The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-08

- tsA.H.'...
,sy I.
James Abram Garfield was born in Orange.
Cuyahoga county. O.. Nov. ~. 1881. He was
descended from Edward Garfield, an English
Puritan. who. in 1880. was one OF the founders
of Watertown. Mass. II $ mother. Eliza Ballou.
was Born in New Hampshire. Of a Huguenot
family that fled from France to Now England
after,the revocation OF the Edict OF Nantes In
1856 Garfleld's father moved to Ohio In 1880
and settled in what was then known as the
Wilderness" but now as the =" Western Re-
s~erve,l'. o tract claimed by Connecticut and
largely occupied by emigrants from that State.
The elder Garfield died at tho age Of 33. leav-
ing awidow and four mai children. Of whom
Jamesiwas the youngest. BY the age Of 10 the
future President had become accustomed to
manual labor. experimenting his mothers
meagre income by work on a neighborinR
farm. For some months he drove a canal
boat on the Ohio Canal. after which he was pro-
noted from the towpath to the boat. Upto the
age OF 10 his only opportunities Of acquiring
An education were secured by attending n dis
trict school in the winter months. but In
16io-50 he entered the Geauga Seminary at
Chester, o.. and two years later the Hiram
Eclectic Institute at Hiram. Portage county, o..
the principal educational institution of the So
called Christian Church. In 1854 he entered
Williams College. Mass. and two years later
graduated with the highest honors in his class.
Returning to Ohio he became a teacher OF Latin
and Greek at Hiram Institute, and in 1857 was
made it's President. While acting In that ca
pactty he studied law. In 1859 he was chosen
TO represent the counties Of Summit and Por-
taReh in the Ohio Senate. and in August, 1851.
was commissioned Lieutenant-Colone in the
Fortyssecopl Regiment Of Ohio volunteers. In
December. 1851 IA brigade was intrusted II to him
by Gen. Buell. and the difficult taski OF driving |
the Confederate General Humphrey Marshall
from eastern Kentucky was assigned to him.
In recognition OF his triumph over the Confed-
crate forces at the battle OF Middle Creek on
Jan..1Q, 1862. he was made n Brigadier- General
by President Lincoln. As the commander Of the
Twentieth Brigade, he reached Pittsburg Land
Sng in time to take part in the second days
eight, aud was engaged in all the subsequent
In front OF Corinth. In September.
1882 he was ordered 10 Washington on court
martial duty. but in February. = returned
to he Geld as Chief of staff to Gen. Rosecrans.
commanding the Army of the Cumberland.
At the battle OF Chickamauga on June
~. 1873, II was Garfield who volunteered to
take tha news of the defeat on the right to
Gen. George II. Thomas. and. by a bold
ride under constant fire. conveyed to that
General the information that saved the forces
under his command. For this act Garfield was
made a Major-General on Sept. ~. 1853 but ten
weeks later. In compliance with President Lin
urgent request. he resigned his commits
sion to sit in the Thirty-eighth Congress. to
which he had been elected thirteen months be-
fore. He was placed on the Committee on
Affairs. but in the Thirty-ninth Con-
gress 1863 he was transferred. at his own re-
quest. to the Com on Ways and Means.
In the Forty-frst Congress the Committee on
Banking and Currency was created. and he WAS
made its Chairman. In the Forty-second aud
Congresses he was Chairman OF
the Committee on appropriations In 1876.
1t President Grants request. he went to New
Orleans. in company with other eminent Re-
publicans. to watch the counting OF the Louisi-
ana vote. In the ensuing January he made
notable speeches in the House on the duty
81 Congress in a Presidential election. and
that the Vice-President had a con-
right to count the electoral vote.
de opposed the Electoral Commission. but,
hen 1t was ordered. was chosen by acclama-
ill one of the two seats allotted to Re-
publican Representatives. When Mr.. Blaine
eft the House for the Senate in 1877 Mr.. Gar
leld Became the undisputed leader of his party
n the House. and then and subsequently was
It's candidate for Speaker. On Jan. IL. 1890. he
yas elected to the United States Senate. In
he following June L.e attended the Republican
National Convention at Chicago. where he op-
oosed the denomination OF President Grant and
Senator Sherman. On the thirty
ixth ballot he was unanimously nominated for
and on Nov. q. 1880, he was elected.
PA electoral votes to Ia cast for
s. Hancock. President Garfield was
hot on July 2. 1881. by the assassin Guiteau
n the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad station
n Washington. and he died from the effects Of
he wound on Sept. 10 at Elberon. Nj. He
Vas' buried at Cleveland. o.
With the aXcanti1b NJ tuo apaoioI -oc,,-..