the direction Of Law and politics.
During his profsssorship. Garfield mar
ried Miss Lucretia Rudolph. daughter
OF farmer 10 the neighborhoOd. whose
acquaintance he had made while at the
academy, where she was also q pupil.
She was quiet, thoughtful girl. of
singularly sweet and refined dIsposi.