Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-02-06
The Brother Of a President.

An interesting story is going the
rounds of the newspapers about the
modest and simple life of Thomas Gar
field. an old farmer who lives in Hud-
sonville, Mich, and who is a brother of
the late President Garfield. 1t is an
interesting commentary on the
democracy of American life that few
people have ever heard of this brother
of the beloved martyrcd President. In
deed, the brothers of our presidents
seem to have Il way of living in OBJ
security. Only few days ago Il
brother of ex-President Cleveland died.
He was country clergyman in q
western state, and the brief announce
mcnt of his death which appeared in
the newspapers WAS the first intimation
that most people had of the existence
of such man.
Thomas Garfield, who is now So
years Of age, went to Michigan about
40 years ago and settled upon the farm
which he now owns. from which he has
scarcely ever journey since. He was
never in Washington. after James
had been elected President" says he.
week before he went to Washington.
While there he told me that it was the
4 l..
to him. He wanted to go to the SEN
ate, where nc thought he could ac-
complish more good. but the Presi-
dency WAS forced upon him. When I
started to come home. James came to
Cleveland With me and put me on the
train. His last words to me were,
Thomas. | have to say goodbye to
you. You are going back to quiet
Michigan home, while | am going
where l shall have increased anXietics
and cares The next time | saw
James he was corpse" Thomas
Garfield further told Il reporter for the
Detroit Free Press OF his earlier and
later life as follows:
'Many is the time carried James on
my back to school when the snow was
too deep for him. 1 took care of him
until he got through high school. and
then he got his life insured which car
ried him through college. My duty
was to stay at home and run the farm,
and did il. After l was Is years old
l began to make considerable money
breaking steers and yoking them for
the pillow. guess l could have made
a small fortune trading in this way,
but mother did not think it was quite
right, and she wanted me to stick to
the farm. The winter l was u years
old came out here to Michigan and
numbered on the Grand river, near
Georgetown. When l got back to
Ohio 1 had enough money saved to
build frame house on the farm fol-
mother and sisters. Before that we
lived in log house. Mother finally
sold the farm and went to live with
James. as he was principal of schoo
and was better able to give her a home
married and rented a farm neal
Scion, Ohio. where I stayed until
out tried to enlist. but they refused
to take me OH account of my disability
though they took my money for sub
stitute. A relative who lived neal
Bryon had written we that the country
was good. SO 1 came and paid $1,000 fol
40 acres. Afterward James bought A
more acres of land for me. and here
have been ever since. 1t was a wilder.
| ness then, right in the heart of tn,
forest. and no roads. a little patch
had beer cleared on this knoll, or
which stood frame shanty. and some
trees had been laid out for an orchard
We cleared the place. but it was hare
work. Two years after we came fir,
destroyed our home and also burned
900 pounds of sugar we had made
However. we never gave up and go,
started again. never had any am
bition to hoard up money. When
got little ahead I always found some
place TO put it. James has been hers
to visit us several times. but that wa.
before he was elected President. He