The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-10-27
sions monev. Said the renorter.

casiOns money. Said the reporter:
Then you Have probably received in
all about $500 or $1,000 from himp"
mo, not so much in money. Twelve
years ago he purchased forty acres adj
| joining the place and gave the deed to
me. My son lives there and you might
have noticed his new frame house as you
came along. He is thirty-One years of
age now, a tall and likely young man
who is out to-day with party of sur
veyOrs. We named him after his uncle,
James AbTam Garfield
YES" added Mrs. g., '.and he is the
picture of James, None of his family
look so much like him. We have but
one other child, daughter, and she too
| is married, and we live here alone"
why did you not go to Washington
to visit the President during his liz
ness?" asked the reporter.
The old gentleman hesitated, and the
reporter kindly suggested that perhaps
the great expense incident to the trip
hindered him.
'Yes," said Mr. Garfield, "that was it,
and beside had been told that nobody
would be admitted to see him."
did you attend the funeral at Cleve-
land?"
Yes, sir. 1 was gone from home
three days, and when | reached Cleve-
land was directed to go to the house of
Mrs. Colonel Sheldon, where mother and
sister were."
Il read" said Mrs. Garfield, "that
Mother Garfield had said that James was
her only son. This must be a mistake,
fOE Mother Garfield was not the kind of
a woman to disOwn her own children.
She had too good heart for that"
What do you think will be the ulti-
mate effect of the death of James upon
his mothers health?"
II think" said Mr.. Garfield, ''that she
Will yet experience relapse, for she
was 80 much wrapped up in James. |
can never forget" added he, 'the last
time | met him. 1t was at Mentor, last
New Years, when we held the family
meeting. No money could buy of me
the remembrance of our parting. He
took me kindly by the hand and said:
You are going back to your peaceful
home while l must encounter trouble
and anxiety increasing"
The reporter shook hands with the
Presidents brother and his wife, and
Mr.. Garfield said in conclusions: you
may tell your people that you have seen
the humble farmer" to which Mrs. Gar
field added a request that report of the
interview might be sent to them "at
jamestown, Ottawa county. We live on
section H." she said.
glance around the place showed few
improvements. An aTbOr hung with
grape vines led down to the gate, and
corn crib and other small dwelling were
visible, but there was no sign of barn
or shelter for possible unseen horse or
cow.
How often do you go up to Grand
Rapids?" asked the reporter, turning
about.
"Only once a year." said Mr.. Garfield,
''and we go up then to buy our clothing.
What grain we raise is hauled to neigh
boring villages, generally by my son,
James,"
The reporter left Thomas Garfield
with the impression on his mind, that
while thousands of dollars subscription
TO the widow and children attest the
noble impulses of his cOuntrymen, a
contribution of very few dollars would
not go amiss on the "humble farmer
who "backed" the meal from the mill
for the future President and giving up
all the hopes of individual advance
ment, tOiled on with his hands at grub
bing roots and splitting rails to assist
the noble mother to keep her family to-
gether and to rear his baby brother.