James A. Garfield

Date of Birth: November 19, 1831

Zodiac Sign: Scorpio

Date of Death: September 19, 1881

Biography

James Abram Garfield was the 20th President of the United States, serving from March 4, 1881, until his assassination later that year. Born into poverty, Garfield managed to rise through the ranks, first as a scholar and then as a soldier, lawyer, and politician. His tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives spanned nearly two decades, and he was known for his advocacy of civil rights and educational reforms. Garfield’s presidency, though brief, was notable for his efforts to reform the civil service and reduce corruption. Tragically, his term was cut short when he was shot by Charles J. Guiteau on July 2, 1881, and he succumbed to his injuries on September 19, 1881.

5 Interesting Facts about James A. Garfield

1. James A. Garfield was the last U.S. President born in a log cabin.

2. He was the only sitting member of the House of Representatives to be elected President.

3. Garfield was ambidextrous and could write Latin with one hand and Greek with the other simultaneously.

4. He served as a major general in the Union Army during the Civil War.

5. Garfield was a strong advocate for civil rights and education reform.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from James A. Garfield

1. “The truth will set you free, but first it will make you miserable.”

2. “Next in importance to freedom and justice is popular education, without which neither freedom nor justice can be permanently maintained.”

3. “I mean to make myself a man, and if I succeed in that, I shall succeed in everything else.”

4. “Ideas are the great warriors of the world, and a war that has no idea behind it, is simply a brutality.”

5. “The cabin in which I was born was constructed of logs, hewn from trees within a hundred yards of it. Its chimney was of sticks and clay, its floor the bare earth.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

James A. Garfield’s highest net worth is not precisely documented, but he was not considered wealthy by the standards of his time. His financial status was modest, reflecting his humble beginnings and a career primarily in public service.

Children

James A. Garfield and his wife, Lucretia Rudolph Garfield, had seven children: 1. Eliza Arabella “Trot” Garfield (1860–1863) 2. Harry Augustus Garfield (1863–1942) 3. James Rudolph Garfield (1865–1950) 4. Mary “Mollie” Garfield Stanley-Brown (1867–1947) 5. Irvin McDowell Garfield (1870–1951) 6. Abram Garfield (1872–1958) 7. Edward Garfield (1874–1876)